- November 6, 2021
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Adrian Garcia is part of the Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship program at Urban Cuts 390 in Napa.
Adrian Garcia is part of the Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship program at Urban Cuts 390 in Napa.
Adrian Garcia is part of the Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship program at Urban Cuts 390 in Napa.
“Everyone wants to be a barber,” said Vada Boyd, owner of Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship in Napa.
“It seems easy to get into and you can learn in the palm of your hand (through videos),” Boyd said.
But it’s not all glory and glamour, he noted.
“You have to learn communication and listening skills, along with customer service.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the overall employment of barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists is projected to grow 19 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 85,300 openings for barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
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“Our program is for two years,” Boyd said. “We offer apprenticeship hours, which are paid, and there’s class one-day-a-week, Mondays from 10:00 until 4:00. We teach the State Board Procedure for exams.”
The apprenticeship program started in August 2021. For their first class, it has three students enrolled, all of whom have completed their first tier of 39 hours, which qualifies them to receive their apprenticeship license. Their next step is to acquire the required training over a two-year apprenticeship period.
To obtain a Barbering or Cosmetology License in the State of California, applicants must complete 1,500 hours of study for a barber and 1,600 study hours for a cosmetologist, along with a written and practical examination.
“The students may apprentice at our shop, Urban Cuts 390,” said Boyd, who has run that shop since 2008. “Or they may apprentice at a shop of their choosing.”
Students at 390 Barbering & Cosmetology Apprenticeships have homework. “They need to practice and to study following our textbook. We do one chapter a week and there’s a weekly test. The amount of time it takes depends on how much work the student wants to put in. We do include reading time prior to each test time.”
Boyd says it’s no longer true that the State Board test requires a student to shave a balloon without puncturing it. “That used to happen, but not anymore. We might do that as a fun exercise one day, though, just to lighten things up.”
Boyd got into the field at a young age.
“I started at 15, cutting hair in my mom’s garage,” he said, chuckling at the memory. “It was a way for me to network with kids my age. Cutting and styling hair is such a captivating way to connect with people. I never wanted to give it up. At age 22, I went to Barber College.”
The 390 name is the street number of his first small shop in Napa. “It’s a way to keep humble, remembering where I started.”
Student job placement is important to Boyd.
“We have strong relationships with area barbers. We’re always looking for someone who wants to fill a chair. Past Urban Cuts 390 barbers often go on to have their own businesses and we collaborate with them.”
Tuition is $6,000, which Boyd emphasizes doesn’t all have to be paid upfront. While they don’t run a scholarship program, students may apply for a student loan through their own banks.
“One of the most exciting things we have going now is we’re working with the Napa County Office of Education (NCOE), who just got an internship grant for high school students to learn the business.”
Pam Riddle is the Community Liaison for NCOE and works with students at Camille Creek High School.
“This is so exciting,” said Riddle. “We’ve got kids interested in hair and Vada wants to take on students who are considered at-risk youth. This gives them a start in the working world and gives them a future goal, something to believe in. They can redirect their energy into it. Eventually, they can go into paid apprenticeships. This was heaven-sent and I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for this opportunity.”
The students, who must be at least 15 years old, will intern twice a week for two hours each and receive school credits for the time spent there. There are three students participating currently.
“As a Napa native, I’m asking for community support,” said Riddle. “If anyone has a service where students can intern, please let us know. Some miraculous stories come out of community interest.”
Boyd and his hair team are no strangers to working for the community.
“Urban Cuts 390 holds a Christmas toy drive every year starting in mid-November,” said Boyd.
“We gather the presents under a huge tree at our shop and give them to the non-profit Parents Can which helps low-income children with special needs. We also have a summer community barbeque with food and games, and everyone is invited. At the end of summer, we work with Hope Christian Center’s Hope Fest, offering free haircuts for lower-income kids going back to school.”
Boyd has expansion plans for his training program.
“I want to start a college for full-time students, who wouldn’t be apprentices. It would be a faster version, done as a nine-month course. We’d have to get a larger facility for that.”
“What we have now is so much fun, I never want to stop. I’m hoping to open an operation like our 390 Apprenticeship in Los Angeles. We’re thinking that may be in the next year.”
New classes begin every seven weeks (barberacademy390.com).
Boyd stays aware of hair trends that his customers and students want and says the comb over is in fashion right now. Not your grandfather’s comb-over of a few hairs wrapped over a balding spot, but like a pompadour.
“Think styles from the 40s and 50s,” he said. “Elvis Presley, the doo-wop, pretty boy, greaser era. It’s a clean-cut look.”
What is his advice to anyone interested in the barbering/cosmetology industry?
“Give your all or don’t give anything.”
“I love this community and its support. I’d like to see other barbers influence up and coming new barbers and having those people influence more people like themselves.”
The Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship program is located at Urban Cuts 390 in Napa.
Adrian Garcia is part of the Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship program at Urban Cuts 390 in Napa.
Adrian Garcia is part of the Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship program at Urban Cuts 390 in Napa.
Adrian Garcia is part of the Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship program at Urban Cuts 390 in Napa.
Adrian Garcia is part of the Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship program at Urban Cuts 390 in Napa.
Adrian Garcia is part of the Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship program at Urban Cuts 390 in Napa.
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Adrian Garcia is part of the Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship program at Urban Cuts 390 in Napa.
Adrian Garcia is part of the Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship program at Urban Cuts 390 in Napa.
Adrian Garcia is part of the Barbering & Cosmetology 390 Apprenticeship program at Urban Cuts 390 in Napa.
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