Meet star hairdressing apprentice grace bowering

On the second day of National Apprenticeship Week we meet another inspirational hairdressing apprentice – 23 year-old Grace Bowering, of Zullo & Holland, Nottingham. What attracted you to hairdressing as a career? I’ve always been interested in hairdressing but did lots of other things before I made the decision to go for it. I wanted a career that would always guarantee employment, with the freedom to live and work anywhere in the world. Why did you choose the salon you work for? I’d been getting my hair done at Zullo & Holland for five years, and loved it there. So when I decided I wanted to be a hairdresser it was the first place I applied. The staff were all lovely and there was always a great vibe about the place. When I found out about the creative side co-owner Angelo Vallillo was involved in, and the plans for the academy I knew that it was the perfect place for me and the perfect time to start. I came to see the other owner, Romano Zullo, and, I’m happy to say, he hired me. How long have you been enrolled in your apprenticeship? I started as an apprentice in September 2013 and was enrolled into college almost straight away. Tell me about a typical day in your job? I’m one of three assistants. We start our morning prepping for the day ahead, making sure the stylists have everything they need. I do a lot of shampooing, and it’s a great way of getting to know people and building relationships with the regular clients. We all help keep the salon looking clean and presentable, and spend any free moments watching and learning from the stylists as they cut or colour. With so many stylists at the salon, there’s a huge variety of styles and we try and take it all in. It’s important to be constantly learning. What are the major lessons you have learnt so far in your apprenticeship? Starting as an apprentice at 22, I knew it would be hard, but I had an aim and knew what I wanted and what I had to do to get there. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that to build a successful career you need to start at the bottom. Why is an apprenticeship a great way to learn? An assistant’s life may not be the most glamorous, but you’re constantly learning because you’re in a working salon environment. Many people get disillusioned at this stage and give up, but I know I really want this, and it will be worth it in the end. An apprenticeship gives you the discipline you need and a realistic idea of what your job will entail after qualifying. What are your favourite parts of your job? I love anything creative. Last year Angelo set up a competition for the three assistants. We had to find a model, think about a hair up/ cut and colour, create a mood board, figure out make-up and styling and present it on stage in the new Angelo Vallillo Academy in front of all our friends and family. It was an amazing opportunity to put into practice everything we’d learned. I also got to watch Angelo’s HJ British Hairdressing Awards shoot last year, and it was fantastic to watch how it all came together. Where would you like your career to go in the next few years? I want to get on the floor as a graduate stylist, with a regular clientele, so I want to stay at Zullo & Holland to keep learning and improving. I would love to follow in the footsteps of Angelo, and some of my other colleagues and get into an artistic team, like Sebastian Cult, with the freedom to be creative and to keep learning. I’ve always loved the fashion side of hairdressing, and, seeing what the guys in my salon get up to, a career at Zullo & Holland definitely seems to be the way to get there. What is your ultimate career ambition – and how will your apprenticeship help you get there? I want to do hair for shows and photoshoots; to be able to travel around and continue to learn and be the best hairdresser I can be.