How can older NVQ students get work experience?

[Kitschkiss]

Hi,
I'm moving to Bournemouth and I'm thinking of training as a hairdresser as I've always wanted to. I'm 28 years old and I've enquired with a few salons about how to get experience along side the NVQ. I've even offered to work voluntarily one or two days a week and then support myself with another job.

One salon was keen, but they said there are certain laws and insurance issues surrounding having someone volunteer, and of course if they hired me as a junior they would HAVE to pay minimum wage for my age, which makes me more expensive for them than a 16yr old.

I suggested I get paid for 7 hours (for example) and work the last 1 or 2 hours free, but they still thought there may be problems with this from a legal perspective.

Does anyone know? Is there any way around the minimum wage clause as I'm happy to be paid £4.80 if I can get experience!?

Also, when I am doing my NVQ, is it enough to volunteer one day a week in a salon and is this enough experience each week over the two year training period?

I'm really keen to train, but need advice! Many thanks in advance

 

[muddi]

No reason why your age should stop you getting work experience or even an apprenticeship. I have been going to salons today looking for a few weeks work experience for college (although I work mobile and work in a salon) as part of the course we have to do this.

anyway I went into a hair dressers, even though im doing level 2 beauty and asked about work experience, to which she replied ooh yes we do and do you want a job!? umm I then said Im studying beauty not hairdressing lol.

She is still willing to take me on as work experience but asked if I knew anyone from college either level 2 or 3 hairdressing that was looking for work as she needed an apprentice... Anyway - basically telling you all this because at 43 I am a tad older than 28 :lol: so just put on a nice salon uniform if you have one or look smart and get out and about and visit every salon in the area you will be moving to and just ask them, let them know your at college and what your doing and what days etc you are available, as you never know!

And there is no way round minimum wage, if the employer pays you less than this they are breaking the law and can get into serious trouble. But you should be paid, the employer will respect you more and you will feel you are actually earning while learning and wont feel like they are taking you for a mug (which you will after a while)

Good luck!

 

[Cesalon]

Hi,
I'm moving to Bournemouth and I'm thinking of training as a hairdresser as I've always wanted to. I'm 28 years old and I've enquired with a few salons about how to get experience along side the NVQ. I've even offered to work voluntarily one or two days a week and then support myself with another job.

One salon was keen, but they said there are certain laws and insurance issues surrounding having someone volunteer, and of course if they hired me as a junior they would HAVE to pay minimum wage for my age, which makes me more expensive for them than a 16yr old.

I suggested I get paid for 7 hours (for example) and work the last 1 or 2 hours free, but they still thought there may be problems with this from a legal perspective.

Does anyone know? Is there any way around the minimum wage clause as I'm happy to be paid £4.80 if I can get experience!?

Also, when I am doing my NVQ, is it enough to volunteer one day a week in a salon and is this enough experience each week over the two year training period?

I'm really keen to train, but need advice! Many thanks in advance

Salons can take on practically any age of apprentice as long as the training provider can get funding (ours can and does quite often) the salon is able to pay the apprentice the apprentice NMW which is £2.50 per hour minimum for the 1st 12 month of the apprenticeship.

So if the salon took you on a L2 they would pay you £2.50 per hour minimum for 12 months, then the NMW for your age until you finished your L2, then you could sign up to do a L3 which is classed as a new apprenticeship and the salon is able to pay £2.50 per hour for that course too, not many pay that little for a L3 as you should have your own clients by then and also it shouldn't take you too long to complete (6-8 weeks) even if they did.

 

[Kitschkiss]

Hi, thank you both for responding to this, as it makes sense. I get the impression that where there's a will there's a way, so I probably will hassle all the salons when I get there!

£2.50 an hour - ouch! But still, I am really keen and if taking me on as an apprentice means we can get around he over 21 NMW problem, I'd be up for it.

Many thanks again, Aimee