Washington Archives - Train to Become a Barber

How to Pick a Barber School near Yakima Washington

Yakima WA barber blow drying hair Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Yakima WA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best school. It’s imperative that the program you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both may offer barbering programs. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a bit more concerning that in the next segment. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Yakima residence. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing potential barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the lowest cost it’s not automatically the best option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Yakima WA barber razor cutting hair Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a barber and a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Yakima WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a client base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and work in a wide variety of specializations including:

• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians

As already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Online Barber Schools

Online barber colleges are accommodating for students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many online barbering programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional barber programs are often fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your Yakima WA home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in local Yakima WA shops or salons to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online barber school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Barbering Colleges

Yakima WA barber trimming beard Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Yakima WA home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have put together some of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the barber college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in Yakima WA for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final 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? Every barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Yakima WA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Washington 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 Focus? Some beauty schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s important that you enroll in a school that specializes in 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 start a barber shop in Yakima WA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not provide the training you require.

Is Enough Live Training Provided? Studying and mastering barbering skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that allow students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a Yakima WA barber school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber school, it’s essential that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish help maintain relationships with local businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which Yakima WA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial aid may be provided in Yakima WA.

Considering Barber School near Yakima WA?

Yakima, Washington

Yakima (/ˈjækɪmɑː/ or /ˈjækɪmə/) is a U.S. city located about 60 miles (100 kilometers) southeast of Mount Rainier in Washington. Yakima is the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's eleventh largest city by population. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,067 and a metropolitan population of 243,231.[5] The unincorporated suburban areas of West Valley and Terrace Heights are considered a part of greater Yakima.[6]

Yakima is situated in the Yakima Valley, an extremely productive agricultural region noted for apple, wine and hop production. As of 2011, the Yakima Valley produces 77% of all hops grown in the United States.[7] The name Yakima originates from the Yakama Nation, located south of the city.

The Yakama people were the first known inhabitants of the Yakima Valley. In 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition came to the area and discovered abundant wildlife and rich soil, prompting the settlement of homesteaders.[8] A Catholic Mission was established in Ahtanum, southwest of present-day Yakima, in 1847.[9] The arrival of settlers and their conflicts with the natives resulted in the Yakima War. The U.S. Army established Fort Simcoe in 1856 near present-day White Swan as a response to the uprising. The Yakamas were defeated and forced to relocate to the Yakama Indian Reservation.

Yakima County was created in 1865. When bypassed by the Northern Pacific Railroad in December 1884, over 100 buildings were moved with rollers and horse teams to the nearby site of the depot. The new city was dubbed North Yakima and was officially incorporated and named the county seat on January 27, 1886. The name was changed to Yakima in 1918. Union Gap was the new name given to the original site of Yakima.

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Pick the Right Barber College near Yakima WA

Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber college is essential to get the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to begin your new career as a professional barber in Yakima WA.