New college hair salon is makingwavesinGlasgow
IT’S designed to bridge the gap between college courses and hairdressing salons.
Staff at City of Glasgow College have come up with an innovative way of helping boost their students’ employability.
The college’s Amethyst Salon gives students who have qualified in hairdressing the chance to rent a chair and build up a client base.
It is the first set up of its kind in Scotland and is already attracting interest from famous names.
Amethyst Salon manager, Cristina Devine, said: “I feel that City of Glasgow College is producing the best hairdressers in Scotland from the best course in Scotland.
“But I do feel there is work to be done in bridging the gap between the college and the industry.
“A lot is expected of new hairdressers – that they have business experience, that they have a list of clients, that they have experience in a salon.
“This provides a safe environment, we help them master their skills as they still have a lot to learn.
“I’ve actually had big name salons already contacting me about taking on some of our graduates from Amethyst Salon, so that’s brilliant.”
Amethyst Salon is based in City of Glasgow College’s City campus on Cathedral Street and is open to the public, just as a hairdressing salon would be.
Joanne Pinkerton, the salon’s first newly-appointed stylist, studied at Glasgow’s Rainbow Room before leaving to work on cruise ships.
She travelled and won over clients in both Italy and Bermuda before returning to Glasgow.
Joanne then decided to do her HNC at City of Glasgow College with a view to moving into teaching but jumped at the chance to take on a chair in Amethyst Salon.
The graduate said: “The support provided to help me advance my career has been fantastic and the future is extremely bright for me and my new business here in Amethyst Salon at City of Glasgow College.”
Cristina left school at 15, desperate to start a hairdressing course at the then-College of Commerce.
Taking Highers at the same time, she excelled in her studies and a year later, at 16, she joined famous hairdressing chain Vidal Sassoon.
Her 20 year career has seen her work for L’Oreal in Rome and return to Scotland to work for Schwarzkopf.
But all the while Cristina kept up her links with the college, which became City of Glasgow College in 2010, both by teaching and liaising with her former lecturers.
Now Cristina’s career has come full circle and she is back where she started.
She said: “My plan was always to go back to City of Glasgow College.
“When I had my children, I felt that was the time to return to the college and it feels very much like I have come back home.
“Sometimes I can’t believe how lucky I have been to be still doing hairdressing and teaching as well.”