Young People in Rutland Face Fewer Opportunities in Hairdressing
Local salons warn rising costs threaten apprenticeships
Young people in Rutland could miss out on careers in hairdressing, as local salons say they are struggling to keep apprenticeship schemes going.
Amy Thornley from All Saints Hair in Oakham says the cost of running a salon is becoming unmanageable, with budgets for training being cut.
Amy says: “With rising costs that are just getting a bit uncontrollable. We've got gas, electric wages, national insurance."
"It's getting a little bit where we are struggling to even keep our salons open."
"It's not just paying the minimum wage. We have to pay their training costs. We can't bring in the young hairdressers in from school that are very talented because of the rising costs and there's just no help.”
She warns that apprenticeships could soon disappear from salons altogether.
"I've had to change my apprentice's hours so that I can keep them.”
“I think soon there will be no apprenticeships around. I really do. I think it'll be gone and it'll be at colleges, but where they learn most is in a salon, and it's really sad to see.."
Half of salon employers in the area say they are unsure whether they will survive the next year.