The Cosmetology Industry and the reputation of Stylists and Educators has changed through the years to a more professional industry. As a stylist, educator, salon and school owner reducing the hours required would be a serious mistake to our industry.

The students graduating from school are in need of more support than we have ever encountered. Reducing the hours that would give them the confidence to secure a stable and successful future will cause a serious decline in stylists leaving the profession.

Salon owners do not have the time to continue to train students and build their confidence. As a salon owner with commissioned and independent stylist I can say with surety this will not solve a problem. Graduates want to be confident and successful, their greatest fear is not being ready for the salon.  Our school was in operation when the hours were reduced from 2000 to 1500. This did not benefit the salons, or the students. If a student graduates at 1000 hours they will not be able to successfully work independently and salon owners will not be able to employ them and train them to be successful. Our industry should never lower our standards only work to raise them. This reduction will not solve a "workforce shortage". It will create problems for those salons who feel they need to fill their chairs. It will cause a loss of clients, fellow stylists already established that have to invest more time in salon operation and the reputation of the salon will suffer.  A solution for those salons who have a shortage is to implement the apprentice program into your salon, this gives prospective stylists a choice in how they want to be educated. Let your salon leaders be the educators (you will have to employ anyway) if the hours are reduced. It will also give you a different perspective of what is involved in giving a student a good education. 

To address the cost of educating a student: there are few that know the expense that it takes for operating a school. The school has many required fees and certifications that impact the cost of a students education. Schools must maintain high standards to operate and the standards and regulations have increased. The purpose of these standards is to make sure we give the students what they are paying for, a good education and to become successfully employed in the industry. I question, why would we want to lower standards for those entering our profession? This reduction will not make a students education more affordable. A students funding (Pell & Grants) would be impacted and it would increase the out of pocket expenses to the student therefore making it impossible for some students to come to school. The result of reducing the hours will be:  FEWER STUDENTS who can afford to come to school and FEWER STUDENTS to help fill the "workforce shortage" and MORE GRADUATES leaving the industry because of lack of training and confidence.