I can’t believe we’ve reached our 400th episode of How To Cut It! I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than by tackling the power of career pathways in hairdressing through apprenticeships—something I personally owe my 40-year career to. And to top it off, having a rising star in the industry who came through the KH Group apprenticeship program join us is the absolute perfect way to mark this milestone.
In this episode of How To Cut It, supported by Wella Professionals, I’m joined by KH Hair Managing Director Darren Messias, franchisee Dawn Bramhall, and award-winning stylist Amelia Krasinski to break down what makes a modern apprenticeship truly successful.
With over 100 years of heritage and 19 salons, KH Hair proves that growing homegrown talent is the ultimate engine for salon longevity. Both Darren and Dawn started as apprentices and built decades-long careers—proving that when you offer clear career pathing across creative, business, and educational routes, retention looks after itself.
We dive into the real talk around apprenticeship recruitment: tackling financial pressures, engaging secondary schools, and why KH Hair invests in a dedicated third "finishing year" at their academy to get young team members truly salon-ready.
Plus, Amelia shares her journey from a school careers fair to winning Wella TrendVision Gold, demonstrating how strong mentorship turns ambitious apprentices into the future stars of our industry.
Whether you’re a salon owner looking to strengthen your team or an educator passionate about raising industry standards, this episode is packed with practical strategies to future-proof your business.
CHAPTERS
3:53 KH Hair’s Career Journey
7:19 Finding Hairdressing Early
8:37 Why Apprenticeships Matter
10:43 Recruiting Amid Rising Costs
13:38 Spotting Passion In Interviews
16:22 Attracting Local Talent
19:27 Settling Apprentices In
20:54 Leading With Support
22:44 A Longer Training Path
25:03 Learning Through Mistakes
28:02 Handling Apprentice Doubt
31:58 Money, Motivation, And Growth
35:30 Mentorship Builds Confidence
38:26 Retention Through Opportunity
41:54 TrendVision Gold Journey
48:44 The Future Of Apprenticeships
RESOURCES
Follow the KH Hair: @khhairgroup
Explore the brand:khhairgroup.co.uk
Upskill your talent: Wella Professionals Education Portal
Connect with Wella Professionals UKI: @wellaprofessionalsuki
Enter Wella Trendvison:Wella TrendVision
