My hairdressing apprenticeship at richard ward hair & metrospa

We continue our celebration of hairdressing apprenticeships, as part of National Apprenticeship, by chatting to Sophie Jennings, apprentice at Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa. What attracted you to a career in hairdressing? I have always enjoyed doing hair, ever since school; hairdressing runs in my family - my uncle and cousin are both hairdressers, and I have grown up around the salon environment. Watching them at work always interested me, and when I got a job as a Saturday girl at Richard Ward I knew it was the career for me. Why did you decide to go down the apprenticeship route? I liked the idea of learning on the job whilst earning at the same time. How long have you been an apprentice? Three years; the Richard Ward Apprenticeship programme lasts approximately four years. What attracted you to Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa? I knew people who worked there and was lucky enough to be a client at the salon before I got my job; I love the location of the salon and the lovely family atmosphere. What does a typical week involve for you? Each apprentice is assigned to a different stylist to make sure their day runs smoothly. I’m currently working with Richard, so a typical week for me involves working alongside him, washing his clients’ hair, assisting with blow dries and making sure his hectic column runs smoothly. Sometimes I also go with him to shoots and filming assignments, so this means making sure we have all the correct equipment, styling tools and being on set to assist wherever needed. What elements of the apprenticeship have you enjoyed the most? I love working in a salon environment, meeting new people, building relationships with clients and being able to learn something new every day. I love the fact that I am able to learn so many different techniques from watching different stylists and then being able to put them into practice on our weekly model nights. What advice would you offer a young person looking to enter an apprenticeship in hairdressing? The best advice I could offer is that the more you put in, the more you get back. Keep an open mind and don't be afraid to try different things - sometimes it can be frustrating when you are training, but keep focused and you will see the benefits. There's no better feeling than mastering a blow dry or a cutting technique you never thought you'd be able to do! What goals do you have for your career in hairdressing – and how will your apprenticeship help you achieve these?My main goal right now is to complete my training and become a qualified hairdresser at Richard Ward - I have been training here for three years and am in my last stages. I have been lucky enough to do my apprenticeship here, and earning a place on the salon floor would mean all my hard work has paid off. Doing my apprenticeship at Richard Ward has given me a taste of what it would be like to have my own column – I hope to have the buzz of a busy day filled with clients, and to build up my own clientele.