Hey Guys, Me again.
So first things first, Happy New Year.
I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year, I really enjoy Christmas and the whole Holiday period, but to be honest I’m glad when it’s all over and we can get back to some sort of normality. Just nice to know what day it is at times. Lol.
So this is my first blog of 2016 and we might as well start it off with a rant. Lol.
Remember a couple of things before I go on,
A, don’t shoot the messenger!!! I’m only stating the FACTS on how it works
B, Nobody likes change, but sometimes change can be for the better.
The Q word!!!! “Qualifications”
This is something that I am really passionate about but I talk to a lot of people and they just don’t see the value or necessity for them.
I’m going to touch on a few different topics in the blog all relating to Q’s (Qualifications) and you will see that they all tie in together one way or another.
As we stand currently anyone doing barbering at the moment will hopefully be going through the process:
Level 1 assisting (maybe)
Level 2 Basic skills
Level 3 Advanced skills (this is the industry standards for competency)
Level 4 Advanced skills and Management
This is as far as it goes at the moment in barbering, you can get L5-6 Q’s but this is the foundation degree and it’s all about management not skills.
I read something on Social Media a while ago asking the question about what was the level 7 barbering all about, some of the comments were very funny, “that’s Jedi Barbering” and so on, the problem with Social Media is anybody can chip in their tuppence worth and its not always the correct information that is being given and so the confusion starts.
Don’t think this will change but my advice is, if you have a serious question look it up on the Internet on relevant websites that will give you the correct info on what you’re looking for.
I can’t see into the future but I think that one day (hopefully) we will all need to have a qualification to practice. This won’t be an issue to all the new generation of barbers coming through the system at the moment but it will affect the older more experienced barbers that are currently practicing.
30 years ago when I was doing my training there wasn’t a Q for barbering only hairdressing and then an added extra unit to cover barbering. Most barbers just learned the trade in the barber shop and all was good.
The issue here is that these barbers are more than competent in their skills but don’t have a piece of paper to prove it. They (the government) will not wield a big stick and say that everyone who doesn’t have a Q can’t practice, there will be something put in place for them to prove they can do it and I think this will be in the form of a Barbering Trade Test (which is already in place and will be rolled out in 2016) to prove “grandfather rights” competency or some other method to accommodate this situation.
The reason we need this is to stop ANYBODY opening a barbershop with not a single Q or any experience. Its reasons like this that the industry is being held back to what it could be and the recognition it deserves.
Surely this is not a bad thing!!!!!
I get asked quite a lot how I got the opportunity to do what I do and also to travel all over the world delivering our skill. You guessed it, I started with gaining my Q’s and this gave me the opportunity to work with different companies and further my career. This wouldn’t have happened if I never had the Q’s in the first place. Some doors will be closed without them.
If at any point someone decides to move on and change their employment one of the first things new employers look at is what Q’s do you have, this could be the difference to you getting the opportunity to show your skills in a practical interview/test to get the job or not even getting that far as the other candidates you’re up against do have Q’s
As an educator I have found the best way to understand what my learners are going through and how best I can help them with their Q’s is to have done them myself. This gives me a full understanding of what they are doing and more to the point, Why!
One final thing, I don’t understand why someone doesn’t want to improve their own personal skills and knowledge to progress in their field because the amazing industry we all work in is constantly evolving and moving forward, if we don’t move with it we’ll be left behind.
It’s the way of the world now, we need to understand this and get on board.
Just my thoughts.
Keep a look out for my next blog about my first trip abroad in 2016 to Long Beach, California, flying the flag for British Barbering.
