How to Pick a Barber College near Camden Arkansas
Now that you have decided to enroll in a barber school near Camden AR, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s important that the school you select not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have decided on, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more regarding that in the next segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Camden home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing prospective barber schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it’s not always the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.
Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic may be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a barber and a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you undergo some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Camden AR beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gained experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide range of specializations including:
• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exception. Only those performing more skilled services, for example barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
Online Barber Colleges
Online barber schools are advantageous for students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based barbering programs offered that can be attended through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional barber programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as six or eight months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your Camden AR home or travelling to and from classes. However, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in nearby Camden AR shops or salons so that you also get the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online barber school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Barbering Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you need to research for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Camden AR home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the barber college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable in Camden AR for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Camden AR barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. And last, consult the Arkansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a barber shop in Camden AR, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining barbering techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber courses you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a Camden AR barber college furnishes limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it’s essential that he or she receives assistance in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with local businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Camden AR area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be provided in Camden AR.
Considering Barber School near Camden AR?
Camden, Arkansas
In 2000, Camden had a population of 13,154, but it lost 7.4 percent of its residents and recorded 12,183 in 2010. The municipality in 2010 was 56 percent African American.[3] Camden is the principal city of the Camden Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Ouachita and Calhoun counties.
Indigenous peoples of various cultures lived along the rivers of Arkansas for thousands of years and created complex societies. Mississippian culture peoples built massive earthwork mounds along the Ouachita River, beginning circa 1000.
The region was part of French Louisiana from 1682-1762. The Indians who had given their name to the river had died out or moved on by the mid-1700s. The land along the Ouachita River was inhabited by remnants of several Indian tribes, and the river was home to a small population of mostly French hunters, trappers and traders. Then, in 1763, Spain acquired Louisiana by treaty, but the culture remained decidedly French. After the American Revolution, Spanish Governor Bernardo de Gálvez decided to establish a military post on the upper Ouachita as a buffer between US and Spanish territory. He appointed a Frenchman named Jean-Baptiste Filhiol (Don Juan Filhiol) to be the commandant of the new post. In 1782, Filhiol chose an old, established center of trade called Ecore à Fabri (Fabri's Bluff) located high above the Ouachita River at present-day Camden. This was the first attempt at a European settlement on the Ouachita. The nomadic inhabitants had no interest in an agrarian lifestyle, and efforts to attract settlers from elsewhere failed. A few years later, Filhiol moved the Ouachita Post down the river to Prairie des Canots, now Monroe, Louisiana.[4]
The Louisiana Purchase brought a wave of migrants from the southern United States. They developed farmlands as cotton plantations and transported thousands of enslaved African Americans into the area for labor. The city of Camden marks its founding as 1824, though it was not incorporated and officially named “Camden” until 1844. Some controversy exists over the origin of the name, but most agree it is named for Camden, Alabama, the hometown of General Thomas Woodward, an early city founder. Prior to the name change from Écore a Fabri to Camden, the location was simply known as "The Bluff".
Pick the Right Barber Training Program near Camden AR
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber college is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional barber in Camden AR.
Other Awesome Cities in Arkansas
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
