Delving into a four-decade-long career in the hair industry, Wendy Buttleman lands her dream job as a Trainer Coach at ISA Training.
Only a few months into her role, Wendy has witnessed significant changes in her learners’ confidence, showcasing the importance of Jobs Growth Wales+ and the impact it has on learning.
Driven by her passion for helping others, Wendy shares insights into the dynamic nature of the hair industry, emphasising how apprenticeships play a crucial role in enabling both learners and employers to stay ahead of the latest trends and developments.
Transformative learning with JGW+
Often the learners who start with us are quite shy and as a trainer coach, it is my job to help guide them through their qualification.
I support Level 1 learners in both Hairdressing and Barbering. As the qualification progresses, the learners gain more confidence in their ability, which prepares them for a Level 2 apprenticeship.
JGW+ is perfect for introducing learners to the world of hairdressing, especially for those who aren’t ready to jump straight into an apprenticeship.
Confident learners, happy salons
Salons gain an experienced apprentice at the end of their qualification, one that already knows their way round the salon and is confident and comfortable with how everything works.
Hiring a Level 1 learner can help the salon earn more money by doing client blow dries. I have two learners that are close to completing ahead of schedule. They are doing really well. They are proactive in finding models to practice on and are always logging onto Moodle in-between reviews.
Seeing them grow and becoming confident in their role, is the part I love most about my job. All while building their trust and approaching them in a way that helps them feel at ease. I have only been in my role a few months, but it gives me great satisfaction seeing the learners develop.
Staying on top of industry trends
Although practical teaching and learning is a major part of the qualification, it offers so much more than that. It’s about the learner’s wellbeing, embedding cross-cutting themes and improving their Welsh language skills. Each month I select a different topic to keep learners engaged and help them apply their skills to real world contexts.
The world of hair is constantly evolving, you must keep learners up to date on current trends. I’m pleased to see the ‘Leonardo DiCaprio’ coming back in fashion – a lovely soft cut on medium length hair, and of course the fade is still on trend.
The Italian bob is going to be very popular due to the versatility of the length. The blunt edges. ‘Bangs’ are not going anywhere, as are Hollywood waves. Personally, I believe the ‘Shag’ and the long ‘Mullet’ are here to stay.
If you manage or own a hair salon, get in touch to find out how our Jobs Growth Wales+ programme can help support your business.
