Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central, visited esg.’s flagship hair academy during National Apprenticeship Week to find out how they help local youngsters gain the qualifications and experience they need to find work in their chosen career.
During his visit, Mr Blomfield met a number of apprentices, all aged between 16 and 19 years old who, without esg.’s academy - set up in partnership with Styletech - would struggle to find work at a salon in this tough economic climate due to lack of experience and skills.
Apprentices attend the hair academy three days a week, where they work towards their NVQ in a busy salon environment and their doors are open to the public for business Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Local people can get a great deal too as customers are always needed for the budding hairdressers and barbers to work on for very reasonable prices.
Once they enrolled with esg. the next step was for each apprentice to be matched with a work placement in a suitable salon for the other half of the week by Recruitment Officer Elouise Smith, who said: “It’s very important we place each learner into a salon that they will enjoy working in and is easy for them to get to. We have great relationships with salons from across Sheffield, from big names like Creator, Toni and Guy, Hair Kandi and Wigs & Warpaint to newer salons like Love Your Hair.”
Scott Baker, who’d just turned 18 on the day of the visit told us: “Earning a wage while I train makes all the difference and thanks to esg. I’ve already got a salon placement, everything’s just going great!”
Paul Blomfield MP added: “It was great to visit the hair academy and to talk to the apprentices. It’s really important that there are opportunities like this for young people that can give them the skills they need to get on and have a successful career. I was impressed by their dedication and by the commitment of the tutors in helping their apprentices find work placements and employment.”
Because of the hair academy, salon owners benefit from employing apprentices who already have basic training and, more importantly, experience of working in a busy environment, making them an asset to the business from day one. And any training modules that the salon can’t fit in are taken care of at the academy.
A cut above: Paul Blomfield MP (foreground) with esg.'s apprentices, tutors and Liam Doyle, Operations Director and Amber Massey, Hairdressing Curriculum Manager (back row)
esg. provides vocational training and qualifications in hairdressing and many other curriculum areas like retail, business administration, childcare, health and social care and many more across Sheffield and also nationally too.
Liam Doyle, Group Operations Director at esg. commented: “It’s great to see the difference that an Apprenticeship can make to the young learners coming through our doors, and to the salons recruiting them, who benefit from the practical, vocational skills that they’ve already acquired. The hair academy is a perfect example of how we can work in partnership with local employers to help them find suitable candidates, and then work together with the salons to develop their apprentices through training that is tailored specifically for their business.”
Price list
Full head of colour - £10
Cut (short hair) - £5
Cut (long hair) - £7
For more prices and to book an appointment call 07595 779 803. The academy is situated on Mowbray Street in Sheffield and is open to the public Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.