You may have heard about an outbreak of Meningitis in the county, and we can understand that you may be worried about this. In response to this, we want to ensure that you are aware of what symptoms to look out for and understand what you need to do if you or your young person develops symptoms.
Please note, our College remains open as usual, and at present, we have not recorded any confirmed cases.
Originally from London, Stacey made the move to Kent to enjoy life by the coast and bring her industry expertise to students in Folkestone. We spoke to her about her background, what she loves about teaching hairdressing, and her advice for anyone considering a career in the industry.
I’m originally from London and have worked in teaching for most of my career. I had been in London my whole life, so moving somewhere new was a big change for me. I decided I wanted to live by the seaside, which is what led me to look at opportunities in Kent.
I started exploring jobs with EKC Group because they look after a lot of the Colleges across Kent. I first got a job at EKC Ashford College and commuted from London for a year, just to make sure I was happy with the move.
After that, I moved down to Kent in August, so I’m still quite new to the area. I was then approached about the Programme Director role here and secured this role soon after. So far, I’m really enjoying it and the students are lovely. I’m also enjoying the challenge of having a curriculum area to develop.
Coming from London, things are often very trend-focused, so I like bringing some of that perspective into the classroom. I’m interested in making sure what students learn reflects what’s actually happening in the industry. For example, introducing techniques like balayage at Level 2 because it’s such a common skill in salons now.
I think sometimes Colleges can get a reputation for being a little bit outdated, so I want to challenge that misconception. I want the curriculum to stay relevant so that when students go into salons, they feel confident and prepared.
I really enjoy Kent. I feel like it feeds my soul a bit because I’m not used to having so much countryside and green space around me. In London you might have places like Hyde Park, but it’s not quite the same as being surrounded by nature. It’s really nice, and I’ve enjoyed that change a lot.
I’m also really excited about the idea of going to the beach in the summer. When I was commuting from London to Ashford, the students would go to the beach after College, and I remember thinking how lucky they were. In London you might only go to the beach once or twice a year because it’s a full day trip to somewhere like Brighton. Here it’s just on your doorstep, which I think is amazing.
Folkestone itself also feels really creative. There’s a strong creative culture and people feel very individual, which I think works really well with hairdressing. It’s not overly commercialised and it feels like people can really express themselves without judgement. It’s quite quirky as a place (I actually compare it a bit to Brighton). I didn’t realise it would feel so different when I first came here, but I’ve really enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to exploring more.
My favourite thing to teach is colour. I have a colour specialism with L’Oréal, so I really enjoy bringing that knowledge into the classroom and helping new hairdressers develop their skills.
It’s great seeing students grow in confidence, especially when they’re able to complete a full consultation and carry out a full colour service. When they feel proud of their work, that’s a really rewarding moment.
I always hope that when they’re working independently in salons in the future, they’ll remember the things they learnt and feel confident applying those skills in the industry.
Last year one of my Level 3 learners won her category at the KFE4Skills competition, beating other students from across the Group, MidKent and North Kent Colleges, which was really special. What made it even more interesting is that she didn’t actually want to become a hairdresser in the long term – she wants to be a midwife. But she still put herself forward and pushed herself to take part, and I was so proud of her for that. Seeing her achieve something she initially found quite difficult was really rewarding. A lot of learners deal with anxiety, so helping them accomplish something they didn’t think they could do is always a proud moment.
I also really enjoy teaching my adult evening groups. Sometimes people come to us when they’re changing careers, and later you’ll see them on Instagram building up their client base and working on lots of models. I actually saw one of my former learners recently who is now working in Dubai doing hair extensions. Seeing things like that makes you realise the impact teaching can have.
I’d say be brave. Hairdressing is hard work and you have to dedicate time to learning new knowledge and skills. But if you put the effort in and commit to it, you can do really well.
It’s also never too late to start. It doesn’t matter what age you are, whether you’re leaving school or thinking about changing careers, if you dedicate yourself to learning and developing your skills, you can succeed.
If Stacey’s story has inspired you, there’s never been a better time to start your journey in the hair industry.
Learn more or apply for one of our Hairdressing courses today.
