J. A. Williams High School has a new cosmetology program that will give students hours toward a professional certification. The course, which starts with it first cohort of students on Jan.
J. A. Williams High School has a new cosmetology program that will give students hours toward a professional certification.
The course, which starts with it first cohort of students on Jan. 30, teaches the basics of hairstyling, esthetics and professional interaction with cosmetology clients.
"They're going to learn professional practices at the beginning, health and safety," said Nadia Houle, the school's new cosmetology instructor. A J. A. Williams alumna herself, Houle has worked in salons and spas across Alberta for 20 years before coming back to JAWS to teach.
"We'll be doing long hair design, hair styling, some skin care and manicures," she continued.
Houle says the course's material will be useful to students even if they don't decide to pursue a career in cosmetology.
"There are so many facets to [cosmetology], but it'll give them appreciation for it whether they choose to go on in it, or in any other career. It'll teach them professionalism."
While they'll start by cutting hair on mannequins, students will eventually move to giving haircuts for volunteers.
JAWS principal Terry Moghrabi says the class is being offered now for the first time in over a decade because they have extra space in their new Bold Center building to take advantage of, and a community survey showed demand.
The four classes offered this term filled up quickly, with a total of 60 students enrolled.
Houle said the students who complete the course will be able to use some of their class hours towards a certification in hairstyling or esthetics. In future, Moghrabi says the school hopes to partner with Portage College to offer advanced cosmetology courses, college credit, and maybe a journeyman certificate program. There's also talk of students competing in Skills Canada Alberta province-wide cosmetology contests.
