Our Trainee Hairdresser Apprenticeship

Our trainee hairdresser apprenticeship combines full-time salon work with one college day at London South East Colleges. No experience needed - just creativity and willingness to learn. You’ll train in cutting, styling, and colouring while working 4 days a week, including Fridays and Saturdays, with potential for a full-time role.

Wage: £12,480 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course: Hairdressing professional (level 2)

Hours: The role requires you to work 4 days a week in the salon (8 hours a day less break times). You will be expected to work Fridays and Saturdays, as these are our busiest days. 8.30am - 7.00pm (shift work).

30 hours a week

Start date: Tuesday 29 September 2026

Duration: 1 year

Positions available: 2

What you'll do at work

• Looking after clients
• Assisting in all aspects of hairdressing (including shampooing)
• Reception, appointments management, answering the telephone
• Cleaning the salon and salon equipment/towels and keeping tidy
• Assisting with social media

Where you'll work

123 Bellenden Road
London
SE15 4QY

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider
LONDON SOUTH EAST COLLEGES

Training course
Hairdressing professional (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Adhere to legal and organisational requirements for the safe use of products, tools, materials, and equipment.
• Apply safe, hygienic, and effective methods of working and infection control, while completing hairdressing services.
• Use communication and etiquette that meets industry requirements, suits and is appropriate to the organisation.
• Maintain the client’s confidentiality and comfort (modesty, privacy) at the start and during the service.
• Advise clients (new and regular) pre, during and after service on the maintenance of the look, complementary services, and retail products available in the salon.
• Promote yourself, your organisation, products, and services via a variety of social channels.
• Carry out wider salon duties to support the salon business (e.g. services, bookings, payments, retail, upselling, and sales).
• Use a range of products, tools, equipment used in Hairdressing services in accordance with legal organisational requirements.
• Complete and maintain client records in accordance with legal and organisational requirements.
• Work as part of a team to support the salon businesses.
• Use working methods that promote environmental and sustainable working practices.
• Carry out a consultation, examine and analyse the hair, skin, and scalp and complete relevant industry tests (e.g. hair classification type and characteristics tests).
• Identify (question/observation) any contraindications or limiting factors that are likely to affect or influence the service.
• Shampoo, condition, and treat the hair and scalp.
• Dry and finish hair using a range of techniques to create a range of looks, that meets the intended shape, direction, balance, and volume agreed with the client.
• Use current setting and dressing techniques to create a range of looks that meets the intended shape, direction, balance, and volume agreed with the client.
• Cut hair using a range of technical skills and cutting techniques to create a range of looks, considering weight distribution, cutting angles, balance, and degree of graduation, and the natural growth patterns of the hair, length of the hair (club cutting, scissor over comb, clipper over comb, texturising, freehand, thinning, layering, and razor cutting).
• Restyle hair to create a personalised short or medium (above the shoulder) length haircut, changing the shape, length, and style hair using a range of cutting techniques.
• Complete a range of hair colouring and lightening services to change the depth and tone using current colouring techniques (e.g. freehand techniques, woven highlights or lowlights, root re-touch, half head and full head application, temporary, semi-permanent, demi-permanent, quasi-permanent, permanent colour, and lighteners).
• Evaluate the results of the service.
• Adhere to legal and organisational requirements for the safe use of products, tools, materials, and equipment.
• Apply safe, hygienic, and effective methods of working and infection control, while completing hairdressing services.
• Use communication and etiquette that meets industry requirements, suits, and is appropriate to the organisation.
• Maintain the client’s confidentiality and comfort (modesty, privacy) at the start and during the service.
• Advise clients (new and regular) pre, during and after service on the maintenance of the look, complementary services, and retail products available in the salon.
• Promote yourself, your organisation, products, and services via a variety of social channels.
• Carry out wider salon duties to support the salon business (e.g. services, bookings, payments, retail, upselling, and sales).
• Use a range of products, tools, equipment used in Hairdressing services in accordance with legal organisational requirements.
• Complete and maintain client records in accordance with legal and organisational requirements.
• Work as part of a team to support the salon businesses.
• Use working methods that promote environmental and sustainable working practices.
• Carry out a consultation, examine and analyse the hair, skin, and scalp and complete relevant industry tests (e.g. hair classification type and characteristics tests).
• Identify (question/observation) any contraindications or limiting factors that are likely to affect or influence the service.
• Shampoo, condition, and treat the hair and scalp.
• Dry and finish hair using a range of techniques to create a range of looks, that meets the intended shape, direction, balance, and volume agreed with the client.
• Use current setting and dressing techniques to create a range of looks that meets the intended shape, direction, balance, and volume agreed with the client.
• Cut hair using a range of technical skills and cutting techniques to create a range of looks, considering weight distribution, cutting angles, balance, and degree of graduation, and the natural growth patterns of the hair, length of the hair (club cutting, scissor over comb, clipper over comb, texturising, freehand, thinning, layering, and razor cutting).
• Restyle hair to create a personalised short or medium (above the shoulder) length haircut, changing the shape, length, and style hair using a range of cutting techniques.
• Complete a range of hair colouring and lightening services to change the depth and tone using current colouring techniques (e.g. freehand techniques, woven highlights or lowlights, root re-touch, half head and full head application, temporary, semi-permanent, demi-permanent, quasi-permanent, permanent colour, and lighteners).
• Evaluate the results of the service.