Hairdressing Professional - Intermediate Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship Summary
The hair and beauty industry is worth over £4 billion in the UK alone and employs over 200,000 people with this number increasing year on year. For businesses looking to capitalise on this growth, the Hairdressing Professional Intermediate Apprenticeship is a smart investment for those looking to develop a skilled, motivated, and professional team and an ideal pathway for aspiring stylists to get a foothold in the industry.
Preparing individuals to deliver high-quality, client-focused hairdressing services in a range of environments - from boutique salons to large high street chains - the programme offers a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience where they develop the technical skills needed to perform a variety of hairdressing services, guided by thorough consultations and industry tests. Beyond mastering actual hairdressing techniques, apprentices gain essential soft skills such as communication, time management, teamwork, and customer service.
Employers benefit by nurturing homegrown talent who are aligned with current industry standards and business expectations. Apprentices are encouraged to take ownership of their work and contribute proactively to the salon environment. With a strong emphasis on professionalism, they become ambassadors for the business—representing its values, promoting its services, and enhancing client satisfaction.
Entry Requirements
All Apprenticeships require an initial assessment, interview and employment in the industry. At Level 2 you’ll need four GCSEs at grade 3 (formerly D) or above including English and maths, or a willingness to work towards whilst on programme.
You will need to have good people, dexterity and communication skills as well as a desire to work professionally with the general public.
Apprenticeship standard dates
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Anytime
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Bispham Campus
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Anytime
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Bispham Campus
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Next steps
As an Employer
If you would like to offer this as an apprenticeship vacancy within your organisation, enrol one of your existing employees on this apprenticeship or simply find out more about supporting an apprenticeship within your organisation, please complete the Enquire Now form above and a member of our Business Development Team will be in touch within 2 working days to advise you on next steps.
As an Apprentice
If you are interested in securing an apprenticeship as a Hairdressing Professional, please visit our Vacancies page to check for any suitable roles.
If there are currently no roles available, please submit an enquiry form using the Enquire Now button above to register your interest. We will use this information to let you know when a suitable vacancy becomes available and also to advise you of any courses we offer that might advance your career goals in the meantime.
Key information
How will the Apprenticeship be funded?
As the employer
How your apprenticeship is funded will depend on whether or not you pay the Apprenticeship Levy. If you do pay the Levy, your apprenticeship will be funded out of this, provided you have sufficient monies available. If you do not pay the Apprenticeship Levy, 95% of the apprenticeship will be funded by the Government, with the remaining 5% being funded by you. There may also be some further incentives offered by the Government which we will be able to advise you of when setting up your apprenticeship. Either way, B&FC's Business Development Team will be on hand to help you navigate the funding arrangements and support you through this process.
As the apprentice
One of the benefits of an apprenticeship is that, as the apprentice, you are not required to fund your training. You will also receive a wage for the work that you do with minimum hourly rates set by the Government. Your employer can choose to pay you more than the minimum wage, but they cannot pay you less. For details of current minimum wage rates for apprentices, please visit the Government website.
What will my Apprentice learn?
Knowledge
By the end of their apprenticeship, your apprentice should:
- Understand health, safety, legal and organisational requirements in a salon, including infection control, risk assessments, incident reporting, and safe storage and disposal of materials.
- Recognise common workplace injuries and how to mitigate risks (e.g. posture issues, dermatitis, virus transmission).
- Know professional values, codes of conduct, employment rights, and environmental sustainability practices.
- Understand principles of client care, equality and diversity, communication, and supporting mental wellbeing.
- Be aware of career routes in hairdressing and the importance of professionalism and team dynamics.
- Understand how to carry out consultations and analyse hair, scalp, and skin types, including the science behind hair classification and common contraindications.
- Be familiar with industry-standard tests and when to refer clients to healthcare professionals.
- Have knowledge of the science, techniques, and methodologies behind shampooing, conditioning, drying, cutting, styling, and chemical services (e.g. colouring, perming, relaxing).
- Understand how to evaluate results and maintain client records.
- Be able to use social media to promote services and know the role of front-of-house functions such as bookings, retail, and upselling.
Skills
Your apprentice will learn to:
- Work safely and hygienically, complying with legal and organisational procedures.
