Rio Hair link to academy

Buy photos » Apprentice stylists Lucy Cook, Frankie Middleton, Aimee Smith, and Frasier Hegarty celebrate the launch of the new academy with Elliott Ferris, owner of Rio Hair Company and Rachele Watson, account manager for Wolverhampton College. Picture by Jon Mullis 11.013.033.redd.jm1

A REDDITCH hairdressing salon has been chosen as the host for a new apprenticeship academy to help train the next generation of stylists.

Rio Hair Company in Headless Cross has linked-up with Wolverhampton College to provide the service which will initially train five to six apprentices increasing to 16 to 20 over time. The academy will be open to all salons in the area with full training to NVQ Level 2 and 3 Hairdressing and Level 2 and 3 Barbering provided by college staff at the Evesham Road base. Apprentices will then return to their respective businesses to carry out their on the job training. The service will operate on Mondays starting from April 15.

Elliott Ferris, owner of Rio Hair Company, already employs four apprentices and said creating the academy was an opportunity to fill a training gap in the area.

“The only way to get a quality hairdresser out of college in my opinion is through an apprenticeship,” he said.

“There’s a lot of people interested in hairdressing but a lot of them are being given sub-standard training. They come out of college with a Level 2 hairdressing qualification and they can’t get a job and it’s a shame and a waste of time for them.”

He added the benefits of apprenticeships included being able to train staff to an individual salon’s requirements including the level of customer service required.

Wolverhampton College already trains over 300 hairdressing apprentices a year across the West Midlands at its sites in Wolverhampton, Telford and Worcester, working with industry names such as Chapters and Toni and Guy.

Rachele Watson, account manager at Wolverhampton College, said it was an opportunity to improve provision in the Redditch, Studley and Alcester area.

“There’s a big gap between people who may have a hairdressing qualification but are not necessarily ready to be on the salon floor and apprenticeships help with that,” she said.

Salon owners or individuals interested in the academy or a hairdressing apprenticeship should call Rachele Watson on 01905 670522 or email watsonra@wolvcoll.ac.uk

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