Change your Industry? Really think about it! Change is good!

Does the thought of cosmetology losing its professional status by the elimination of the license sends chills up and down your spine? Hold on folks, don’t worry! There are a lot of ways to lose your professional status other than the elimination of a license.

Think about most of the other industrialized countries that do not have licenses and no harm has come to them as a result of not being licensed. As a matter of fact, the cosmetologist are held in higher esteem than are their counterparts in the US. As it stands now, beauty schools have to teach their students the criteria to pass the licensing examination. Their future funding is based on their ability to have their students pass their arbitrary examination, which has little to do with real life in the salon. Furthermore, beauty schools may put as many cosmetologist into the workforce as possible, without any requirement for schools to support job placement. 

The Indiana Regulated Occupational Evaluation Committee (ROEC) had it right when they said the cosmetology profession should be self-regulating. “We all have friends who have their hair done, so all we need do is ask someone for a recommendation”. In fact, salons are reliant on repeat business. Without that dynamic, salons cannot stay in business. I would suggest there would be no harm coming to the salons if the license is eliminated. Those who are thriving would continue to thrive, those who are struggling would continue to struggle or go out of business. Consumers would draw their own conclusions as to what salons they would frequent. 

Salons would have something to say about how their future employees are to be trained while in school. Currently, schools do not listen to the needs of licensed cosmetologist and salon owners. If we suggest a change of curriculum, they respond that curricula is mandated by the state board. To those who say, “If there is no license than anyone can do hair”, my response is “Anyone can do hair now and they are.” In California, the Cosmetology Board licenses 35,000 annually, and no jobs are being created. It’s naive to think these people are not doing someone’s hair.   According to the ROEC, “The cosmetology license does not prevent practitioners from incompetence. As a matter of fact, most of the complaints received by State Board come from people reporting unlicensed activity”.  

I have trained many apprentices through the years. Something happens to the apprentice at the end of their two-year apprenticeship when they become licensed. They often cop an attitude like now I am as good him (me) since I have the same license as he does. Once a person earns their license, not all but many, feel they have nothing else to learn. I, myself, had the same attitude when graduating and becoming licensed. So before you rant about it, stop and think about what it would be like with just an apprenticeship program. The ONLY reason to go to beauty school is to become a professional cosmetologist. Sadly, that is no longer the case. This bill will also clean out all the industry SCUM BAGS, that push students through for their acquisition of Pell Grants, Government loans etc. Not worrying about the education they give to students, but to make a profit from the students. Remember this is just a license, that is why we go to beauty school to be trained to take a test. THAT IS IT! In my industry I always hear from so-called professionals these students don’t know anything, well my opinion is don’t blame the student, blame the schooling they receive. How would you like to be ripped off financially for a beauty school education, take a look at the price’s of tuition at the Paul Mitchell schools. It’s crazy to pay huge amounts for schooling that teach’s you only the requirements for a state test. Europeans has no license. Do you think in the state of Florida the continuing education requirements are kept up to date, There not. Change is good everyone.  But when you really take the time to research this industry, you really find out that corruption will prevail, financial attainment by manufacturers and beauty schools will have the final say on CHANGE IN THIS INDUSTRY. It all comes back to the manufacturer dollar, in this industry.  And there will be no change in this industry unless YOU change. Change in the way your handle your retail space, your employment practices, researching what are the most “SAFE” products you can use in the salon and on your customers, learn to think on your own and not taking a manufacturers word as gospel, quit playing follow the leader and elect your own industry leaders, learn how to say “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”. 

Change is Good!