So far Hairdressing is one of the VERY few sectors who do NOT have an apprenticeship. Not having one has been detrimental to the industry to date as there is no standardised training agreed. It also brings huge health and safety issues and dangers to the person working in the industry as well as the consumer having services completed.
The Hairdressing Council of Ireland spearheaded a proposal with Image Skill Learning & Development Training Network for a ‘formal Apprenticeship’ scheme within Hairdressing (submitted on September 1st) to the Apprenticeship Council of Ireland). This is designed firstly to enhance skills within the sector, and secondly to attract young people back to hairdressing, which is perceived as a difficult sector in which to make a sustainable career. There were three applications submitted for this to the Apprenticeship Board. Two of those entries moved on to the next few meetings/levels and finally the two groups joined together to form ONE Apprenticeship proposal to present to the Minister and final apprenticeship panel for consideration with all other apprenticeships.
The group who has done this is – the Hairdressing Council with our initial partner Image Skillnet Learning & Development we were then joined by the second group who are Limerick ETB and the Synergy Group. We now just have to wait until Minister Bruton and his team make a decision on all the new apprenticeships which will be formed soon
While there is a reasonably healthy hairdressing sector within the Dublin area, this is not reflected in other parts of the country. Creating apprenticeship opportunities in cities and small town across the country will increase job opportunities for young people within their own community, will help to keep communities alive, and will help to build sustainable employment into the future. But all of this is contingent on the sector not over-pricing itself. That is why the minimum VAT rate is so important to the sector in maintaining cost-competitiveness and providing a reasonable prospect for employers to sustain their businesses through these challenging times.
photo: Kevin Bartley LCETB, Noreen Ryan LCETB, Catherine Finn SYNERGY, Margaret O’Rourke Doherty IMAGE SKILLNET. Maeve O’Healy-Harte HAIRDRESSING COUNCIL, Sean Taaffe HAIRDRESSING COUNCIL and Bridget Haren HAIRDRESSING COUNCIL.
