How to Pick the Best Barbering Training Near Naugatuck Connecticut
Since you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Naugatuck CT, the task starts to locate and enroll in the right school. It's important that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll speak a little bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Naugatuck home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the ideal option. There are a number of other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Become a Barber?
Barbershops have always been a place for men to get their hair cut, socialize, and gab about everything from sports to stock tips. Although today some women visit barbershops and some men visit stylists and salons, the barbershop and its iconic red, white, and blue striped pole is still a cornerstone of male culture. If you’ve got an eye for style, a creative flair, and an appreciation for America’s unique barbershop culture, a career as a barber could be your calling. As a barber, you’ll cut, style, shape, and treat men’s hair, and sometimes women’s and children’s hair, too. You’ll give shaves and trim facial hair and sometimes perform neck and scalp massages. Like all specialists in the field of cosmetology, you’ll make a ritual out of maintaining your tools, station, and clients to the highest standards of hygiene and sanitization.
What to Ask Barbering Training Programs
Following is a list of questions that you will want to research for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Naugatuck CT home, in addition to the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have put together some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Naugatuck CT for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Naugatuck CT barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the Connecticut school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 dream is to open a barber shop in Naugatuck CT, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering barbering skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Naugatuck CT barber college furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that he or she gets aid in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with area employers that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Naugatuck CT area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be provided in Naugatuck CT.
How to Train in Barbering in Naugatuck
Choose in the Right Naugatuck Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the right barber college is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional barber in Naugatuck Connecticut.