How to Select the Best Barbering Academy Near Phoenix Arizona
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Phoenix AZ, the task begins to find and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the school you select not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We'll discuss a little bit more concerning that in the next section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Phoenix home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the right choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Become a Barber?
The majority of today’s barbers no doubt were inspired to explore this profession because of their own sense of style coupled with fond memories of visiting their local barber shop. For those considering this career, several trips to the barber is most definitely in order. Taking in the atmosphere, the clientele, and the work is one of the best ways to become familiar with how a barber’s day is spent. A barber is a professional who specializes in cutting and styling men’s hair and caring for men’s facial hair, skin, and scalps. Of course they are primarily employed in barbershops, although a number of high-end hotels and spas now employ barbers full-time to serve traveling businessmen. To be successful, individuals should be friendly and outgoing, and they should enjoy meeting new people and spending the better part of their day socializing with the clients they serve. Those interested in barbering should be prepared to spend the majority of the day on their feet and working with their hands. Barbers usually enjoy flexible schedules, relaxed working environments, and a solid income once they establish a regular clientele.
Questions to Ask Barbering Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Phoenix AZ residence, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you enroll in 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Phoenix AZ for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Phoenix AZ barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the Arizona school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a barber shop in Phoenix AZ, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Phoenix AZ barber college furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he gets support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with area employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which Phoenix AZ area shops and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you determine what financial aid may be provided in Phoenix AZ.
How to Choose a Barber College in Phoenix
Choose in the Right Phoenix Barber College
Locating and enrolling in the right barber college is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you choose are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional barber in Phoenix Arizona.