WHAT’S  NEW?

St. Louis Hairstyling Certificate program is offered 3 times a year due to high demand!

NEXT Intake is Wednesday, January 15 @ 4:00pm

St. Louis Kitchener Main Campus

Class starts March 17, 2025

PRE-REGISTER NOW!

Certification that ensures foundational skills in Hairstyling!   WHMIS, and introduction to aesthetics and introduction to barbering included.

After completing this training, plus an apprenticeship, a Hairstylist may be employed in a variety of settings including:

• Salons
• Barbershops
• Spas
• Self – employment
• in residential institutions
• or in theatre or television

Professionally recognized Hairstyling Training Program

St. Louis’ Hairstyling Training Program offers pre-apprenticeship training and education, recognized by the Ontario Ministry of Education, Skills Trades Ontario and by numerous employers in the Region as a quality program.

Qualified Instructors

Instruction is led by Ontario Certified Teachers (with the Ontario College of Teachers – OCT) with an adult education focus, who are also skilled professional, licensed hairstylists with years of industry experience, creativity and up-to-date trends.

Low Cost

• Ministry of Education covers the tuition fees.
• Students pay a materials fee of $1690 for textbooks, hair kits, colour and other consumables + hairstyling exemption exam fees of $310.
• Total amount due before beginning the course is $2000.
• A $500 non-refundable deposit is payable on acceptance. Remaining $1500 final due date for payment will be given at intake and information session.
• **No refund will be granted after the applicant has attended the first class.

Add Secondary School Credits to your transcript.

Earn up to 8 elective Secondary School Credits toward high school completion OR to increase your grades on your transcript, a benefit for any future post-secondary pursuits.

Even if you already have your Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), Secondary School elective credits will be applied to your high school transcript.  Your current high school transcript is required to get started.  If you pursue other post-secondary or training, the higher grades earned in this program will appear on your updated transcript.

Step 1: complete a Guidance Intake Form

Step 2: return to Hairstyling webpage,  click REGISTER NOW and complete the Hairstyling Pre-registration form.

Hands-on learning

We continually work diligently to provide quality and safe, hands-on led instruction, plus “Client Days” in our in-school salon.  Opportunities await in a variety of salon settings, including high-end salon placement opportunities, should you be ready.

Early Apprenticeship

Start earning your apprenticeship hours EARLY! To do so, you HAVE to Register through OYAP first. Don’t wait until AFTER you have finished Grade 12 or after you’ve finished the Hairstyling training course.

We can help you achieve your Ontario Secondary School Diploma with up to 8 elective Secondary School Credits in the Hairstyling program, and lots of options to complete any compulsory credits. Register through OYAP, while in the St. Louis Hairstyling Training program to earn other benefits.

In-school Theory and Practical

Complete the in-school portion toward becoming a licensed hairstylist.  St. Louis offers both Level 1 and Level 2 hairstyling training, with a 2-month practical placement at an off-site salon. You must complete all three components to receive a St. Louis certificate in Hairstyling.  This certificate is recognized by Ontario College of Trades.

As part of the hairstyling training program, all students will receive WHMIS training, plus Health and Safety Certificate as well as introduction to some basic aesthetics and barbering techniques for work placement preparation.

LEVEL 1

• History of Hair Design
• Infection Control and Health & Safety
• Functions of Salon
• Cutting & Styling Hair
• Colouring & Lightening Hair
• Texture Services

LEVEL 2

• Waxing
• Math
• Make-up
• Nails
• Anatomy
• Chemical Waving & Relaxing of hair
• Hair & Scalp Treatments

Length of Program

• 660 hours of in class instruction, including a minimum 2hrs/day hands-on practical techniques (6 months in class)
• 220-hour work placement (2 months)
• Start dates in September, November and March each year
• No in-class instruction in July or August

Class Time

St. Louis Hairstyling Training is offered exclusively at the St. Louis Kitchener Main Campus.

In-school Salon Practice

Examples of the types of hands-on training received:

• Use and care of variety of cutting implements including, different types of shears, scissors, and razors
• Washing hair using a variety of sink positions
• Blow drying and styling techniques on mannequins and people
• Cutting techniques for short, medium and long hair
• Workplace Ergonomics including posture, cutting stance, and maintaining back, arm and shoulder stamina
• Selecting, measuring, and applying a variety hair and colour products
• role-playing your approach to customer service, implementing best practices
• Maintaining a sterile and organized work/salon space. “If you can lean, you can clean”
• “Put your best hair forward” with stylists-in-training offering Client Days most Fridays (Sept to June)
• and so much more….

Click here —> for details on Salon Services

Level 1 and Level 2 License Exemption Exams

St. Louis provides essential skills training to all hairstyling students, so they may be prepared to successful complete Level 1 and 2 exemption exams. In partnership with Conestoga College, St. Louis offers opportunities for hairstyling students to write the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities exemption exams at the college.  The cost of writing these exams is $155.00 each and is now included in the program materials fees.

Why do you have to write this exam?

Graduates of programs of less than 1,500 vocational hours (St. Louis hair program is 660 hours in class) will be required to write exemption tests and achieve a minimum of 70% for each of the in-school level course work. You will then be required to meet practicum completion requirements to receive a Certificate of Apprenticeship followed by a Certificate of Qualification issued by the Ontario College of Trades.

St. Louis provides all the in-class theory required for your hairstyling qualifications and St. Louis students consistently achieve excellence on these exams. By writing the exams, you can begin your apprenticeship early!

In-class theory  √

Updated high school transcript (required) √

Exemption exams  √

Placement experience  √

Sign on with an apprenticeship employer and depending on practicum experience, you will be qualified soon after.  There are cash bonuses for apprenticeship completion for both student and employer.

Placement Assignments
St. Louis provides the opportunity for you to apply your in-class learning, by arranging a placement experience in a salon.  St. Louis teaching staff work closely with students to ensure that basic cutting and colouring techniques are solidified, before sending students (who are ready to do so) to an off-site salon.   Total hours of salon experience is 220 hours, spread out over 8 weeks. Length of each shift is predetermined between the employer, co-op teacher and the student.  Note there will be varied evening and weekend shifts as part of your placement experience.

Professional Expectations

Your professionalism in the workplace is paramount, and St. Louis will expect the same professional standards in the classroom. All professional expectations around attire, professional conduct, attendance and who you report to etc. are all clearly explained during class, prior to placement and during placement.  St. Louis takes tremendous pride in the reputation and quality of the St. Louis Hairstyling program. As a Stylist-in-training student, you will learn that these expectations during the program carry forward into the workplace.

Placement Employers

In recent years, we have grown to rely on select salons to almost always work with a hairstyling student in-training to begin their apprenticeship hours with them … sometimes hiring them after.  Thank you to our many partners for your support:

• Abel’s on Queen Barbershop
• Artline Salon
• Beauty Unlimited
• Clique Hair
• Cosimo’s
• Faded
• First Choice Haircutters
• Halo Hair Studio
• Natural Solutions Salon and Spa
• Oro Salon
• Pino’s Salon and Spa
• Proper Barbershop
• Romeo Aveda Spa
• So Chiq Studio