Hairdresser Apprentice

Summary

The Hairdresser Apprentice will work alongside experienced salon staff to develop practical hairdressing skills and gain valuable experience within a professional salon environment.

Wage

£12,480 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Training course

Hairdressing professional (level 2)

Hours

To be confirmed during interview stage.

30 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 6 October 2026

Duration

2 years

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

• Welcoming clients to the salon and providing a friendly, professional service.
• Preparing clients for their appointments and ensuring they are comfortable.
• Learning how to answer the salon telephone professionally and confidently.
• Learning how to take telephone enquiries and provide appropriate information to clients.
• Learning how to book, amend and manage client appointments using the salon's booking system.
• Developing a thorough understanding of how the salon booking system works, including checking availability, managing appointments and keeping client information up to date.
• Shampooing and conditioning clients' hair.
• Assisting senior hairdressers during cutting, colouring and styling appointments.
• Learning and practising professional hairdressing techniques under supervision.
• Preparing products, tools and equipment required for hair services.
• Keeping workstations clean, tidy and fully prepared for each client.
• Cleaning and sanitising tools and equipment in accordance with salon hygiene procedures.
• Assisting with blow-drying, styling and finishing services as their skills develop.
• Preparing colour products and assisting with colour services under appropriate supervision.
• Learning how to carry out consultations and understand clients' hair needs and expectations.
• Helping to maintain stock levels and informing the team when products or supplies need replenishing.
• Assisting with general salon duties, including keeping the reception and client areas clean and presentable.
• Supporting the team with preparing the salon before opening and cleaning and closing down at the end of the day.
• Providing professional and friendly customer service throughout the client's visit.
• Learning about professional haircare products and developing knowledge of how to recommend suitable products to clients.
• Following salon health and safety, hygiene and professional standards at all times.
• Taking part in regular training and development as part of the apprenticeship.
• Attending in-house cutting and colouring courses free of charge, delivered by an experienced professional hair educator with over 20 years of hands-on salon-floor experience.
• Putting new techniques and knowledge from the in-house training into practice under the guidance of experienced salon staff.
• Working as part of the salon team and developing confidence, communication skills and professional standards.
• Completing apprenticeship-related learning, coursework and assessments as required.

Where you'll work

53 DEPTFORD BROADWAY
LONDON
SE8 4PH

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

LONDON SOUTH EAST COLLEGES

Training course

Hairdressing professional (level 2)

What you'll learn

• Adhere to legal and organisational requirements for the safe use of products, tools, materials and equipment.
• Apply safe, hygienic, and effective methods of working and infection control, while completing hairdressing services.
• Use communication and etiquette that meets industry requirements, suits and is appropriate to the organisation.
• Maintain the client’s confidentiality and comfort (modesty, privacy) at the start and during the service.
• Advise clients (new and regular) pre, during and after service on the maintenance of the look, complementary services and retail products available in the salon.
• Promote yourself, your organisation, products and services via a variety of social channels.
• Carry out wider salon duties to support the salon business (e.g. services, bookings, payments, retail, upselling and sales).
• Use a range of products, tools, equipment used in Hairdressing services in accordance with legal organisational requirements.
• Complete and maintain client records in accordance with legal and organisational requirements.
• Work as part of a team to support the salon businesses.
• Use working methods that promote environmental and sustainable working practices.
• Carry out a consultation, examine and analyse the hair, skin and scalp and complete relevant industry tests (e.g. hair classification type and characteristics tests).
• Identify (question/observation) any contraindications or limiting factors that are likely to affect or influence the service.
• Shampoo, condition and treat the hair and scalp.
• Dry and finish hair using a range of techniques to create a range of looks, that meets the intended shape, direction, balance and volume agreed with the client.
• Use current setting and dressing techniques to create a range of looks that meets the intended shape, direction, balance, and volume agreed with the client.
• Cut hair using a range of technical skills and cutting techniques to create a range of looks, considering weight distribution, cutting angles, balance and degree of graduation, and the natural growth patterns of the hair, length of the hair ( club cutting, scissor over comb, clipper over comb, texturising, freehand, thinning, layering and razor cutting).
• Restyle hair to create a personalised short or medium (above the shoulder) length hair cut, changing the shape, length and style hair using a range of cutting techniques.
• Complete a range of hair colouring and lightening services to change the depth and tone using current colouring techniques (e.g. freehand techniques, woven highlights or lowlights, root re-touch, half head and full head application, temporary, semi-permanent, demi- permanent, quasi-permanent, permanent colour and lighteners).
• Evaluate the results of the service.
• Adhere to legal and organisational requirements for the safe use of products, tools, materials and equipment.
• Apply safe, hygienic, and effective methods of working and infection control, while completing hairdressing services.
• Use communication and etiquette that meets industry requirements, suits and is appropriate to the organisation.
• Maintain the client’s confidentiality and comfort (modesty, privacy) at the start and during the service.
• Advise clients (new and regular) pre, during and after service on the maintenance of the look, complementary services and retail products available in the salon.
• Promote yourself, your organisation, products and services via a variety of social channels.
• Carry out wider salon duties to support the salon business (e.g. services, bookings, payments, retail, upselling and sales).
• Use a range of products, tools, equipment used in Hairdressing services in accordance with legal organisational requirements.
• Complete and maintain client records in accordance with legal and organisational requirements.
• Work as part of a team to support the salon businesses.
• Use working methods that promote environmental and sustainable working practices.
• Carry out a consultation, examine and analyse the hair, skin and scalp and complete relevant industry tests (e.g. hair classification type and characteristics tests).
• Identify (question/observation) any contraindications or limiting factors that are likely to affect or influence the service.
• Shampoo, condition and treat the hair and scalp.
• Dry and finish hair using a range of techniques to create a range of looks, that meets the intended shape, direction, balance and volume agreed with the client.
• Use current setting and dressing techniques to create a range of looks that meets the intended shape, direction, balance, and volume agreed with the client.
• Cut hair using a range of technical skills and cutting techniques to create a range of looks, considering weight distribution, cutting angles, balance and degree of graduation, and the natural growth patterns of the hair, length of the hair ( club cutting, scissor over comb, clipper over comb, texturising, freehand, thinning, layering and razor cutting).
• Restyle hair to create a personalised short or medium (above the shoulder) length hair cut, changing the shape, length and style hair using a range of cutting techniques.
• Complete a range of hair colouring and lightening services to change the depth and tone using current colouring techniques (e.g. freehand techniques, woven highlights or lowlights, root re-touch, half head and full head application, temporary, semi-permanent, demi- permanent, quasi-permanent, permanent colour and lighteners).
• Evaluate the results of the service.

Training schedule

53 Deptford Broadway, SE8 4PH, London - the goal will be to have the training once a week - The hairdresser apprentice will train in-person with the educator.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade Grades 4-9 (A*- C))

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience