The need for licensed cosmetology professionals has skyrocketed in recent years. Hair studios, salons, and beauty spas are constantly seeking out qualified candidates to fill their cosmetologist roles, and the need is just beginning. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the career outlook for licensed cosmetologists is projected to grow nearly 20% by 2030, which is significantly faster than the average rate for an occupation increase.
If you are considering a career in the cosmetology field, you may find yourself questioning several things, primarily where to attend school and what subjects would be of most interest to you. However, regardless of the school and program that you decide to pursue, the single most important thing your education can provide you is hands-on training and experience. Of course, there is bound to be classroom work just as there is when you pursue any other field of interest. However, particularly with cosmetology, hands-on experience is vital. In fact, according to the 2014 Learning in America Survey, 52% of Americans stated that hands-on-training provided them with the best and most useful information retention. Whether you decide to pursue hairstyling, makeup artistry, skin care services, or nail services, hands-on training is the single best way for you to learn how to physically do the tasks you are being taught throughout your schooling.
In a nutshell, cosmetology is very hands-on, and that’s typically what differentiates the field from others when choosing a career path. Any career that requires a great amount of knowledge and technical skills also requires an extensive amount of training, both in the classroom and hands-on. Many students who pursue a career in cosmetology do so simply because they were bored throughout their high-school education and weren’t as successful at learning in the traditional pen and paper format. Of course, throughout cosmetology school, there will always be some traditional classwork, but that’s to be expected with any further education you plan to pursue. Ultimately, a career in cosmetology is great for those who want to pursue a career that keeps them on their toes and interactive with individuals, rather than sitting in a cubicle or office setting all day.
Classwork and hands-on experience are equally as important when it comes to being successful in a role. Specifically, in the cosmetology field, there is an excess amount of information that must be learned in the classroom before gaining your hands-on experience. For instance, throughout your cosmetology education, you will learn about how to formulate different hair colors. Learning the formulation of the hair colors is taught through traditional classroom education, however, applying the formulated hair coloring is taught hands-on. In other words, as soon as you are taught the foundational information, that information is then applied to your hands-on training in a real-life scenario!
Another unique example of where classroom education coincides with hands-on training is when learning about treatments. This doesn’t just apply to hairstylists, but every other field in cosmetology as well such as skin care, nail care, and so on. There are treatments, lotions, and other things used in these fields that could have an impact or harmful interaction with the body. In order to fully understand the science behind these treatments, cosmetologists must be trained on the basics of chemistry and biology to learn how the body reacts with certain treatments and chemicals. This education also ensures that the products are being used correctly and properly. Information such as this typically cannot be learned on your own and must be learned through proper classroom education. After grasping a better understanding of the textbook information being taught, you can then use that information and knowledge and apply it to your hands-on education.
Ultimately, if you find yourself interested in pursuing a career in the cosmetology field, the most important thing you can consider when choosing a college is their learning style. For example, Genesis College, a beauty school in Nashville with campuses in Lebanon, and Cookeville, Tennessee as well as Dalton, Georgia, offers students a great cosmetology program that includes a strong mixture of both classroom education and hands-on training. In fact, their cosmetology curriculum includes 50 weeks of hands-on classroom instruction.
If you have a passion for all things beauty and an entrepreneurial spirit, then a career in cosmetology may be a great fit for you. However, even with the best intentions in mind, you won’t be successful in the role without receiving the proper education and training. In order to gain the experience and skills needed, find a cosmetology school that best suits you and your future career goals and aspirations! The sky is the limit in this field.
