Big Bang owner Jamie Black with some of his previous graduates

Bathgate’s Big Bang is putting the town on the barbering map again in 2012 by offering locals the chance to train as barbers. Up to 12 individuals will be able to sign up for the 20-week evening course starting on 1 February to learn how to shave and shear men just like Johnny Depp in the Barber of Seville, although Big Bang’s owner, Jamie Black, says he’s unlikely to break out in song.

The course will be fully accredited by training provider Ambition Centre for Training (ACT), earning students an SVQ Level 2 unit in barbering. Some funding from ILA Scotland may be available to support students.

‘In the current climate, any new skills are a boon, but the course can also be done for fun,’ said Jamie, who has grown his business and coordinated training for his 24-strong team in-salon over the past 10 years.  ‘It is not often that short training courses are accredited. Teaming up with ACT means we can offer excellent training that is recognised by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.’

In 2011, Big Bang ran a similar course and was inundated with applicants. They all graduated in autumn and many are now working as barbers. Interviews for the new course will be held on 11 January, with most interest coming from existing hairdressers looking to extend their skills base.

‘Being able to offer good barbering cuts can extend a salon’s services and increase its clientele immediately,’ added Jamie. ‘Scotland is world famous for its hairdressing, and we can do the same for barbering.

‘Men are much more interested in how they look these days, with role models like David Beckham showing it is vital to invest time and money on looking good. And they want more elaborate hairdressing provided by fully trained hairdressers. I think it’s become more and more relevant for barbers and stylists to receive formal hairdressing training so they understand how to cater for these more discerning clients.’

Skills Development Scotland, which is backing the scheme, expressed its delight at the news that ACT succeeded in helping nearly 80 per cent of participants into the workplace on its first ever involvement with the programme.

“It has been very successful,” reported Helen Garn, GRfW project leader in West Lothian. “The feedback we’ve had is that the young people found the training, which took place in a real salon, really helped them prepare for a future in hairdressing.”

On average, less than 40 per cent of those on GRfW schemes, a government-backed programme set up to help young people who have left school with few qualifications and no job, complete the 26-week programme or find jobs at the end of it. Yet, of the nine young people who started the programme with ACT, seven completed it and succeeded in finding full-time work with ACT’s help. All had attended weekly sessions in ACT’s satellite training school, based in Bathgate’s RK Studio.

Katrina McCready, owner of Katrina’s Hair and Beauty Lounge in Armadale, West Lothian, took on one of the girls on the scheme, and is delighted with the result. “I was looking to take a new trainee on, and ACT suggested I make it one of the girls on the Get Ready for Work programme,” she said. “I wasn’t sure at first how it would work out, so Emma started coming into the salon two days, and then three days a week. We got on great and now she’s been full-time for the past eight weeks. It’s all worked out just fine.”

Hairdressing training Scotland

Ambition Centre for Training has become the first ever educator to win the top Provision of Quality Training Award at the Scottish Training Federation awards two years in a row.

The independent provider, which specialises in hair and beauty, beat off tough competition to return home with the trophy, which recognises its unparalleled standards of provision to schools and salon employees. This year’s trophy was sponsored by the SQA.

“It is fantastic to be recognised in this way, and for the effort our team makes to bring the best education to salons to be rewarded,” said Isabel McKeown, director of ACT along with Lynda McGivern.

Over the past six years, ACT has pioneered an alternative to traditional vocational training, releasing trainees from attending college or privately run institutions one day a week and instead allowing them to remain in-school or in-salon to learn their craft. This allows salon owners much greater control over development of their employees’ practical skills, while it allows schools to expand their curriculum to include high-quality vocational training.

Every trainee or school pupil works seamlessly towards SQA-accredited qualifications, with ACT educators overseeing their development on an individual basis. It has proved a winning formula, with, to date, more than 50 salons, including Edinburgh’s PSA Group, and more than 20 schools choosing to work with ACT.

Colin Dalrymple, chief executive of the STF, congratulated the ACT team.

“I was delighted to see ACT scoop the award for the second year in a row, and they should be rightly proud. This was a particularly noteworthy award given the exceptional numbers and the overall quality of all those who entered,” he said.

Hairdressing hopefuls from the Scottish Borders to the Highlands and Islands are finding it easier to access accredited training following a huge hike in the number of funded places available with Ambition Centre for Training (ACT). The north-based hairdressing training provider has seen its contract with Skills Development Scotland to educate potential hairdressers aged 16-19 double for 2011/12. At the same time the company has been asked to provide places under the Get Ready for Work scheme that aims to launch young people on a secure career.

