How to Select the Best Barbering Training Program Near Erlanger Kentucky
Once you have decided to attend a barber school near Erlanger KY, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best school. It's essential that the program you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We'll speak a bit more regarding that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Erlanger residence. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when reviewing prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the right option. There are various other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a 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 investigate for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school in relation to your Erlanger KY home, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber college you enroll in 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Erlanger KY for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, a number of businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously considering should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers 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 along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Erlanger KY barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. Finally, check with the Kentucky school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition 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 Erlanger KY, 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 poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a Erlanger KY barber school provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that she or he gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with area businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which Erlanger KY area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. 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 available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be offered in Erlanger KY.
How to Become a Barber in Erlanger
Enroll in the Best Erlanger Barber College
Selecting and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your career as a professional barber in Erlanger Kentucky.