Hi everyone!

Does anyone know about wage for apprentice? i have left college and i have just started working for this really big salon, and they are paying me £80 a week is this the real wage for me! :o

or should i be on min wage????? : :o

Hi Kristal,

Welcome to the forums.

Unfortunately that wage could be deemed fair. It all depends on what skills you possess and how much revenue you can generate for the salon.
You say you've just left college. Have you left college with your NVQ level 2 or your NVQ level 3? Also, do you feel truly confident that you could do any haircut or colour correction that walked through the door, or run a full column of hairdressing appointments every half an hour without any help and make sure each and every client is happy?
If your employer is offering to put you on a regular training program to improve your skills while you are on £80 per week then it might be worth it.
How old are you Kristal? Your age will also effect your entitlement to minimum wage, or at least how long your employer can pay you less than minimum wage for.

If you let us know a bit more about yourself we should be able to give you some good advice.

Hello Kristal,
Chris is right, as an apprentice your job is to assist and to learn your skills.If it is any consolation we all started on low wages while we learned our craft. No exceptions.
It really is not about the money at this stage in your career.
Your employer will be giving you training which has a value.

We all started at the bottom rung of the ladder and it is up to you how fast you move up the ladder.
When you are an apprentice the quality and amount you are learning is the issue. There is the value. Training sessions cost the salon a lot of money, while the trainer is teaching both the teacher and the apprentices are costing the salon a lot of money in lost revenues.There is the value.

Learning to be a stylist means being passionate about what you do. High earnings will come sooner than later if you focus on what you need to do to get your skills to the level where you can do all the things Chris mentioned.

If you think of the first year as an investment, promise yourself you will learn and practice, ask lots of questions, watch dvd's on haircutting and read as much as you can on your chosen craft, you will soon reap the rewards and I hope you will keep coming to this forum and ask questions too.
My best advice is to focus on doing a great blowdry, people buy the finish and if you could be known as 'Kristal does the best blowdry' you will soon be in demand and clients will get to know you, you will be their first choice when you are on the floor. Be nice to everyone's clients, learn their names and remember what you talked about last time they were in, if you are interested in them you will recieve BIG tips to supplement your earnings.

Are you going to Salon International next weekend? Make the effort, you will see where you could be when you watch the Masters of hairdressing demonstrating their genious. They started exactly where you are now.
One day that could be you on stage.

Thanks! just needed to know! wot was first meant to happen!