Hey, guys, Anthony Gray from MIG Training. I thought I’d share with you today some of the things that salon owners are doing to really improve the progression of their apprentices. Obviously, as a private college that works in the formal training space, we’re in a really privileged position to see some amazing work. And while we all know that the one size fits all approach doesn’t work, and is destined to fail, there are some salons that have really cracked the code in relation to training and progression. And those common touchstones can be tailored to suit any salon.
In practice, there’s five things that we see that are really important. One is a clear and concise plan including timelines, accountabilities and skills, and really breaking down, I suppose the mumbo jumbo that could be in the training package into some key areas. So covering off on the technical skills; cut colour, chemical style and consultation.
Secondly, the best of breed salons, they also bridge the gap and partner with the college to make sure that everyone’s in lockstep. And that’s so important, the order of the training plan, making sure that the plan the college puts in front of them really matches what they do, and then really having a clear path for how assessment is conducted as well.
Thirdly, I think success is demonstrated by those who really embrace the journey and go back to basics with their apprentice. I think sometimes the hardest part for an experienced hairdresser is to deconstruct their art, and deconstructing down to the fundamentals.
Cutting is a classic example. In-salon, it can be all around total looks but at college, the building blocks are really, really examined. So solid, uniform graduation, layers are all the areas that are broken down. Embracing that back to basics culture is really important to help apprentices get up and running. Also great in-salon educators challenge and excite the apprentice so that they develop really strong practical skills to contribute to the team. The statistics are there. Only 30% of hairdressing apprentices complete, and most of them cancel within the first 12 months. So salons that have moved beyond the old school notion of doing your time are the ones that succeed the most.
Finally, successful salons ask a lot of their college in relation to communication and feedback. They invest time in the partnership and they really hold the college to account to make sure that they are in lockstep every step of the way so that the formal matches the informal and that the apprentices nurtured on that journey. We’re really proud to work with a whole heap of salons that do just that. And we know that if they follow those touchstones then they’re able to develop really strong teams.
If you’re interested in talking about how we potentially can help with the next step in developing your team, it would be great for you to give us a call. Thanks very much.