A north-east salon will make two youngsters’ dreams come true when they give them a chance to cut it in the hairdressing world.
Linton & Mac, which was opened in September by creative directors Jennifer Linton and Joanna MacDonald, has two trainee apprentices on its books.
But it has pledged to go even further by signing up to the Press and Journal’s Apprentice 100 campaign and promised to take on a further two in the new year.
The current apprentices, Chelsea McIntyre and Jordan Paterson, are going through training in association with Athena Learning Ltd to gain a Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) level 2 Modern Apprenticeship in hairdressing.
The duo will have their skills put to the test by the experienced staff at Linton & Mac, teaching them techniques to add to their craft as a future stylist. Each stylist has their own unique way of working, allowing the apprentices to develop their own skills.
Joanna said: “Both Jennifer and myself are supporting the campaign due to the fact that we are extremely passionate about our industry and the importance of continually developing the young talent coming through our doors.
“It is vital for youngsters to be able to get involved from the very start with a local business as the salon is a completely different environment to the classroom. The apprentices get hands-on experience being out on the salon floor, working with the public and, more importantly, learning valuable skills from our well-established team.
“Jennifer and myself were both trained in-house at top salons and have learned some invaluable skills along the way, which led to us opening our own salon earlier this year. The standard we set for our apprentices is very high to complement Linton & Mac’s ethos.
“The education process should be challenging yet fun, and we want our apprentices to enjoy coming to the salon to learn new skills in the hopes of them becoming the industry’s future stars. By incorporating staff development, we can keep things fresh within the salon, exciting the staff about the incredible craft we are involved in.”
Apprentice Chelsea, 18, said: “Since starting my apprenticeship, I have already learned a whole new range of skills. From a young age I was always fascinated by hair and used to love playing with and styling my friends’ hair.
“The team are all enthusiastic about the development of my abilities, encouraging me to push myself and test the boundaries. It is really important working in this industry to be creative and I look forward to showcasing my skills, at the end of my training, to the team.
“No day is ever the same and every client is different, so the job is definitely varied. It is a great place to work and I am loving the atmosphere in the salon as it has an exciting buzz around it.”
To apply for the two apprentices posts, e-mail hello@lintonandmac.com