Straight answers.
If it isn’t here, ask. We’d rather answer it.
18
months, ten students
Hours, cohort size, and when you touch a real head of hair.
- How long is the course?
- Eighteen months. Tuesday to Saturday, 9:30am to 4pm, with breaks at Halloween, Christmas, Easter and in the summer.
- How many students are in a cohort?
- Ten. That's a hard cap, and it's deliberate: ten is what allows genuine one-to-one attention.
- When do I start working on real clients?
- Week five. The first four weeks are theory in the mornings and mannequin work in the afternoons. From week five you're working on live clients in The Hairdressing Academy, supervised by Aimee.
- Are there shorter courses?
- Yes. Colour Foundations is a six-week, part-time course for working stylists, and Tailored Salon Training brings our teaching to your own salon team. L’Oréal also run their own courses in the salon, and those are open to working hairdressers too. See all courses
- Is there a dress code?
- No uniform. Mostly black, because colour doesn't show on it. Beyond that, dress like yourself.
- How is this different from a college course or training in a salon?
- College courses run bigger groups and less time on real clients. Salon training gives you the clients but rarely a structured curriculum, and it takes four to six years. This is ten students, a written curriculum with assessment, and live client work from week five. You get the structure of a college and the reality of a salon, in eighteen months.
No single exam decides your future here.
Accreditation
Is the course accredited?
Not yet. Formal accreditation is being pursued and we expect it to be in place by the time the first cohort finishes. We’re not going to name a body before it’s confirmed. Alongside that, you’ll hold certification from L’Oréal for the courses you complete with them, and assessment records from the Academy itself.
The money question, answered honestly.
- What does it cost?
- Get in touch and we'll talk you through it properly, including what's included.
- Are payment plans available?
- Yes, available on request. We've structured plans around individual circumstances rather than offering one fixed option, so it's worth asking.
- Can I work while doing the course?
- Several students are planning to. The hours finish at 4pm and the course runs Tuesday to Saturday, which leaves evenings and Mondays. It's demanding, but it's being done.
Do I need to move to Dublin for good training?
€20,000
what relocating can cost you
No, and that’s much of the point. Relocating for equivalent training can cost twenty thousand euro in accommodation and living expenses on top of course fees. Train somewhere you can commute to, at the same standard.
“Nobody is beneath anybody. Everybody should be able to sweep the floor.”
Nobody is beneath anybody. There are no juniors here. Everyone sweeps the floor, Aimee and Inge included. Aimee trained in an era when that wasn’t the norm, and they have built this so it isn’t repeated. If you’ve heard stories about how trainees get treated, ask us directly. We would rather answer it.
Will I get a job at the end?
We’re new, so there are no graduate numbers yet, and we won’t invent any. After you qualify there are three ways on: we contact salons and help find you a placement, you may be able to stay and work in our own salon, or you can go out on your own. When you go for a job, Aimee helps you work out what to ask for, and Inge runs classes on managing a salon and keeping it profitable. See Placements
Who are the partner brands?
L’Oréal is using the salon as its flagship in Kilkenny. Students get access to L’Oréal’s own courses, run here in the salon.
Still have a question?
Ask us directly. Aimee and Inge read every enquiry.