Hair, Beauty & Associated Therapies Success Stories
REAL results, REAL success stories
Sallyanne Martin
Level 3 Diploma in Hairdressing
Sallyanne wanted a career change that would fit in with her young family and as hairdressing had always been her secret passion it seemed like the perfect option.
“I used to work as a primary school teacher which was a job I loved but I sadly lost my partner shortly after my daughter was born and I wanted a change. I used to cut my grandmother’s hair when I was younger and always enjoyed it so I decided to take the opportunity to retrain as a hairdresser at Northampton College.”
“I was a bit nervous about returning to study, even though I had previously gained my teaching qualifications. I knew that going back to do something completely different was going to be a challenge, especially as I was a mature student. I was surprised at how quickly I fitted in though, and age was never an issue. It was nice being with younger students and we all got on very well – in fact I made some good friends. The teachers were brilliant too and were particularly supportive when I came across any challenges. They never seemed fazed.”
“I enjoyed all aspects of the course - cutting, colours, I liked everything. Working in The Salon NC at the College was a fantastic experience too. We got to try out our new-found skills on real-life clients and the teachers were on hand to answer any questions. I loved it when clients would come in and ask for my advice about what they should have done. To begin with I would need to check out my ideas with my lecturers, but I became more and more confident in my decisions as the course progressed. Seeing a smile on my client’s face is the best feeling in the world.”
Sallyanne is now working at Heather’s Hair in Daventry as a stylist.
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Fullam Shah
Level 3 in Complementary Therapy
One of the things Fullam likes most about working in the beauty industry is being able to relax people so that they leave her treatments feeling happy and energised.
“I love meeting new people which is a big element of beauty therapy and a part of the course I really enjoyed. Working in the College’s training salon is great too and gives you experience of how to deal with clients and deliver good customer service. People would sometimes come in all stressed but they’d leave feeling calm and I loved making them feel like that. I started at college on the Level 2 beauty programme and then I progressed on to Level 2 and Level 3 Complementary Therapy so I feel like I have been able to gain a good amount of knowledge in various areas of beauty. We learnt about nails and manicures, make-up and massage techniques. The courses were really in-depth. For example, I knew we’d be learning about the human body but even I didn’t realise to what extent. We were taught about anatomy to quite a high level which I don’t think people appreciate. It’s not just about make-up and looking pretty, you have to really know your stuff and the course gives you the basic understanding you need.”
“There was a mix of practical and theory in our lessons and I liked being able to take what we’d learnt and practise on real-life clients in The Salon NC. The assignments were sometimes quite challenging, particularly at Level 3, but I knew I was learning the skills I needed and I was never scared to ask the tutors for help.”
Fullam has just finished working Part-time at Kingsley Health and Beauty Salon and is currently applying for various beauty therapy roles. “I eventually want to run my own business”.
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Abbie and Arianne Edmonston
Abbie and Arianne started at the College as school link students from Danetre School on the NVQ Level 1 in Hairdressing. The pair soon found a talent for hairdressing and progressed onto NVQ Level 2. In spite of their dyslexia, the twins worked hard to complete their theory and paperwork, along with Key Skills in Application of Number and Communication. They are now concentrating on the practical element of the course – their favourite part, before they begin their promising careers..
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Nicole Aarts
Nicole successfully completed the BTEC National Diploma in Beauty Therapy with outstanding distinction grades in all 18 units. Nicole has a hearing impairment which proved challenging when completing some elements of the course. However her determination to overcome this was inspiring. She continually demonstrated good time keeping and excellent client care skills, essential in the beauty industry. Following a successful work placement, Nicole is now enjoying a full-time post as a Beauty Therapist at the prestigious Ragdale Hall in Leicestershire.
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Karla Mains
Karla suffered from some stress related problems and left school at the age of eight to be home educated by her mother. She has always had an interest in beauty therapy so at the age of 16 she decided to return to study to gain valuable skills as part of the College’s school link programme.
Karla found college to be completely different from school and thrived in the learning environment. She went on to successfully complete the Certificate in Salon Services and progress on to the NVQ Level 1 in Beauty Therapy. With plans to gain as many qualifications as she can, Karla has just started her NVQ Level 2.