Award-winning ACT put in a bid to extend its geographical spread to go as far north as possible. It can now offer its pioneering approach in accredited education to salons across Scotland. Last year, the provider was rewarded for its unrelenting adherence to high standards with the Provision of Quality Training title in the Scottish Training Federation awards.  A day later it led one of its trainees, Lyndsay Speirs of McCallum salon in Paisley, to victory in the National Training Awards.

“In the current climate we were unsure if numbers would even be sustained, yet it is crucial that young people have access to the best education possible, leading to recognised and valued qualifications,” said Lynda McGivern, joint director of ACT along with Isabel McKeown. “We argued for the importance of good, comprehensive educational opportunities for young people and we are delighted that we can offer more salons the sort of training that helps produce winners like Lyndsay yet at the same time reduces bureaucracy for the salon owner or manager.”

For Donna Gilbert (pictured, right) it was the first hairdressing training she’d ever done.

“I loved it,” said Donna, who looks after housekeeping at Big Bang. “It’s given me taste of what being a hairdresser means.”

Every student was coached in classic barbering techniques by Jamie Black, owner of Big Bang, in Bathgate, West Lothian, who has a dedicated barber’s area within his salon, and monitored by ACT to make sure they made the grade.

Jamie linked up with ACT after seeing demand for qualified men’s hairdressers rise.

“Men are much more interested in how they look these days, with role models like David Beckham showing it is vital to invest time and money on looking good. And they want more elaborate hairdressing provided by fully trained hairdressers,” said Jamie, who plans to run the course again later in the year. “I think it’s become more and more relevant for barbers and stylists to receive formal training so they understand how to cater for these more discerning clients.”

Some of his own team signed up for the course, staying on in the salon after work to train.

“These are really useful skills, even for a ladies’ hairdresser,” said Lori Gilbert (far left), who already has her Level 3 in hairdressing. “Doing any sort of training is good for your confidence, but this will also help with cutting short hair on our female clients. And it means I can help out in the barber section of Big Bang when they are busy, which is most of the time.”

Staff and pupils at The James Young High School in Livingston jumped at the chance to have their hair expertly styled in a recent charity fundraising event organised by two of the school’s S4 students.

Hannah MacKay and Natasha Hood, who in April received their SVQ Level 1 certificates in hairdressing, offered a range of services including straightening, curling and plaiting, while another pupil, Georgina Farrelly, did clients’ nails, with donations going to Breast Cancer Awareness.

Hannah and Natasha have been studying hairdressing with independent training provider Ambition Centre for Training for the past two terms as part of West Lothian’s More Choices, More Chances agenda. Enrolled on a course run by award-winning ACT, they have been travelling to Bathgate’s RK Hair Studio, one of ACT’s satellite training centres, every Monday, where they have been learning what a hairdressing career entails. There, and in other placement salons, they have been dealing with real clients, washing hair and assisting the stylists while picking up the essential workplace skills needed for a lasting and rewarding career.

For the charity day, the girls put up posters around the school, with bookings taken through the school office. They then gave up a day of their exam leave for the event. And their hard work paid off, with some 15 teachers and half a dozen pupils ensuring all the day’s appointments were booked. In total, they raised more than £60 for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Cath Kendall, the school’s deputy head, praised the girls’ efforts. She said: “The students were fantastic. I’m very proud and pleased that they gave up their own time during exam leave. Not only did they demonstrate their new skills but they also raised money for charity, and the staff have discovered at first hand the benefits of young people experiencing vocational courses.”

Claire McTiernan, the school’s transition to work co-ordinator, agreed the day was a great success, and hoped it would encourage others to take the course. She said: “It was a busy day, just like being in a real salon. As well as those who came to have their hair and nails done, a steady stream of pupils dropped by to watch what was going on.” She added: “It was great to raise awareness, especially among the younger pupils, of the vocational opportunities on offer at the school.”

One of Scotland’s leading providers of hairdressing training programmes says the recent success of pupils on its school-based courses shows the growing importance for the industry of high-quality training for under-16s.

Award-winning independent provider Ambition Centre for Training (ACT) says properly accredited training courses for school pupils harness their enthusiasm and develop skills early, increasing the numbers of those who will go on to build lasting and fulfilling careers within the industry.

ACT teaches hundreds of young trainee hairdressers within salons across Scotland, but for the past four years it has been working closely with schools and local authorities to bring its expertise to under-16s, and now delivers accredited vocational education to more than 100 pupils in more than 20 schools. It points to its work in the Lothians as an example of what can be achieved. In West Lothian, one group of 15 and 16-year-old girls on a unique vocational education programme are all keen to go on to the next level of training after working hard to achieve their hairdressing SVQ Level 1 certificates, while S3 pupils on ACT’s Skills for Work programme in Midlothian showed their commitment and enthusiasm by organising and running a fundraising day to cover the cost of essential course materials.

