Step up and shine scholarship students learn with sassoon

The two hairdressing students who were recipients of the 2014 Step Up and Shine Scholarship have enjoyed a life-changing week at the Sassoon Academy, taking part in its world-famous ABC Cutting Course. Hannah Pettinger from NJUK Beautiful Hair in Chesterfield and Ollie Vines from Heaven Hair in Salisbury are enjoying a year of bespoke hairdressing education thanks to the scholarship, which is a joint initiative from the National Hairdressers Federation and The Fellowship for British Hairdressing, in honour of hair legend Christofer Mann. Having been chosen from hundreds nationwide, Ollie and Hannah are now being guided and mentored by top educator Debbie G. "Both Ollie and Hannah have chosen different courses and workshops to attend as part of their year, depending on what they want to specialise in," she says. "However they both felt passionately that a Sassoon cutting course was crucial to their respective careers, so they attended together." The talented duo enjoyed an intensive week at the Sassoon Academy in London, with plenty of time to explore the perfect line, graduation, layering, angles and elevations from the masters of cutting. "I will take so many skills and techniques back to the salon," said Hannah."Where to place my body depending on the cut, knowledge of hairlines, face shapes and hair density, and how to check the cuts as I'm blow-drying. It was amazing and I feel so much more confident and prepared to tackle any haircut." Ollie agreed, adding: "This course couldn’t have come at a better time for me! I feel like I really understand the technical rules and principles of cutting now. It’s like a science. This course has given me such a solid foundation for my career and I feel very honoured to have been given this chance. My certificate will hang proudly on the salon wall and I’m sure I will never look back." Both Ollie and Hannah have and will be attending a variety of courses and workshops in 2014 as part of their Step Up & Shine Scholarship. The search for a new recipient of the Step Up & Shine Scholarship will be launched at Salon International in October.