NIAW2023: Hairdressing Apprentice Tanya is Salon Perfection

Deciding what to do after leaving school was never a problem for one young woman from Castlewellan.   Tanya Steele, who always wanted to be a hairdresser, is well on her way to fulfilling her ambitions with an apprenticeship. 

Tanya (19) is currently completing her Level 3 Apprenticeship NI in Hairdressing at South Eastern Regional College (SERC) and is employed by Bernie Quinn, proprietor of the popular Deja Vu hair salon in Newcastle. 

Tanya said, “I followed my GCSEs at St Malachy’s with a Level 2 Training for Success course,  before moving on to the Level 3 Hairdressing NI Apprenticeship and I love it.   I really enjoy my work and I am learning so much at the salon and when I am at SERC. The apprenticeship route is great as you are building on your skills every day and, as you progress, you get more responsibility.  

“Customer interaction is so important in this industry.   You want every client to leave feeling like a million dollars, whether they are having a trim or a full restyle.   We depend on delighted customers who will return again and again. I love colouring and get lots of ideas from social media sites such as Pinterest and Instagram, and then I can find out in work or college how to achieve that look or trend. 

“I will hopefully complete my apprenticeship this year and then it will be a case of building up my skills, experience and my clientele.  People will always need their hair cut and I am conscious my skills can take me anywhere in the world, so I might think about combining some work and travel at some stage." 

As for her time at college, Tanya says, “There is a lot more freedom when you come to college and I feel more independent but, of course, you must still put the work in.   When you do an apprenticeship you are employed, and with that comes more responsibility as you work towards your qualification.   The facilities are great, and we have a fully operational salon in the college which is open to students and members of the public.”  

You can find out more about apprenticeships at SERC here and visit SERC main campuses to see our facilities and discuss opportunities at our full-time open evening on 8 March from 4-7pm.