Posted: 07/11/12
Helping students gain cutting-edge skills
Students and customers are benefitting from extended opening hours at West Nottinghamshire College’s hair and beauty salon.
The Academy, in Regent Street, Mansfield, provides a practical training environment for students on hair, beauty and complementary therapies courses.
It is also open to the public to give students experience of working with customers in a real-life salon setting while providing clients with reduced-rate treatments.
The college recently changed The Academy’s opening times to mirror more closely those of professional salons.
It comes ahead of state-of-the-art hair, beauty, spa and fine dining facilities opening at its Derby Road campus in early 2013. The £11m ‘lifestyle academy’ building will also operate commercially – giving students vital work experience and a springboard into employment or higher education.
The Academy’s hair salons are now open Monday 1pm - 8pm, Tuesday and Wednesday 9.15am - 5pm, Thursday 9.15am - 8pm, and Friday and Saturday 9.15am - 4.30pm.
Its beauty salon is open Tuesday to Friday 11am - 8pm, and Saturday 9am - 4.30pm.
Head of lifestyle academy, Colin Smith, said: “It’s important that students are exposed to a realistic salon environment that reflects the world of work and meets the expectations of employers.
“Once the new facilities open their doors, we’ll provide an even wider range of hair, beauty and spa services to an increased number of clients.
“These revised opening hours are very much in readiness for operating on an even bigger commercial scale.
“Above all, it’s about preparing students for employment, getting them ‘work-ready’ and helping them become accustomed to the hours that salons are traditionally open to the public.”
Meanwhile, The Academy is offering several ‘winter pamper packs’ ranging from £10 to £20. Visit www.theacademysalon.co.uk or call 01623 427366 for details.
