How to become a barber

While many people are turning to online, computer-based professions, this model of work isn’t for everyone. Some of us want to stay on our feet, meet and talk to people, and be engaged in something a little more creative. 

It’s no surprise then that barbering remains a popular profession for people of all ages. There are a few different ways that you can go about starting your career as a barber, but which one is the best? 

Let’s take a closer look at the main routes into the trade, and which one might be the most suitable option for you. 

The main options

An intensive course

An increasingly popular route to becoming a barber is to do an intensive course. These programs pack tons of training into just two or three months, taking you from beginner level all the way up to professional competency.

There are a range of different courses available, and you’ll get to benefit from smaller class sizes compared to college settings, with more hair cutting experience as well. Your teachers are there just for you, and you’ll learn a wide range of essential skills.

It’s one of the more expensive options, but it does mean that you’ll be able to start working much sooner than with other options. If you can get a job right away, you’ll likely be able to pay off any debts incurred in quite a short time.

For example, with our barber academy, we offer a part-time course structure to ensure that you can keep your commitments around your education, but still ensure that you’re spending the time required to work towards your goal of becoming a barber. We also provide the option to pay for our course over 12 months. 

College

One way to become a barber is to attend further education (FE) courses at college. The main benefit of these kinds of courses is that they’re free, often providing flexible options that you can continue working alongside. For example, colleges local to our Manchester base offer courses like this and this. 

There are a few significant drawbacks to learning to be a barber at college. For one, you’ll typically be learning in large class sizes with a high teacher-student ratio, meaning that you’ll receive relatively little hands-on teaching.

Another is that compared to other options like intensive courses and apprenticeships, you won’t get much hands-on experience. You may learn a lot of the theory behind cutting hair, but you’ll likely graduate with a limited level of experience of what it’s actually like to cut hair.

It’s still a viable option for a lot of aspiring barbers, but it’s important to be realistic about the drawbacks. It could be 2 to 3 years before you’re actually able to start earning money as a barber, and if you’re keen to get started on the job, another form of training could be a better match.

Apprenticeship 

Apprenticeships are the third route to becoming a barber. Typically an option for those between the ages of 16 and 18, you’ll get to work (for a very low, apprentice wage) while you learn, gaining real-life experience as you go along. 

It does take a long time to qualify as a barber, similar to college courses at around 2 to 3 years. Apprenticeships tend to be slow to start, and you might not start cutting hair at the shop for up to half a year. 

While it can be a great way of mixing learning with practice, the experience you have will really depend on the shop you find that will offer you an apprenticeship. The style you learn may be very limited, and it’s possible that it won’t end up being the kind of barbering that you’re interested in pursuing professionally either.

For those who are short on cash, however, and don’t mind taking quite a long time to learn, it could be the perfect route into the trade.

Things to consider

There are a few questions to ask yourself when trying to choose one of the above options:

How quickly do you want to become a barber?

If you’re in no rush at all to become a barber, and you’re willing to take up to a couple of years to start properly practising the trade, then you could try going to college or doing an apprenticeship. Some people might prefer this approach to learning, letting the knowledge slowly slot into place.

If, however, you’re keen to get going, then an intensive course might be a better idea. Whether you need to start making money sooner rather than later, or you just don’t like the idea of taking much longer than necessary to learn a skill that you’ll keep on learning on the job anyway, intensive courses are a great way to kick-start your career as soon as possible.

How much cash do you have?

While intensive courses are more expensive in the short term than college courses or internships, if you can afford to pay for them, they can work out more cost-effective in the long run. 

There’s a good chance you’ll have to find a side job in hospitality while you study for two or three years, and you could be spending that time and energy working as a barber earning a lot more money if you did an intensive course.

Whether you have the cash yourself or can borrow it from a friend or family member, if you have access to the funds, it’s definitely an option to consider.

What’s your preferred learning environment?

Lastly, think about the kind of learning environment that you think you’ll thrive in. If you’re someone who picks things up with limited instruction, then a college course or internship could be just right for your pedagogical needs.

If you need a bit more of an active approach from your teachers, however, then an intensive course could be a better option. You’ll also get more hands on experience cutting people’s hair, giving you the best of both worlds.

Becoming a barber is an achievable goal for most people, you just need to choose the right form of learning. It’s worth taking the time to get it right, so that you can start your career off with your best foot forward