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Beauty and care industry has witnessed a tremendous jump in recent times. More and more people are willing to splurge on beauty products. Consequently, new jobs pertaining to this segment have also come into the notice of young students. One of the popular and in-demand professions is of hairdressing. Though, hairdressing is not exactly a new profession. It has been in existence since centuries. Many archaeological discoveries show us that people in ancient times used to apply ornaments to their hair. This was particularly true for ritual and ceremonial occasions. Try to check any culture, whether it’s Greek, Chinese, and Roman or Latin, you will find evidence of hairdressing depicted in the works of art. A hairdresser or hairstylist is primarily responsible for cutting and styling clients’ hair. The demand of the profession involves cutting, styling and dressing both men and women's hair. There are plenty of job opportunities available in this segment of health and beauty.
One of the interesting facts about hairdressers is that, they are the 'happiest at work' out of all the other professions surveyed. One primary reason being cited here is, this profession requires maintaining good relationships with the clients who are from varied backgrounds. The needs and demands of clients are different so a hairdresser must be skilled in handling all the related aspects. Hairdresser needs to have extensive knowledge of appropriate products for different hair types. The end result of the entire work must translate into client’s satisfaction.
The profession of hairdressing is sans any gender bias and that is perfectly illustrated by equal number of men and women working in salons. The employment opportunities are in plenty as qualified hairdressers can be employed in salons and hair studios. Many of these professionals prefer to work from home or may decide to travel with hi-profile people who require hairdressing services. Entertainment industry is another wonderful option where hairdressers are required to prepare hair for shoots and other important events.
Talking about eligibility and qualification, there are no formal minimum entry requirements for a hair stylist in certain parts of the world. In some countries, this profession is quite regulated and an aspiring hairdresser needs to pass certain exam before he/she becomes eligible for the job of hairstylist.
If we talk about UK, the career prospects of a hairdresser can become very bright if she works towards National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) in hairdressing at a college. Courses are available in part time and full time mode. Some of the basic courses in hairdressing are,
NVQ Level 1
NVQ Level 2
NVQ Level 3 and
BTEC Nationals Foundation degree in hairdressing
Level 1 and 2 cover basic essential skills to become a qualified hair stylist. These courses usually last from six months to one year depending upon the mode of education. Level 3 adds skills necessary for senior management roles.
Similarly in Australia universities, courses being made available to students are,
Certificate II Hairdressing
Certificate III Hairdressing
Certificate IV Hairdressing
Certificate IV Trichology
One can also go for ‘Diploma of Hairdressing Salon Management’ which is the most advanced course that adds management component to the basic hairstyling skills.
In India, number of private beauty salons and famous hair designers offer certificate courses in hair styling. Some of popular ones are,
Habib's Hair Academy
South Delhi Polytechnic for Women
Men's World International Institute
In USA, to become a hairdresser, one needs to have a high school diploma and complete a course of Cosmetology. Courses are offered by many high schools as well as some private and public vocational schools. In some states of USA, cosmetologists are require to obtain license before becoming eligible to join any hair salon.
Hair stylist can work in salons of varying size apart from health farms, cruise liners and fashion industry.
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