How to Pick the Best Barbering Academy Near Naples Florida
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Naples FL, the task begins to find and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the program you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction 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 kind of school. We'll discuss a little bit more regarding that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Naples residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the right option. There are several 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 looking at 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 Barber Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any barber school you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Naples FL home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn 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 additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber training program 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Naples FL for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of businesses will not employ 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 college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. 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, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Naples FL barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Florida 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 beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select 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 respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a barber shop in Naples FL, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Naples FL barber school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that she or he gets aid in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide help maintain relationships with local businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Naples FL area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected 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 reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be offered in Naples FL.
How to Choose a Barber School in Naples
Enroll in the Best Naples Barber College
Finding and enrolling in the ideal barber school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, 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 self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional barber in Naples Florida.