I want that job! pete burkill

Pete Burkill at HOB Salons is a member of the 2015 FAME Team and was previously on the Clynol Protégé team. Here we find out more about his career so far. When did you decide you wanted to be a hairdresser? Hairdressing was something I was drawn to from a really young age. My mum's friend 'Mad Mandy' was a hairdresser, so I was surrounded by it and knew it would be something I would enjoy. That said, when I was at school I was heading more towards becoming a doctor. Once I decided to train in hairdressing, I managed to qualify within seven months. After this point, there was no looking back for me; my sights were set on not only being a stylist but exploring how far I could take it within the industry. Where did you train? Mandy had a salon and academy in Leeds called Phillips Hair Academy. I was lucky enough to be taken under her wing and trained with her and her team. What was your first job like? It was intense. I was fast tracked because I was intrigued by hairdressing and wanted to obtain this qualification. After qualifying so quickly, my managers saw further potential in me and I knew I was in it for the long haul. As we all know, working as an assistant and training is tough with long hours, but I literally lived and breathed it as I was determined to qualify. While I will always look to my first job as an amazing experience that gave me so much, it also gave me determination to be a part of something bigger and this led me to moving out of home and to the city centre to a salon with more creative opportunities to help my progression. When did you join HOB and what attracted you to the salon? After travelling the world and living in New Zealand and Australia - where I had continued to work on my career pursuing competitions, TV and session work - I returned back to the UK and came straight to London. HOB was the only place I wanted to contact; their imagery and presence in the industry has always inspired me and I wanted to be a part of it. I knew a lot of the team working in the Camden flagship salon and academy, so this helped open the door for me and I knew it was going to be the start of something great. Why did you decide to try out for the FAME Team? My first experience at Salon International was when I was 16 and I still remember standing there watching the semi-finals of that years FAME team… I was blown away by it! From this point on I was counting down the years until I was old enough to enter. I spoke to my three directors at HOB Salons - Akin, Clive and Paul - and they nominated me straight away. Looking back this seems like such a long time ago, as so much has happened since! The process of the recruitment of FAME Team is quite lengthy but it pushes you from the start, helping you to develop and grow. Now, as part of the team, I am so excited for what’s to come. What are you most looking forward to getting out of your time on the FAME Team? After receiving our diary planner for the year, and seeing on paper the calibre of amazing people we will have the opportunity of working with and the events we will be a part of, it would be hard to single only one out! Overall I would have to say working with and experiencing it with three like-minded people I would already class as great friends is the icing on the cake. You were on the Clynol Protégé team when you were younger – how did that help your career path? Being a part of this team at just 18 gave me my first insight and taster of doing shows, shoots and seminars and showed me the great opportunities and possibilities within the this amazing industry. It also showed me the importance of networking, as I was fortunate to meet some great people - including some of the HOB team, who I called upon after returning to the UK. How important is it for you to work for a salon that supports your competition and photographic work? When I joined HOB Salons, I don’t think I really understood how valuable it could be. Now, being lucky enough to be in the same building as the HOB Academy and working alongside the creative team, it is incredibly motivational and inspiring. I can shadow industry greats, such as my mentor Akin Konizi, and learn so much on a daily basis. As a company that is so involved in education, shows, shoots, competitions, they really understand the importance of supporting me and the next generation. Without the support of your salon and team, I think it would be extremely tough for anyone. What’s been your career highlight so far? There are a few milestones I have reached so far that I would consider highlights, one of which being a finalist at HJ's British Hairdressing Awards as Newcomer of the Year at 19, travelling the world working the Fashion Week circuits, winning Wella Trend Vision Young Talent in New Zealand, becoming an educator at the HOB Academy and of course being a member of the FAME Team. What’s your next career goal? I joined the HOB Education Team a year ago and my next focus is to develop that even further and become a full time educator and international creative team member. What piece of advice would you give your student self? Stop and take time to breath. Don’t run before you can walk. Hard work, commitment and being driven to reach individual goals one at a time will get you recognised and the hard work will pay off. And try to keep your nights out to a Saturday and not a Friday! I wish someone had told me this, as I learnt the hard way with too many hungover Saturdays!