How to Choose the Best Barbering Course Near Portland Oregon
Once you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Portland OR, the process begins to locate and enroll in the best school. It's imperative that the school you pick not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We'll speak a little bit more about that in the next segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Portland home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when evaluating prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not always the ideal option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are thinking about later within 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
Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Portland OR home, together with the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged 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 quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in Portland OR for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria 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 might look more positively upon those 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 profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify 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 agencies. If you have any relationships with Portland OR barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Oregon school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of cosmetology 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 decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to start a barber shop in Portland OR, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and perfecting barbering skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Portland OR barber school provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's imperative that she or he receives support in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with area businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Portland OR area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you learn what financial help may be offered in Portland OR.
How to Train in Barbering in Portland
Enroll in the Right Portland Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the right barber college is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce 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 qualified to launch your new career as a professional barber in Portland Oregon.