The journey of a Graduate Stylist. Meet Keely!

17 Year old Keely is our new Graduate stylist. Starting her training straight from school she has almost Qualified in her NVQ level 2 Hairdressing after just 13 months! (It takes most young stylists 2 years). She explains how she is one of our quickest learners and why she chose hairdressing as a career...

 What inspired you to become a hairdresser? 
I Moved to Essex when I was still at school and I loved going to the hairdressers. I was fascinated by everything they did from shampooing to cutting...

 Why did you want to work at SDB? 
I had heard that Silhouette du Barry was a fantastic salon with really good training. Nathan and Zoe are passionate hairdressers who are involved in all the Fashion weeks each season and work on TV for Jamie Stevens on X Factor and with Gok Wan, which I would love to do one day. I get loads of opportunities here like watching hair shows, assisting Nathan, Zoe and the team backstage at shows and competitions, colour and cutting courses and I have worked styling hair for professional models at shows myself already.

Why did you apply for an apprenticeship rather than go on to Full time Hairdressing College? 
I did 2 years of part time Hairdressing college through my school for the VRQ Qualification and i just couldn't wait to get into the real world working with real Clients and earn my own money! It was the best decision I  ever made as i have had so much experience both in and out of the salon that i would never have got at college. I have worked on shows and at lots of Weddings and assisted Zoe and Nathan loads which has taught me so much. I can't wait for the next Chapter as a Graduate Stylist!!!

How did you Qualify so quickly?   
The beauty of studying for your NVQ through the salon is it is at your own speed. You get 2 years funding at a private college. SDB use EASI hairdressing Academy but if you work hard you can do it quicker. Our Easi Assessor Emma comes to the salon every week to teach us Theory and Practical, plus we get extra practical training from Zoe who is a Qualified Assessor so she can Assess us and "pass us off" on work we do in the salon everyday. I was so determined to get the first part of my NVQ finished (level 2). I have made sure I get lots of models in and stayed for extra training after work whenever I get the chance to. I work with some amazing stylists - lots who have trained from day one at the salon like me, and I watch them and work with them as much as I can. It's been hard work but it's paid off! I am now looking after clients in the salon everyday - cutting, colour, perming, well everything! All my work gets checked by Zoe or Nathan. The next step is my NVQ level 3 which is the advanced qualification focusing on my hairdressing skills more in depth. I hope to that within 9 Months!

What is your favourite part of your job?   
 I love styling long hair up, especially for weddings. I assist the wedding team both on location weddings and in the salon. I look after lots of bridesmaids and help the senior stylist with the bride sometimes! The team here are so lovely and the senior stylists really help me with my hairdressing. When I become a senior stylist I would love to be part of the wedding team and specialise in that. 

I love the fact that you are always learning here. We have regular training for the senior stylists who have one to one training with Nathan and Zoe and also 'inspiration nights' for the whole team where we are taught 'up and coming trends and techniques' that Nathan and Zoe learn at Fashion weeks. But most of all, day to day making clients happy with a new look is so rewarding and makes the hard work worth it. I can't imagine doing anything else!

What would you say to a School leaver interested in Hairdressing?    

Get a Saturday job at a salon to learn basics as soon as you can. When you are leaving school research the best salons in your area for training. I travel from Maldon to Chelmsford everyday but I love working at Silhouette du Barry and the training is worth the journey!  Easi Hair Academy have a great website and they can help you find a good salon. My advice would be start early as if you work hard you can be a Stylist by the time you are 18 years old.

   Keely working an 'updo' with Jonny for our client Tracey.

Meet the team: Jonny's story

An interview with Jonny Sheppard, the newest member of our Senior Styling Team. Jonny came to hairdressing after another career and it's refreshing to see people with a love of the job discovering it's not just for school leavers and girls!

How old are you? 

26

How did you get into hairdressing?

I actually started off in Mechanical engineering! I always wanted to be a hairdresser. I grew up watching my mum as a hairdresser and was really interested but at the same time I was a bit of a lad and was too embarrassed to admit that's what I wanted to do to my mates. I worked for BMW and studied mechanical engineering. I moved to the Channel Islands for work but they only issue you a 3 year 'right to work' and so when it ran out I decided to try and do what I'd always wanted...hairdressing.

Where did you start? 

Luckily my mum gave me some contacts from her hairdressing days and I came to do some voluntary work for Silhouette du Barry, in Chelmsford. After two weeks, they offered me an apprenticeship. 

How was the training?

Different to engineering! I gained my Level 2 NVQ in hairdressing after 18 months and have now almost finished my Level 3. I've now just been promoted to Senior Stylist at Silhouette du Barry.

What's the coolest part of your job now?

Zoe and Nathan put me forward to work at London Fashion Week and I worked on Astrid Anderson's Men's SS/13 show. It was thrilling and satisfying all at the same time. I've also been sent abroad a couple of times for Matrix conferences which has been pretty cool too. To be honest though, making people feel great everyday in the Salon is ultimately the bit I love the most. 

What are you looking forward to in the future?

I'd love to be like Zoe and Nathan, working in the Salon with clients and working simultaneously on Fashion weeks and TV programmes, styling at the same time. A bit of everything really and maybe one day becoming a director. There is a lot of opportunity in hairdressing if you work hard and I love working hard.