I have a nearly 16 year old daughter who’s just about to finish year 9, there is an apprenticeship at our local beauty salon advertised and she really would like to go for it. Do I support her and do everything i can to assist in leaving school and starting this apprenticeship before finishing yr 10?
TIA
Leaving school before finishing yr 10
Leaving school before finishing yr 10
Posted in:
Teenagers, Tips and Advice
10 Replies
I'm unsure how hairdressing apprentices work, if they have a minimum education level now or not? If she meets the criteria and this is really what she wants to do then I don't see why not. I don't see why kids are made to stay at school if they could otherwise be training or working in the field they want to be in.
It’s not a hair dressing apprenticeship it’s a beauty therapy apprenticeship which don’t come up very often.
I would agree to letting her leave school if she is successful and gets the apprenticeship. As long as she can find work somewhere so that she isn't just sitting around not going to school, I would be okay with it :) I would prefer to know they are happy and safe at a workplace as opposed to being unhappy and potentially not even attending school.
I'd be supportive but cautious.
Encourage her to go for the apprenticeship but have a back up plan (such as not quitting school until the apprenticeship is actually hers, what's the plan if it doesn't work out or she hates the industry etc).
All goes well, she could be fully qualified before she's 20 so pros and cons!
She wouldn’t be able to leave school legally unless she had proof that she had an apprenticeship and also has to get permission from the principal to release her. I have discussed that if she didnt stick with the apprenticeship and left before she was 17 she would have to go back to school.
So with beauty therapy there will be several things she won’t be able to complete before she’s 18. For example - waxing. You can technically complete them in your apprenticeship because it’s supervised, but once in the workplace, because of underage laws, she won’t be able to do everything until of age.
So be cautious and ask lots of questions
Beauty therapy courses / apprenticeships go for about 2 yrs anyway so she will be 18 when its completed. My daughter just did one..
Yes, but she’s nearly 16.. so she may finish when she’s nearly 18. Probs won’t have a job for a few months depending on the place where she has an apprenticeship
No. A traditional trade maybe, though my husband is an electrician and wouldn't agree because most young apprentices drop out apparently. There are lots of unemployed beauty therapists though.
No way! You should do everything in your power to encourage her to complete at least year 10 but preferably year 11.
Almost every career avenue that she will look at later in life will need a minimum yr 11 school completion. Traineeships and apprenticeships are everywhere. Hairdressing is also one of the lowest paid industries unless you own your own salon.
If there is a way you can work with her, the school and her salon to offer it at a part time level, then she could do both.
Her career advisor at the school should be able to help guide you on the right direction to answer all your questions and would be the first place I would start.
I’ve got two nieces and a shit load of mates who are all unemployed, but have hairdressing and beauty qualifications - some older friends do salons from home, but the loopholes to jump through to run their own salons legally is getting harder especially with Covid restrictions.
Yes it’s better than nothing and will keep her learning if she’s doing nothing - but nothing beats an education at school completing yr 11 would be the best option.