What does it take to be a barber?

In the recent years, the art of barbering has reinvigorated, all because of ditching long, uncut look of the ‘60s and ‘70s and adopting classic cuts and close shaves. If you just know the basic of barbering and want to progress in this field, you must consider enrolling in advanced barbering courses. 

Barbering is a very hard working industry to work in. Pursuing this career takes a bit more energy and dedication. To start, your barbering career, you need to complete a barbering program, obtain your state license, and build reliable customers, you can be sure to add up more customers regularly. Equipped yourself with clippers, hair-snips, and a straight razor, you’re good to go for this job.

How to become a barber?

Get a high school diploma -  In some states, employers prefer barbers with a high school diploma or GED, while most states require a barber who has completed an accredited barbering program. Your high school diploma may also prepare you to become a barber if it includes hair styling classes or collaborates with a local community college.

Work with a professional barber - Try to observe a professional barber, if possible, work as an intern with a barber to learn the way they work in the professional setting. Besides teaching you the techniques to cut customers’ hair, a professional barber will also show you how to organize a workspace, interact with customers and manage workflow in a shop. 

Complete a Barbering Program - From community colleges to private beauty schools, they offer various barber programs either as a stand-alone barbering program and as an area of stress within a cosmetology program. Barber programs include the basics of styling, cutting, shaving, and hair coloring. These programs also consist of state and federal laws, safety, sanitation, and shop practices. Some programs may also cover customer service and shop promotion.

Earn a License - The requirements for a license may vary from one state to another, but, along with completing a barbering program and high school diploma, you also need to get through a qualifying exam. These exams include a written portion and sometimes either an oral or skills test.

Find a job - After acquiring the required education and obtaining a license, you are all set to work as a barber or to establish your own business.

If you’re interested in hair styling, you can also consider starting a career as a hairstylist. If you’re already working as a barber, you can take up advanced barbering courses to advance in the barbering field. Do you want to start a career as a barber?  Contact International Barber Institute (IBI). They are a leading barber school in New York intended to produce skilled professionals.

Important Things Every Barber Student Should Know About Infection Control

Have you ever thought about becoming a professional barber? Or maybe you are already studying to become a professional barber. Regardless of your status, there are few important things every aspiring barber must know about the infection control training program. Usually, Infection Control is 3 hours program, which covers the topics such as the proper methods of sanitation and sterilization and the transmission of contagious diseases. It is mandatory to complete infection control training program - HIV and transmission of contagious disease prevention training in order to obtain NY Master Barber License.

Nowadays, public health and sanitation standards have considerably improved, whereas risks like HIV and hepatitis are real life-threatening diseases in the barbershop. Techniques such as sanitation, sterilization, and disinfection are the best way to reduce the risks and are key to become a successful barber. But, many times ignoring sanitation and sterilization procedures can lead to certification and license revoked.  

Methods of Infection Control 

Every state has its own regulations for barbers and the practice of barbering. The regulations for barbering are comprehensive when it comes to sterilization and disinfection methods and other requirements, so it’s essential to get yourself familiar with specific laws of the place where you practice.

• Disinfection - This method consists of the application of an antimicrobial process or agent on to an object, which may no aim to remove all living organisms from an object.

• Sterilization – Sterilization involves destruction or removal of all biological agent and living organisms from an object.

Sanitizing, sterilization and disinfection are all important parts of good hygiene. Unlike one time used things including neck strips and razor blades, items like hair clippers, hair shears, and combs are used again and again. The main objective of disinfection is to get rid of as many fungi, bacteria, yeasts, viruses, and other harmful microorganisms as possible from the tools used for barbering.

Common methods used for disinfection 

Disinfection in barbering is achieved in two ways:

• Chemicals - Chemicals are used to kill or destroy harmful microorganisms on materials, which cannot bear high temperatures such as plastic. 

•  Heat – We can make use of heat to kill microorganisms on metal tools that have no plastic parts.  

Want to know more about the importance of the Infection Control Training Program in Barbering? Contact International Barber Institute They provide the best and quality training to every aspiring barber.