How to Select the Best Barbering Training Near Lakewood Ohio
Once you have made a decision to enroll in a barber school near Lakewood OH, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the contrast 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 pertain to the same kind of school. We'll talk a bit more about that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Lakewood home. Tuition will likewise be a critical aspect when evaluating potential barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not automatically the ideal option. There are several other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are thinking about later in 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 Choose Barbering?
A barber is a professional who cuts, trims, and styles hair for primarily male clients, though many women with shorter hairstyles opt to go to these professionals too. Most barbers also provide facial hair maintenance, custom shaves and other men's grooming services. The goal of a barber is to make each client feel comfortable and at ease while their hair is being cut or styled. The barber also seeks to ensure that the client is happy with his or her hairstyle, length and color or his new facial hair style. They usually use tools such as scissors, clippers, razors, and combs Barbers may also provide other services such as applying lotions, shampooing, styling, coloring hair, and singeing. In addition, a barber may perform massage services for the scalp, neck, and face. Finally, barbers will typically bill the client, accept payment and tips and finalize the sale. They may also sell the client products such as shampoo, lotions, or tonics that will meet their styling, grooming and maintenance needs between appointments. They will clean their work area and tools according to the state's safety and sanitation requirements after each appointment.
What to Ask Barbering Training Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Lakewood OH home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have collected several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College 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 certified 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 ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in Lakewood OH for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many employers 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? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. 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, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Lakewood OH barber shop owners or managers, or someone 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 looked into. And last, consult the Ohio school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on 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 well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a barber shop in Lakewood OH, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct 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 Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Lakewood OH barber college furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's important that he or she receives aid in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with area employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which Lakewood OH area shops and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Many barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Talk to 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 offered to students as well. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be available in Lakewood OH.
How to Train to Be a Barber in Lakewood
Enroll in the Best Lakewood Barber College
Selecting and enrolling in the right barber training program is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional barber in Lakewood Ohio.