Meet the best in apprentice barbers

Last year four talented young barbers were recognised as the best apprentices in their field in four regional finals in the City & Guilds Barbering Apprentice of the Year competition. Part of the winning prize was for all four future barbering stars to take part in a photoshoot under the mentorship of men’s hair maestro Desmond Murray and assisted by members of the Men’s Hairdressing Federation (Mhfed). Each winner got to create a hair look on a professional model under Desmond’s expert guidance. You can see the images from the shoot in the summer edition of HJ Men out at the end of this month. Meanwhile here’s a word from the four winners.

Ollie Foster, English Winner “I am completing my apprenticeship at Number 47 Barbers in Chester. I originally got drawn to barbering as it's my mother’s profession, and I saw that men’s grooming was about to really take off. I am enjoying learning all the different techniques used to create many of the styles we see today. My goal for barbering over the next few years is to move towards education; I have always loved teaching and I would love to combine education and barbering. It felt amazing to win my region. I felt a massive sense of accomplishment. I also felt that I had made my mother very proud and felt worthy to work alongside her. My colleges are over the moon, as they have all shared their vast knowledge to help me become the barber I am today. An apprenticeship in barbering is amazing, if you are a people person and enjoy being creative it's definitely the career for you. I would like to thank the Mhfed and City and Guilds for this award. Dominic Camargo-Grosso , Welsh winner “I am doing my barbering apprenticeship at Burlesque Hair Co. in Newport South Wales. One thing that attracted me to a career in barbering was that I absolutely loved getting a great haircut. I would drive all the way from Newport to Swansea to get my hair cut by a specific barber. I loved the way it made me feel and look and I wanted to make other people feel that way. One of the most enjoyable things about my apprenticeship is that you are constantly learning. Whether it’s being lucky enough to attend demos hosted by top barbers or just watching videos on Instagram and YouTube - you’re always learning! One of my main goals I hope to achieve over the next few years is to become an all-round brilliant barber who is confident in absolutely all aspects of barbering. To win the Welsh apprentice barber of the year award was absolutely amazing. It still doesn’t feel real. There have been so many highlights since winning the award - cutting up on the Mhfed stage at Salon international, and being booked up for photo shoots in London. Everything is happening so quickly but I’m really enjoying the ride. My colleagues were so happy for me, they knew how much it would boost my confidence and they were very proud. I’ve had many jobs over the past few years, but barbering isn’t job, it’s a career. It doesn’t feel like work. Each day brings something new and it gives you a huge sense of accomplishment when you nail that new technique you’ve been learning. If you want to be a part of an amazing community with limitless opportunities then barbering is for you.” Montel Campbell, Scottish winner “I'm currently at college doing hairdressing and I cut gents hair in my local shop Iconic in Eastkilbride. I was originally attracted to barbering as it seemed like a fun job because whenever I went to get my hair cut it was a laugh, the banter in the shop made me realize that the guys are always having a good time no matter what. I also liked the aspect of giving someone confidence after getting a fresh haircut. The thing I enjoy most about my apprenticeship is learning new things and different techniques, it's a really creative job and I like that because I can put my own twist on current hairstyles and I love keeping up with the latest hair trends. My goal for the next few years is to get better at what I do and progress onto doing more shows and traveling. The feeling I got when they said that I had won was unreal, I honestly didn't expect to as I had only been cutting hair six months at that point. I was also up against some serious competition. The highlight since winning was being given the opportunity to show off my skills in London at salon international on the Mhfed stage which was a very surreal experience. My colleges where very proud of me especially my boss and mentor Tony Cairney. When I went into the shop in the following days there was nothing but excitement for me from both the customers and fellow colleges. It was also very special as my mum and sister where in the crowd which also added to my nerves. I would recommend anyone to get into barbering as to me it's the best job out there and the industry keeps on growing so we need more talented individuals to get involved.” Eamonn Magill, Northern Irish winner “I started barbering by cutting my granddad’s hair for a laugh then my mates let me give their hair a go and it didn't turn to bad. I got a job in a local barbers where they let me sweep up and learn the trade. Later, I applied for Belfast Metropolitan collage where I've been doing barbering to get my level 2 and 3. I’ve also started working at Mankind barbers. I always enjoyed getting my own hair cut so I thought why not give other people that feeling. My goals in barbering are to keep improving and hopefully present at more events like salon international. I would advise a lot of people to get into barbering as it's a really enjoyable trade and it's just expanding and getting more popular. Winning the Northern Irish heat was a double thrill as I became a father later that same day!”