2 mins
Adventures of an Educator EXTRAORDINAIRE
Leigh Kerr, academy director at Rainbow Room International Academy, is pioneering change for the next generation of hairdressers
What has been your career journey so far?
I have always had a soft spot for helping disadvantaged youngsters and giving them opportunities. This has led me to become an Action for Children partner, helping teens from vulnerable backgrounds achieve a Level 1 in hairdressing and barbering. I'm also a Princes Trust partner, providing work experience, employability skills and interview prep to get kids started on their apprenticeship journey, as well as a mental health ambassador.
What do you do in your role as an academy director?
At the Rainbow Room International (RRI) Academy, we offer education through various courses. I also organise work experience places for mainstream and additional support needs schools. I am constantly tweaking our practices to progress training to meet the needs of the students and salons. Recently, I have become a mental health ambassador. The goal is that every stylist coming through RRI will be a mental health first aider with suicide prevention training.
What are the challenges you’ve faced so far?
One challenge I continually face is championing hairdressing as a viable career option through schools and careers advisory teams. The stereotypical view of hairdressing is that it's a low skilled, low paid career. Hairdressing apprenticeships tend only to be promoted to students that are less academic, without realising that the core skills needed are the same as any other industry. At least 50% of the candidates I interview were told that college was the only option if they wanted to train in hairdressing, there is little promotion of modern apprenticeships. Salons we speak to are struggling to recruit apprentices and if we don’t change perceptions, it will get worse.
What advice would you give to someone who’s looking to become an educator?
Do it! Education can be one of the most rewarding aspects of a career. To train others to love the job as much as you do is just as fulfilling as running a column and working with clients on a daily basis.
What’s next for Leigh Kerr?
One of the next projects I have in the pipeline is the Hairdressers Helping Hairdressers – its aim is to create a network of hairdressers and barbers across Glasgow initially, to ensure that all salons and barbers have at least one mental health first aider and someone trained in suicide intervention. I have also recently entered awards for education. It would be fantastic to win more awards and be recognised for my efforts to change what the industry offers to students and qualified hairdressers that want to be better at their craft.
2003
Became academy director at Rainbow Room International
2019
Worked with Shaping Futures in the Philippines
2020
Became part of the HABIA Expert Working Group
2022
Won Educator of the Year at HJ’s British Hairdressing Business Awards