4 QUESTIONS TO ROMARIC ANDREUX, director of the private hairdressing school in Lyon

1. Hairdressing in France is very regulated compared to the rest of Europe. How do one become a hairdresser ?

Directeur Romaric Andreux

Indeed, the hairdressing rules are very strict and the recognition of the profession requires diplomas. The student usually think about the hairdressing career during their ninth grade (fouth year). However, you might see young persons who have just passed the baccalaureate or adults undergoing a change in career path taking the exam.
In both cases, one must have the CAP (NVQ), after two years studying (one year for the candidates with a national education diploma: BAC (baccalaureate), CAP (NVQ) other profession, because they will be dispensed from the general subjects). The CAP (NVQ) is obtained in a centre of learning (vocational block 80% in a salon and 20% at school), or , like in our establishment, in a vocational school in which the classes part is far more important accompanied by 12 weeks of internship in a hairdressing salon. It's the CAP (NVQ) which gives the legal authorization to start the hairdressing profession.
A l’issue de son CAP, un coiffeur pourra décider de passer un second niveau, le BP (Brevet Professionnel), qui lui prendra deux années supplémentaires. Ce BP, qui se fait en alternance salon / école (80% en After the CAP, a hairdresser can decide to take the next level, the BP (Vocational diploma), which will last two years. This BP, a block release training salon / school (80% in the salon, 20% at school), will strengthen the practical skills of the hairdresser and will add new knowledge which doesn't appear during the CAP. Note that a hairdresser who wants to create his/her own business must obtain the BP.

2. You are at the head of an important hairdressing school and you so you're in charge of many students: what are your daily challenges ?
My biggest challenge consists in transmitting the values which will make of them good professionals: strictness at work (respect of the timetable, personal investment, dress code), behavior (aptitude to work in a group, accepting the instructions, client contact), patience (taking the time of learning before performing ).
Our aim is to understand well the personality of each student so he/she can evolve in a positive and efficient way to obtain his/her diploma.

3. Could you give a piece of advice to a young person who wants to be a hairdresser?
There are real opportunities when you become a hairdresser: On the one hand staff is always wanted and on the other hand you never get bored because that profession is linked to fashion and constantly evolves. Furthermore, thanks to the initial training of the hairdressers of high quality in France, French hairdressers are renown abroad and there are many opportunities to work abroad.
But if you think about that profession, you must be very brave, have a service mindedness and to know what's is beautiful, what looks good. Practicing a sport, taking care of your health will be big advantages too because that profession remains physical.

4. Hairdressing is one of the professions which requires most a continuous training . What kind of programs are for the professionals ?
We offer many possibilities for the hairdressing professional:

• Artistic trainings every Monday
• Update training sessions for hairdressers who stopped the profession for a while or who feel weak in a special field. After having evaluating the level of the candidate, we determine his/her real needs and we propose him/her a tailor-made training. This modules are based on practice on models.
• The CQP (Professional diploma) : It is an additional training developed by the joint committee of the training which aims at « building » the management skills. This diploma is obtained after one year with 6 modules preparing to the profession of salon manger, that is to say 240 hours of training. Note that the CQP is recognized by the collective agreement N°23 and this is a level 3 for the National Education..
• Finally, we are developing the hairdressing BTS (HND) which will be the highest diploma available for that profession. This BTS will offer serious management skills to a manager of a hairdressing salon and will also facilitate the access to other professions in relation with hairdressing ( commercial or trainer for cosmetics companies for example ). This diploma will be opened to those having a CAP + Baccalaureate or CAP + BP, or CAP + Brevet de Maîtrise ( a diploma developed by the Chambre des Métiers, for creators of company ).