The West Lothian pupils, from Whitburn Academy, Broxburn Academy and James Young High School, have been studying hairdressing for the past two terms in a unique cluster-based approach to vocational learning. Working with ACT, West Lothian consolidated its hairdressing training in one centre, rather than offer it to individual schools, which keeps costs down and ensures the pupils acquire a real insight into what working in hairdressing actually feels like. Every Monday, pupils travelled to RK Hair Studio, in Bathgate, where they found out what working in a real salon environment entailed. Each Friday they also attended placements in another salon, dealing with real clients and the real issues that face salon employees every day – washing hair and assisting the stylists, while also picking up the interpersonal skills that are a vital part of life in any job.

Meanwhile, S3 students on the two-year Skills for Work course at Midlothian’s Newbattle Community High School recently showed off their burgeoning talents by offering hairstyling and beauty treatments to parents, teachers and fellow pupils.

The 14 girls offered bargain washes and blow-dries, facials and manicures to raise more than £200 to pay for materials used on the hairdressing course at Newbattle’s purpose-built salon classroom.

All those involved in the schemes acknowledge the transformative effect on pupils’ confidence and job prospects. Kim Fowler, head of house at Whitburn Academy in Bathgate, said the SVQ course had done wonders for the two Whitburn pupils involved. She said: “Shelly has blossomed, while Laura, in terms of her confidence and sense of self-worth, has come on leaps and bounds. Both want to go on to the next level of training, with Laura hoping to be taken on full-time by her placement salon.”

Lynda said: “Ensuring tomorrow’s hairdressers get a good start on high-quality training programmes is vital – for the young people and for the industry. The courses we run with schools and local authorities are always heavily oversubscribed, and all those who get places show real commitment, with many going on to become successful hairdressers.”

Parents, teachers and fellow pupils were among those queuing up for hairstyling and beauty treatments at the hands of S3 hairdressing students at Newbattle Community High School on Tuesday (3 May).

The 14 girls, all pupils on the two-year Skills for Work vocational course organised by training provider ACT, offered bargain washes and blow-dries, facials and manicures, as well as a popular face-painting service, raising a total of £200 to pay for materials used on the hairdressing course at Newbattle’s purpose-built salon classroom.

With prices ranging from £1 for a manicure to £2 for a wash and blow dry (costs were doubled for teachers) business was brisk. The tombola was also popular, with the chance to win a range of gifts donated by the girls’ families.

Among those making the most of the services on offer was Newbattle learning support assistant Marjorie Pryde, who, after having her nails expertly polished, had a head massage as part of her wash and blow dry from 15-year-old Laura Black. She said: “My usual hairdresser charges more than £50 for a cut and blow-dry, so I’m taking advantage of everything on offer here today.”

Although the girls do not cut hair as part of their course, one S5 boy dropped in to have his shoulder-length locks completely clippered off. ACT’s Lynda McGivern, who teaches the course, said: “It was a big step to take, and afterwards his hair was covering the floor. But he seemed pleased with the result.”

Katrina Crawford also enjoyed the experience of having her hair done by her 15-year-old daughter, Courtney. She said: “I’ve come in to be a guinea pig for the day. I can see it’s been hard work for the girls, but Courtney’s done a great job. It’s nice to get yourself pampered now and again.”

The money raised at Newbattle will be well spent. Lynda said: “Essential materials for the hairdressing course can be costly for schools, from shampoos to mannequin heads that cost more than £30 each. But they are essential if the pupils are to learn in a real vocational environment. I’d like to say thanks, not only to the girls who put in so much effort, but to all those who came and helped make the day such a success.”

As schools move into the final weeks of the term and pupils are making important decisions about careers and courses, a group of 37 young people at Newbattle Community School are waiting to hear if they’ve got a place on the Skills for Work hairdressing course. Each one must show creative flair, excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to work as part of a close-knit team. Only 12 will be successful.

The course provider, award-winning Ambition Centre for Training (ACT), faces a similar situation in all the schools it works in around Scotland.

“Hairdressing is an exciting career option for many young people who want a secure future in an industry that offers variety, an outlet for their creativity and glamour,” says Lynda McGivern, co-director of ACT, which delivers hairdressing education to salons and schools right across Scotland. “Every day is different in hairdressing, something they learn on their placement with salons, and that really appeals. But young people also see big-name hairdressers on the TV and in the magazines and they can see that it is an exciting and lucrative industry to be part of.”

