Team introduces young boxers to upper cut

Jan 11 2008 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

AN award-winning training company is punching above its weight when it comes to attracting unlikely candidates into hairdressing.

BL Hairdressing Training has teamed up with the Middlesbrough Amateur Boxing Club as it seeks to demonstrate salon career opportunities to a young, male audience.

The sponsorship package includes support towards running the boxing club bus and financial contributions to engage young men in the sport in the community. BL Hairdressing Training regional manager Gail Dalton said: “Our aim is for at least 10% of our learners to be male. We currently stand at eight per cent, so we decided we needed to get out there and engage with young men. We’ve supported a number of community events and a football team, but the boxing club is perhaps the most novel.

“The hard, tough, male dominated world of boxing is not what you would normally expect to go hand in glove with hairdressing, but it’s certainly got us noticed and I’m sure some of the young boxers would be far more open to a job in a salon in the future.”

Boxing club secretary and trainer Tony Whitby said: “Before BL got involved with the club, I don’t think many young lads would have thought about working in hairdressing, but as we’ve got to know more about the opportunities one or two have begun to show an interest.”

This innovative approach, together with an unrivalled record in attracting new mums back into the workplace – about 75% of the learners who left to have babies – has helped BL Training pick up a Learning and Skills Council North-East equality award.

Working from Darlington, Durham, Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Newcastle, it has more than 500 apprentices at more than 300 salons.