How to Find the Right Barber Training Near Bartow Florida
Since you have decided to attend a barber school near Bartow FL, the process starts to locate and enroll in the ideal school. It's imperative that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We'll discuss a bit more about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Bartow home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when evaluating potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the ideal option. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about 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?
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
Below is a list 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 in relation to your Bartow FL home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly 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 take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber school you pick 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 comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in Bartow FL for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements 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 demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Bartow FL barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Florida school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing 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 imperative that you choose a school that specializes in 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 dream is to launch a barber shop in Bartow FL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and perfecting barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Bartow FL barber college furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develop relationships with local employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Bartow FL area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify 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 offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be available in Bartow FL.
How to Choose a Barber College in Bartow
Enroll in the Right Bartow Barber College
Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber college is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional barber in Bartow Florida.