- Communicate professionally, maintain client confidentiality and comfort, and provide effective aftercare advice.
- Promote self, services, and products across various channels; support wider salon operations like reception, payments, and retail.
- Conduct consultations, analyse hair and scalp, and complete necessary tests; identify factors affecting services.
- Perform shampooing, conditioning, drying, styling, cutting, and colouring techniques to create personalised looks.
- Restyle hair, apply a range of chemical treatments, and evaluate service outcomes.
- Maintain accurate records, work as part of a team, and adopt environmentally sustainable methods.
Behaviours
Your apprentice should be able to:
- Ensure and promote safe working practices, showing responsibility for self and others.
- Remain flexible, adaptable, and open to new ideas and ways of working.
- Communicate appropriately, demonstrating courtesy, empathy, and discretion with every client interaction.
- Exhibit professionalism, passion for the industry, and a strong commitment to quality, time management, and ethical standards.
- Maintain a positive attitude, professional appearance, and work collaboratively as part of a team.
- Demonstrate integrity, confidentiality, and a willingness to learn and grow within the industry.
Expert Tutors
All tutors involved in the delivery of courses and apprenticeships within the College are approved to teach the subjects and modules they deliver.
Our recruitment process ensures that tutors delivering a given programme are suitably qualified and, where appropriate, possess relevant technical and industrial experience and a familiarity with professional practice. This is especially important for apprenticeships where off-the-job training needs to align with apprentices' on-the-job experience.
How will the Apprenticeship be delivered?
The apprenticeship will typically be delivered over a 24-month period with additional time required to prepare for the End Point Assessment. Apprentices' time will typically be split 80:20 throughout the apprenticeship programme with four days a week spent at the employer premises learning on the job and one day a week spent off-site, undertaking classroom-based and workshop-based training at B&FC.
What support will I get from B&FC?
As the employer
Each employer is supported by an experienced member of our Business Development Team to set up their apprenticeship. For those employers who are completely new to the apprenticeship process, the Team will support them with all the necessary paperwork and administration to get their apprenticeship programme up and running as quickly and efficiently as possible. For existing employers, their dedicated Client Services Manager will be an ongoing point of contact for all their apprenticeship queries, however big or small.
We can also help employers who are looking to recruit new apprentices by advertising their vacancy, finding suitable applicants and supporting them with the interview and selection process. Once an apprentice is onboard, our Curriculum Tutors and Apprenticeship Trainers and Skills Coaches also step in to support the employer-apprentice relationship and ensure the apprentice is on track to succeed.
As the apprentice
In the first instance, we aim to give potential apprentices all the support they need to find a suitable apprenticeship. That can mean working with them prior to an application to improve their CV, hone their interview skills and advise them of any additional training that may help them secure an apprenticeship vacancy.
Once they start their apprenticeship, we continue to support them with their off-site training and with regular meetings with our Apprenticeship Trainers and Skills Coaches to ensure they are progressing and acquiring all the knowledge, skills and behaviours that will ensure they complete their apprenticeship successfully.
How will the Apprenticeship be assessed?
What is an end-point assessment and why it happens
An EPA is an assessment at the end of the apprenticeship. The EPA is the apprentice's opportunity to show an independent assessor how well they can carry out the occupation they have been trained for.
The overall grades available for this apprenticeship are:
- fail
- pass
- distinction
When the apprentice passes the EPA, they will be awarded their apprenticeship certificate.
Assessment methods
Multiple choice test
The apprentice will complete a multiple choice closed book test which means they will not have access to any books or reference material. The test consists of 40 questions and has a 60 minute time limit.
Practical assessment with questions
The apprentice will be observed by an independent assessor carrying out a series of test over a total of 5.5 hours. During the assessment, the assessor will ask at least 3 questions designed to test the apprentice's understanding of the tasks being performed.
Professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence
During their apprenticeship, the apprentice will compile a portfolio evidencing all the work they have undertaken during their apprenticeship. This will be submitted to an independent assessor and form the basis of the professional discussion which will last 35 minutes during which time the assessor will ask a series of questions to determine the apprentice's competencies and ensure they meet the occupational standard.