School Relations

When was the last time you visited the local beauty college to see what is going on? What’s that you say? You can’t remember?!

Well, you might be very surprised; because beauty school is not what it used to be. Many schools have invested millions (yes, millions) of dollars in giving their facilities a massive make over. One such school is Bellus Academy in Poway, California. This San Diego county suburb is home to what is being called the “new breed” of beauty school. The Bellus Academy owners, like many other school owners nationwide, have decided to “raise the bar” and provide their students with a real world experience. No more simply giving them a license and leaving the rest of their training up to the salons and spas – this is why smart owners are paying attention to the latest at the schools.

Our previous example, Bellus Academy, gives students a real word experience in a state-of-the-art training facility where they learn their craft in a salon and spa setting. Students can take a variety of courses in Cosmetology, Esthetics, Massage Therapy, Make up and Personal and Business training. Business training?! Yes, Bellus Academy is a Nuts and Bolts Member School and Sassoon Academy | School Connection member, therefore they enforce business training as part of their strategy of preparing their students for a successful career.

Also, many of you reading this will recall your time in beauty school when your mannequin head was your only client that you combed, permed, cut, colored and dried over and over? Last time we checked, this wasn’t much of a real-world experience so many of today’s schools are providing a ‘student salon’ as part of their hands-on training strategy. Here are just some of the ways schools are raising the bar:

• Providing live models for students
  
• Advertising guest services in the community
  
• Building a salon /spa environment in the school that mirrors the real world
  
• Using state of the art equipment and quality brand name products

Bellus Academy also has an externship program that affords students the opportunity to spend time in top flight salons and spas in San Diego, therefore exposing them to very successful, cutting-edge business environment. As part of this program:

• Students are assigned to an externship salon/spa partner for one day a week for 8 weeks.
  
• During this time the student works alongside a different salon/spa professional shadowing and assisting them.
  
• Students learn front desk management skills and chair side manner techniques.
  
• Students get to rub elbows with master stylists and esthetic’s professionals in top salons and spas in San Diego.
  
• Participating salons and spas must qualify to externship and adhere to a strict curriculum to ensure that the student is receiving the best possible training.

Now this is truly “raising the bar” and providing inspiration for students to set their sights, when they graduate.

So Why Do You Care?
Because savvy business owners realize that a better trained student means a more productive employee. For example: Take a student who learned their craft primarily on mannequin heads and did a few clients towards the end of their course. It is very likely that they will need time to get comfortable around people and maybe even struggle with developing people skills.

On the other hand take a student that has performed over 500 services on live models and is experienced at retail recommendation, up-selling and client retention. This new hire will need very little coaching before they are integrated and fully productive in your salon/spa. Take your pick!

In a world where it sometimes seems hard to find that top 10% employee, we’ll bet you want to find resumes from professionals that graduated from colleges like Bellus Academy. Guess what? There is a network of them building all across the country so it’s a wise decision for you to start building that bridge with schools and capitalize on the result. Schools will welcome your interest and students will thank you for opening up doors of opportunity to be your next new hire

More About Nuts and Bolts Training Company and Sassoon Academy
Nuts and Bolts Training Company is a premier provider of business training for the beauty industry. Thousands of students at over 70 campuses nationwide graduate every year and enter the workplace with business skills provided by Nuts and Bolts to help them build a clientele fast. Nuts and Bolts and Sassoon Academy are strategic partners in the quest to create a new breed of future professional.

Sassoon is a well known name in the beauty industry, and their advanced training courses in hair cutting and coloring techniques are respected globally. Sassoon Academy | School Connection (SASC) offers select schools in North America the opportunity to teach their students ABC | Cutting Hair the Sassoon Way. It is no wonder that graduates of Nuts and Bolts and SASC Member Schools are being snapped up by salons and spas.