Turn Learning into Earning

With margins tight and the industry facing numerous constraints, it’s difficult to fully appreciate the benefits of supporting the next generation in the industry. Yet, there are tangible advantages to building your team, including improved employee retention and opportunities for professional development. By fostering new talent and investing in the future growth of your salon, you can address skills gaps and gain fresh perspectives.

Susan Flintoff, owner of Hair Secrets in Northallerton shared her experience. “Apprentices are the future and represent a valuable investment for my business. Many of my apprentices have trained with me and stayed for 6-8 years on average – my current manager has been with me for 10 years now!
We maximise return on investment by planning ahead and considering how we can make the most of our skills. We have a Blow-Dry Club for unlimited blow-drys per month, and the blow-drys are delivered by our learners, allowing us more time on cutting and complex techniques. Apprentices can quickly assist with root and simple colours too, again freeing up time. Our regular clientele enjoy supporting the next generation in this way too.”

Karen Harvey of Keith Graham Hairdressing in Cliftonville in Kent agrees, “Apprentices are the lifeblood of a salon. An apprentice’s wage is justifiable as you’re gaining an extra pair of hands that allows senior staff to concentrate on the higher grossing services. It all helps to make a complete salon and a happy one too. There is also a sense of pride in developing your own staff and nurturing the next generation. Recently, during a very busy period, we had a request for Dutch braids for a special occasion. Our apprentice jumped into action, practised over a couple of days and smashed it on the day! Freeing up other staff and helping ensure we didn’t turn business away too!“

For her most recent cohort of apprentices, Clare Adamson at Taylor Wood Hair Spa in Darlington adopted a similar strategy of prioritising the services that can be learned and put into practice more quickly. Clare explained, “My advice is to adopt a nurturing, encouraging environment. Our apprentices grew quickly in confidence as they gained practical experience and benefited from the total dedication of their salon employer and employees. We prioritise training and ongoing development and reap the benefits across the whole team.”

Apprentices often bring useful social media knowledge and skills with them too - a valuable asset to a salon looking to gain new followers and clients, and to promote all the great work being produced.

First published in The Salon Magazine, May 2025, page 34.