BUSINESS INTERVIEW

HJ speaks to L’Oréal Professional Products Division UK & Ireland managing director Béatrice Dautzenberg and L’Oréal Professional Products Division UK & Ireland General Manager Education and Professional Development Monica Teodoro about the new education division

Why did you create a new education role for the L’Oréal Professional Products Division?

Béatrice: Education is our top priority and we had planned on introducing this new position before COVID-19. More people need access to education and we need to encourage them and provide the right offering to support them. Unfortunately, the number of hairdressers within the UK industry has dropped over the past year so we want to ensure we continue to attract talent to our industry. Monica will be the first to take this role so the L’Oréal Professional Products Division around the world will be watching.

What attracted you to this newly created position within the group?

Monica: We’ve always had a vision to connect and elevate the expertise of professional hairdressers. For us it’s all about connecting with professionals – it’s about how we share, collaborate and grow together. We can then elevate the standards within our industry. Our aim is to innovate and create a world-class journey for our partners and teams and raise the exceptional experience you get within our industry. Whether you’re in college or an apprentice – there’s always an opportunity for our industry to grow.

What do you hope to achieve from the new education role in the short-term and long-term?

Monica: We’re forever evolving and the digitalisation and transformation of education is the first pillar that will accelerate our industry. The hair industry has been valued and respected this year like never before. The emotional impact of a hair experience is priceless – we want to elevate that. We also need to create a single voice for the community. We want to increase support for professionals both online and offline.

I’m extremely confident about the future. There will be a time when life will restart and after all crises in history there’s always a huge period of creativity, partying and connection. We have to stick together and I’m sure that the tough times we’re living in will shape us to be stronger than ever.

During the first lockdown we gave everyone access to education to upskill themselves and raise the standards for everyone. We had over 16,000 completions of our Colour Keys 1 & 2 courses, which was a strong signal that standards need to be raised. These courses will remain open as a basic fundamental across the board. It’s about raising the standards for all of us and future-proofing our industry.

Why should education be at the heart of the industry?

Béatrice: Education is at the heart of our heritage. Our company started working with hairdressers over 110 years ago and it is essential that our professional anchorage remains at the core of everything we do. Education is fundamental to the future development of the industry – from raising standards at the grassroots, to ensuring we are adapting in line with the needs of consumers and the market. We need essential education in digital and tech, social media, business and artistry. The world is shifting at a rapid pace and we need to evolve with it by empowering all salons and hairdressers with the knowledge and training they need to flourish and grow.

What is the future of professional hairdressing education?

Béatrice: We believe face-to-face education remains integral for development and connection and we will continue to build on this offering. However, the new blended approach of offline and online is going to help us expand the reach, as well as give us the agility to create even more content in response to the market shifts and the needs of our partners.

What are your education plans for 2021?

Monica: We will be focusing on enhancing both our online and offline experience creating a hub and incubation for talent. Education excellence coupled with the acceleration of L’Oréal Access and digital will be key to accelerating our education journey. We want to help every hairdresser in the community to carve out a personal career path and achieve their individual aspirations and ambitions.