Tips to Implementing an Apprenticeship Program
Written by Jon on August 22, 2011 – 2:04 am - ” There is no substitute for on job training.|”
I am sure you will agree that there is a real need for an Apprenticeship or Internship program in the beauty profession. Unfortunately not enough owners are speaking out about its benefits.
In my opinion an apprenticeship program would help solve the high dropout rate of young hairdressers leaving the profession. More importantly, it would help answer the question I am always asked by salon owners at my presentations: “How do I find good help?”
An apprenticeship program would help upgrade the quality of education to better meet job market and consumer demands. As salon owners you certainly have the incentive to educate your team; if you don’t teach them properly, you will probably go out of business. As I travel throughout the United States and Canada meeting thousands of hairdressers and salon owners the question I’m asked over and over: “How can I find committed professionals who really want a job?”
The question is: Why is there no apprenticeship program in the beauty profession? Who’s to blame?
Because there is no unity among salon owners in addressing this challenge among booth rental owners and salary/commissioned owners, I see little chance of ever seeing this type of program implemented in the beauty industry.
Many more salon owners are reluctant to train young people, enabling them to establish a clientele, only to lose them to a booth rental salon. Because of this broadly held reluctance, many young students miss a timely opportunity to really learn the skills as a stylist and establish a successful future in the beauty profession. They simply give up, or or jump from salon to salon, only to leave after a few months, in utter frustration, resorting to another type of profession,
In the absence of an apprenticeship program, and until changes are made, each owner will have to develop their own apprenticeship and educational training program within their salons.
The following tips will help you develop a simplified apprenticeship or junior stylist program of your own, without compromising your client retention programs or losing customers, due to the stylist’s inexperience and lack of confidence.
Hire the Right People — develop a comprehensive staff development program . Follow my staff development program in my book “Creating Your Salon” Click here. Make sure you hire people that share your vision, goals, and quality control standards.
After you make your selection, review terms of employment in your employee handbook. Clearly define your expectations and how those expectations will be measured
Probation Period —I suggest a 3 or 6 month probationary period. Make sure you include the following 3 major provisions in your employee hand book:
1. Your employment is “ at will”, which means that they can quit at any time during their probation and you can let them go at any time during their probation period.
2. State in your employee handbook that their employment is not a contract for employment
3. You reserve the right to amend or change your handbook or training program at any time.
Define Quality Control Standards — after salon orientation, let your new staff member slowly perform assisting duties, and practice on doll heads when not busy, under your supervision or the supervision of your director of education.
Assisting Program — after orientation, gradually let them assist you or one of your top hairdressers with shampooing, applying color, blow drying, etc. Of course you should show them how to perform these tasks,before they work on real customers.
Junior Stylist Graduation — after you feel they understand your quality control standards and you feel they ready to work on real customers, elevate them to junior stylist status, at reduced prices. Your promotion should say the following:
“All our junior stylists are licensed professionals, who have chosen to reach higher levels of excellence at reduced prices, under the supervision of our master stylist or director of education.”
Simply place a sign at the front desk, stating ” junior stylist available only on Tuesdays” or on a day you feel will allow time to evaluate their performance.
Master Stylist -– once you feel comfortable with their work, you can gradually move them to master stylist, at regular prices.
I urge you to review my educational programs that will answer many of your questions and help you build your winning team. Click here.
To many owners this may seem to require a lot of effort, but with practice this is a simple way to make sure your newcomer understands your quality control standards, without losing customers. When your new stylist reaches your level of quality control guidelines they will gain self confidence and dramatically improve your client retention efforts.
Tags: beauty industry business articles, business management education, educators, estheticians, how to manage hair salon, salon employee training, salon leadership, salon owners networking, salon staff productivity, spa owners
Posted in Miscellaneous, Salon Management, Seminars & Training Resources | 1 Comment »
By Cecilia Gilbet on Oct 16, 2011 | Reply
Thank you very much for the tips. Some days I feel discouraged to find people to work with in my salon and I am happy to have found you.
Today on the service at the Crystal Cathedral, they said, “let the miracles come”.
I have been doing hair replacement for about 15 years and I opened my salon 4 years ago, I do all the work by myself almost all the time. I want to see if you can help me make my business grow and help me start being a business owner, not a self- employed employee.
I have gone to some business seminars by the Chambers of Commerce and Score but I am still chasing my own tail.