Level 2 Hairdressing apprentice Kurtis Carter tells us how much he has grown in confidence since starting work at Cracked Actors, Caerphilly.
His journey from a shy school leaver to confident Junior Hair Stylist is proof that if you believe in yourself, you can do anything you set your mind to.
A head start in Hairdressing
I’ve been working at Cracked Actors for over a year now and am halfway through my Level 2 qualification in Hairdressing. I’m really enjoying it.
I left school when I was 14 years old. I went to college on school link where I was able to go straight into hairdressing – so I’ve been doing it for nearly 5 years. You could say It gave me a head start in the industry.
At 16 I continued doing hair at college but hated it. There wasn’t enough practical, and I felt like I wasn’t learning anything. I left and went on to study an apprenticeship.
I wouldn’t speak to anybody
Doing an apprenticeship has grown my confidence dramatically. I wouldn’t speak to anybody before and now I speak to everyone. Working in a salon has pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and chat to people.
I would recommend doing an apprenticeship because you get to experience what working in a salon is really like and learn how it’s run. Something you don’t get from learning in a college setting.
I wanted to feel and learn about the different textures of hair and work with clients on a regular basis. I wanted to get on.
Do what’s best for you
I would love to own a salon one day. Not just hair but beauty too. Doing a beauty course, alongside hair would definitely be something I’d be interested in going forward.
My trainer coach Liz has been great, and my manager Leon has been really supportive. He has taught me everything I know and I’m grateful to call him a friend too.
I feel that young people don’t realise what else is available to them. I think sometimes college seems like the easiest option but that’s not always the right thing to do. You’ve got to do what’s best for you. Believe in yourself and you can achieve anything.
If you’d like to find out more about our Level 1, 2 and 3 qualifications in Hairdressing – get in touch. We can help you build confidence in a career you love.
