SVQ Level 3

Leigh first came to RRI on work experience back in 1996, and quickly found herself hooked. She qualified in 1998, spent five years perfecting her craft and training as a teacher in our Buchanan Street salon, then opened the Academy in 2003. Now an influential figure in the UK hair industry, this year Leigh helped to develop the new SVQ Hairdressing qualifications for the Hair and Beauty Industry Authority. As a hairdresser, Leigh is exceptional at colouring hair and tackling complex, creative cuts. It’s her belief that changing the colour or style of a person’s hair can genuinely bring out a different side of their personality.

Combining her two roles, Leigh says, gives her best of both worlds: training the next generation of top stylists, while still being able to work directly with clients. She loves seeing students graduate to ‘finishing school’, and watching everything she’s taught them click into place. She calls those the ‘lightbulb moments’. Her philosophy for success is clear: strive for perfection, don’t make excuses, know your strengths (and weaknesses), accept criticism, have confidence and – most of all – be creative.

Nikki joined RRI in 1998, at the tender age of 15. From that role as Saturday girl in the Royal Exchange Square salon, she went on to qualify as a stylist, do our teacher training programme (while still working with clients) and achieve her NVQ Level 3. Nikki taught her first course at the Academy in 2003. Since then, she has achieved her Schwarzkopf Master Colourist Degree and Academy Assessor qualification, and now teaches full-time at the Academy. Nikki knows first-hand that hairdressing can offer a really diverse and fast-paced career, and tries to instill that in her students, who she loves to see progressing week-on-week. Although she’ll always be extremely passionate about training, Nikki still gets a real buzz from working hands-on, colouring, cutting and styling her clients’ hair (she especially likes doing hair-ups for special occasions).

Our salon client feedback book is full of praise for Helen’s brilliant work and customer care. Cutting, colouring, hair-up, complete style change – whatever her clients request, Helen delivers it professionally, expertly, and with an all-round personal service. And if that weren’t impressive enough, she’s also one of our Academy’s most popular training assessors, passing on her skills to the next generation of stylists.

When she’s training students at the Academy, Helen loves knowing she’s helping them achieve their ambitions. No two days are ever the same, and it’s a fun, energetic atmosphere for the students, assessors and clients. The best bit, she says, is when she sees a past student creating amazing hair on stage at the annual RRI Congress. She has also been named ‘Teacher of the Year’ three years in a row. Helen instills in her students that hairdressing can be a truly rewarding career for life. After all, she’s a living example of it!

On the days Tara teaches at the Academy, she says she learns as much as the students do. Being surrounded by so much fresh new talent is always inspiring, and constantly challenges her to keep her own technical skills up to a high standard. Tara loves to see young stylists she’s helped to train graduate and demonstrate their skills at seminars, and says it’s the most rewarding part of teaching.

Caitlin joined RRI in 2009, and has been a qualified member of the Academy team since 2010. She qualified as an assessor in 2014 wand is delighted  to be joining the other Academy Assessors in developing RRI’s future stylists. In her own words, she loves teaching because 'I can help the students but develop myself too, as it keeps my own knowledge fresh'. She loves to see the students graduate and showcase their skills at seminars. Caitlin  has also achieved a Schwarzkopf Master Colourist Degree, giving her an advanced understanding of the science behind colouring (one of her favourite aspects of hairdressing). She can turn her hand to any hair type, but is a big fan of creating short, funky haircuts and putting hair up for nights out,and weddings and creating clean cut barbering. Her favourite is creative colour work and colour correction.. Whether she’s teaching or working directly with clients, her mantra is the same: be persistent, be patient, and be dedicated.

Gabby loves spending time with her clients and transforming their style. She has recently completed her Schwarzkopf Master Colourist Degree and enjoys nothing more than transferring her new skills on to her clients. She’s a real master of colour correction and wedding hair, but her talents span everything from hair-up to gents cuts. In her nine years with RRI Gabby has complete many of our seminars, and has developed into one of our most accomplished Designer Stylists.  She played an integral role in the salon winning 'Salon Team of the Year' at the 2014 British Hairdressing Business Awards and Creative Head Most Wanted Awards.

As well as being George Square’s salon trainer, Gabby is also an Assessor at the RRI Academy. A real education enthusiast, she loves to see assistants join the business and progress through their journey to Stylist. She feels it’s important to inspire the next generation of hairdressers. In her own words, “Making a client feel amazing is the best feeling. The hard work pays off”.