Student Level
No hairdressing experience necessary
No hairdressing experience necessary
Demos, theory, practical
Mon-Fri, 9.00am – 5.00pm
36 weeks
Two intakes a year – March/April and September/October
City and Guilds SVQ Level 2 & 3
£9,995. Funding may be available. Deposit of £2,000 required before start.
This intensive, full-time course is our fastest route to hairdressing success and covers all aspects of hairdressing to an advanced level. During the programme you will learn a variety of techniques in all aspects of hairdressing. This will include creative styling, dressing long hair, creative cutting and colouring techniques.
The programme is designed for those wish to pursue a career in hairdressing at an advanced level or who want to manage a salon or become a lecturer in the future. It's delivered by highly-experienced Stylists who are also qualified Assessors.
Places are limited and entrance is by interview only. We ask you submit a written application form in the first instance (see below). It's important to apply at least two months in advance of the course starting, to allow time for the interview process.
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.
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”.
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.
The Academy schedules two fast-track intakes per year- March/April and September/October. It’s important to make contact no less than six months prior to beginning the course, to allow for the application/interview process.
£9,000. The overall cost can be broken down into instalments but a £2,000 deposit is required before you start and the final payment before you recieve your certification. In some cases, funding may be available through Goverment agencies or Local Authority support. We'll give you all the information we have regarding this.
36 weeks (9 months).
This can be arranged with the Academy Director, and is usually fine providing it doesn’t affect your progress.
Unfortunately RRI can’t guarantee employment after this course. We can however ensure that if you succeed in this course you'll have gained key skills that most salons in addition to RRI look for. If a position is available within RRI the Academy Director will make you aware of this.
Getting Here
Funding
Interviews
Equipment
Models