Hair

Barber

Barbers cut, trim and style customers’ hair, beards and moustaches.

Annual Salary

£15,000 to £25,000

Working hours

37 to 40 a week

You could work: evenings / weekends; on a rota

What's it all about?

Day-to-day tasks

As part of your daily tasks, you could:

  • welcome customers and find out what they want
  • give advice on hairstyles and grooming
  • cut and style hair
  • shave, trim and shape beards and moustaches
  • provide scalp, face and neck massages
  • clean and sterilise equipment, like combs, razors and clippers
  • take payments, keep records and make appointments
  • keep up to date with new styles and techniques

Working environment

You could work in a barbershop, at a client's home or on a film set.

Your working environment may be physically active.

You could get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • freelance work
College

You could take a course to help you get started, for example:

  • Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Barbering
  • T Level in Hair, Beauty and Aesthetics

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T level
For more information
Apprenticeship

You can do a hair professional intermediate apprenticeship, or an advanced apprenticeship for creative hair professionals.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
For more information
Work

You may be able to start work as a trainee barber in a barbershop and learn on the job.

Your employer would expect you to take a part-time course to get qualifications, either at a college or in their own training school if they have one.

Other routes

You may be able to work freelance and rent space in a barbershop, though you'll usually have to supply your own equipment.

More information

Further information

You can find out more about how to become a barber from the Hair and Beauty Industry Authority and National Hair and Beauty Federation.

There is not enough data for this job to find employment statistics

With experience you could become a senior barber. If you take further qualifications, you could move into training or assessing student barbers.

You could also open your own barbershop, either independently or as a franchise.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

  • customer service skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • active listening skills
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • the ability to work well with others
  • the ability to work on your own
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • concentration skills
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
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