How to Enroll In the Best Barbering Course Near Durham North Carolina
Once you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Durham NC, the task starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It's imperative that the school you choose not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference 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 relate to the same type of school. We'll discuss a little bit more about that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Durham residence. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it's not automatically the ideal option. There are several other factors that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what barbering is and why you may want to become a barber.
Why Choose Barbering?
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 Schools
Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Durham NC home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want 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 initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber college 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 comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in Durham NC for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Durham NC 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 propose others that you had not thought of. And finally, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you enroll in 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 Durham NC, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and refining barbering techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a Durham NC barber school furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for acquiring your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that he or she gets assistance in landing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with area employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Durham NC area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 accessible to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be available in Durham NC.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Durham
Choose in the Right Durham Barber School
Choosing and enrolling in the right barber school is essential to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional barber in Durham North Carolina.