Thinking of training to be a hair colourist? here's what you need to know

If you know your burnt orange from your tangerine and have a flair for spotting just the right shade to make a client’s eyes pop or the perfect colour pattern to complement a hairstyle, then you’re destined for a career as a hair colourist. Issie Churcher is Senior Colour Technician at HOB Salons and a member of their education and creative team. Here, she shares how she carved out a career in colour. "I did my hairdressing training at Vidal Sassoon (now Sassoon) in Glasgow. It was a brilliant route into a career in hairdressing and an option that creates endless opportunities, but that’s not to say I loved it. "I absolutely hated being an assistant. I hated cutting hair and throughout my training I constantly doubted whether I wanted to be a hairdresser. I was very impatient and just wanted to colour hair. "Fortunately, I had a boss who was a really good mentor and who was also really passionate about colouring hair, so I stuck it out. "The Sassoon training process, known as vadaring, means that you have to be willing to move to wherever they need you, so after a year I had to move to Leeds to fill a vacancy. "Again, it wasn’t something I wanted to do, but I had an amazing time there and met some brilliant people. It took me out of my comfort zone and made me gain confidence both as a hairdresser and as a person. "The great thing about training with Sassoon is it allowed me to explore the possibilities of creative colouring which was an extension of my long-time love of painting. "One of the highlights was when I was invited to go to Japan to do the colour work for Sassoons’ big show. Only one technician would go each year, so you had to be of a particular standard. It was an amazing experience and felt like a real landmark moment in my career. "After 10 years at Sassoon, it was time to move on to a new and very varied challenge. My current role at HOB Salons means I see clients once a week, on a Friday. I’m also responsible for the colour training, which involves looking after assistants who are doing their final stage of training or visiting the salons to offer on-going colour education. "I also work as a member of the creative team as a colourist for our collections. This involves coming up with colour concepts, but more importantly listening to Akin Konizi and the rest of the team’s ideas to create colour to complement the hairstyle ideas. "Working as a colourist has presented me with some amazing opportunities. I believe they came about because I have always had a huge passion for the industry, really enjoyed what I do and put my all into it. "I’m not someone who had a career path planned out, but I honestly believe that opportunities will arise for you in this industry if you have great technical skills, push yourself and believe in your abilities."