Student Spotlight - Ava McLeod
💇♀️ Level 5 Hairdressing student, Ava McLeod, chats to us about her experience studying at Perth College UHI and gives us an insight into her typical day on campus 👇
What is a typical day like at college for a Hairdressing student?
A typical day at college is being in the salon and learning and practising techniques - completing both practical and theory assessments, and carrying out services such as colours, cuts and blow-dries on clients. When we are not in the salon, we are completing other areas of our course such as skills we can develop and enhance for use in the workplace - including Mathematics, English, and IT.
On our breaks, most of us go to the union for a Starbucks coffee and a chat. We all like the union because it is nice and close to the salon, so perfect for a 15-minute break.
What is your favourite thing about the course?
My favourite thing about the course has been the pace that it is taught at. I much prefer the pace of college to work-based learning as it is fast enough you don’t feel it’s too repetitive, but you still have enough time to get your head around everything and there is lots of support and time to go over things with the lecturers again if you need to.
How has the course prepared you for industry?
The course has also given me a lot of confidence in my abilities due to the experience of doing paying clients in The Retreat salon. This has helped me to believe in my abilities and start to feel more ready to go out into the industry.
What is your favourite part of the college/college life?
My favourite thing about the course has been meeting other people to bounce off in class, we help each other with understanding techniques and by practising on each other, this has really helped me to get through my assessments and it is nice to feel like you have a little support unit to go to in class to help each other out.
What are you most proud of achieving during your time here?
I am most proud of myself for completing my cutting assignments, they were what I was most nervous about doing as I felt cutting was my weakness, but I have managed to produce cuts that have passed assessment and that my clients were very happy with and that has been such a confidence boost.
And finally, advice for someone looking to study at Perth College UHI?
I would say to do it, even if you feel intimidated by the prospect of learning something new such as Hairdressing, you will surprise yourself by how you can develop and progress with the help of this course.