Hairdressing is the new dream career. Even in a recession, no well-trained hairdresser struggles to get a job. But while pupils may not need Standard grades or Highers to become a hairdresser, increasingly, they expect high-quality training with a certificate to prove it.

“Years ago hairdressing was a craft learned by watching, rather than participating, and it was inevitably patchy and inconsistent,” says Isabel McKeown, Lynda’s partner at ACT.  “But these days, hairdressing demands a thorough education to ensure everyone understands the requirements of every part of the job. And on top of that, young people have been through an education system that places huge emphasis on qualifications, so they expect to be trained properly in their new careers and for that training to be accredited.”

Aspiring hairdressers are entering an industry that has gone through a huge attitude change in the past decade, embracing the idea not just of accredited learning but also of life-long learning to ensure stylists remain highly skilled and motivated.

“Hairdressing is changing all the time, with the regular introduction of new techniques and new products and it’s crucial that the team has a strong educational base to start with so they can carry on building their knowledge with continuing professional development,” says Ronnie Marshall, owner of Byron Hairdressing in Kirkcaldy, where the team are regularly sent on external courses and they all train together at least one evening a month.

Ronnie works closely with ACT to train his assistants, with funding coming from Skills Development Scotland. Once a month, an ACT educator spends a Monday with Byron’s assistants, teaching them the theory of hairdressing and going through their portfolio. Ronnie and his internal trainer, Lisa Panetta, oversee the practical side, with training given the other three Mondays of the month.

It’s a collaboration that works well and has proved popular across the industry. ACT counts most of the nation’s big-name salons as clients, including PSA in Edinburgh, Alan Edwards in Glasgow and John Gillespie’s in Perth. But it also works with many other salons from the Highlands and Island down to the Borders.

“Any good salon will now offer its assistants certified training as it ensures a consistent, comprehensive education and well-motivated hairdressers,” adds Lynda. “And it helps that places for 16 to 19-year-olds are funded by Skills Development Scotland.”

With schools like Newbattle now offering basic training to 14 and 15-year-olds, the numbers providing accredited education look set to continue and the opportunities for young people will increase. Of those 12 pupils who gain a coveted place on the ACT Skills for Work course at Newbattle, most can be confident there will be salons with jobs and opportunities to train further when they finish school.

It was heads, everyone wins for a group of pupils who received their SVQ Level 1 certificates as part of a unique vocational education project in West Lothian this week (26 April).

The seven 15 and 16-year-old girls, from three West Lothian schools, Whitburn Academy, Broxburn Academy and James Young High School, have been studying hairdressing for the past two terms in a cluster-based approach to vocational learning. Working with award-winning independent provider Ambition Centre for Training (ACT), West Lothian consolidated its hairdressing training in one centre, rather than offer it to individual schools, not just to keep costs down but to ensure the pupils acquire a real insight into what working in hairdressing actually feels like. Every Monday, those who gained a place on the course have travelled to RK Hair Studio, in Bathgate, one of ACT’s satellite training centres, where they have found out what working in a real salon environment entails. They have been dealing with real clients and the real issues that face salons every day – booking appointments, washing hair and assisting the stylists, while also picking up the interpersonal skills that are a vital part of life in any job. Each Friday they have also done placements in other salons, organised by ACT.

Two of the pupils, Chloe Thomson and Hannah McKay, were singled out for special praise, with certificates for High Standards of Performance and Creativity, and Most Improved Student, respectively. Chloe highlighted the life-changing potential of attending the course. She said: “It has given me so much and made me realise what I really want to do in life.”

All those involved in the scheme acknowledge the transformative effect on the pupils’ confidence and job prospects. Kim Fowler, head of house at Whitburn Academy in Bathgate, said the course had done wonders for the two Whitburn pupils involved. She said: “Shelly has blossomed, while Laura, in terms of her confidence and sense of self-worth, has come on leaps and bounds. Both want to go on to the next level of training, with Laura hoping to be taken on full-time by her placement salon.”

Eric Burton, 16-plus Learning Choices coordinator at West Lothian, said: “This is a real working experience for the girls. They get to experience all aspects of the job, including how to deal with people, and they can see the financial implications of work every time they are there.”

ACT, one of Scotland’s leading hairdressing training providers, teaches hundreds of young trainee hairdressers within salons across Scotland, but for the past two years it has been working closely with schools and local authorities to bring its expertise to under-16s. It now delivers accredited vocational education to more than 100 pupils in more than 20 schools. Some will go to commercial salons that become training schools for the day; others are lucky enough to attend schools, such as Newbattle or Lasswade, with purpose-built salon classrooms.