The National Youth Development Agency, formerly the Umsobomvu Youth Fund, has some advice for aspirant hairdressers regarding training, further information and costs.

You need to do theoretical and practical training before you can become a hairdresser.

The South African Qualifications Authority (Saqa) lists the registered qualifications in the hairdressing industry as:

National Certificate in Hairdressing (NQF Level 2).

National Certificate in Hairdressing (NQF Level 3).

Further Education and Training Certificate in Hairdressing (NQF Level 4).

Visit its website, www.saqa.org.za, for more information on these qualifications.

Once you have completed these qualifications, you will need to do practical training as an apprentice, under the supervision of a qualified hairdresser.

No person under the age of 21 can be employed in a salon without having applied for a learnership or apprenticeship.

All training providers need to be accredited with the Services Seta.

Visit the Services Seta website (www.serviceseta.org.za) for a list of accredited training institutions.

Also try:

The Career Expo website has details of hairdressing qualifications at Further Education and Training (FET) colleges (www.careerexpo.co.za).

Cosmetic Web: (www.cosmeticweb.co.za)

Northlink College: (www.northlink.co.za)

The Hairdressing and Cosmetology Department at the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Training Centre (www.kzntraining.co.za)

South West Gauteng College (www.swgc.co.za)

Visit www.sahair.co.za for information on workshops and training programmes.

Additional training

It would also be helpful to further your business skills by doing a course in small-business management. Distance-learning institutions such as Intec (www.intec.edu.za) and Technisa (www.technisa.co.za) offer correspondence courses which will help you with the everyday running of your business.

Quickbooks from Pastel Accounting is a useful programme to get to know.

You can also to go to a workshop which will help you and teach you the skills needed to open up your own business. Organisations such as InDus Consulting (www.indus.co.za) and The Factory (www.thefactory.co.za) offer two-day business start-up workshops.

Things to remember:

If you have anyone working for you, you must register as an employer with the Department of Labour, and make contributions on behalf of your employees for Unemployment Insurance (UIF) and Workmen's Compensation.

Most municipalities will have regulations (called by-laws) to make sure that public places are healthy and safe. These by-laws apply to a number of industries, including any business offering hairdressing, beauty and cosmetology (cosmetics) services.

As a salon operator, you must keep your equipment hygienic, dispose of hair after every customer, clear waste properly, train staff adequately and not allow animals on the premises.

Apply strict health standards by disinfecting or sterilising instruments, clean all towels and protective clothing, throw away disposable material, clean all surfaces with disinfectant and keep a first aid kit.

You need to comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which ensures that workplaces are safe and healthy for all workers.