How to Pick the Best Barbering Academy Near Anchorage Alaska
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Anchorage AK, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It's important that the school you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll discuss a bit more regarding that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Anchorage residence. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are looking at later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Choose Barbering?
Barbering, which is as old as America itself, is certainly a career steeped in tradition. Many of today’s barbers use the same equipment or tools, practice the same techniques, and retain the atmosphere of barber shops of long ago. In fact, not much has changed in barbering, as this profession is considered an art form that requires skill, training, a steady hand, and a sharp eye. As a barber, you get to specialize in the cutting, trimming, and styling of hair, mustaches, and beards. Barbers are the specialists in masculine style, providing facial, shaving, and hair-cutting services to men. The barber career choice has also seen a recent resurgence or rise in popularity. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of barbers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. If you’re passionate about beginning a career in the barber industry and are ready to blaze a path in this booming industry, then entering this particular field does require you to obtain specialized schooling.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Anchorage AK residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Anchorage AK for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Anchorage AK barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Alaska school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to start a barber shop in Anchorage AK, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Anchorage AK barber school furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that he or she receives help in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with local businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Anchorage AK area shops and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be offered in Anchorage AK.
How to Choose a Barber School in Anchorage
Choose in the Best Anchorage Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the ideal barber school is important to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional barber in Anchorage Alaska.