Fast Track Courses – Who are they benefiting?

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Posted January 22, 2018

In today’s environment, more and more young employees are moving away from the traditional apprenticeship model in an attempt to avoid the low rate of pay. They want the short-term gains without thinking long-term about the impact that this may have on their career and education.

It’s becoming more palatable for people interested in a career in the hair and beauty industry to move past apprenticeships and undertake a fast track course to get qualified and paid at a higher rate sooner – but what does this really mean for the industry and business owners?

A fast track course is simply an intensive, one-year course that will provide the student with their qualification sooner. With a strong focus on the theory component of their training, it provides little to no salon experience with the only practical training being taught at the RTO. This means that when they graduate as senior employees, they leave without a clientele, without confidence to perform all procedures at a high standard with no supervision and without the experience that someone who has just completed an apprenticeship has.

It is safe to say that if you employ a graduate from a fast track course you will pay more financially and will have to invest time in making sure that they are up to standard and suitable to provide services to paying clients and to act as the face for your business with your clients. The quality of training, for the most part, simply isn’t there.

Paying Graduates

We frequently receive questions from members because they have hired a fast track graduate, but the employee has the skill level of a 2^nd year apprentice and salon owners want to know if they can pay them as such. Even if the employee agrees to this course of action, it is still unlawful to do so, and all qualified senior stylists, regardless of how they have been qualified, must be paid as such.
No contract or agreement is greater than the law.

For both Hair and Beauty graduates, there is the opportunity to pay employees who have just completed the fast track course at a graduate rate of pay. Graduate wage rates apply to a person who has obtained a tradesperson’s certificate but has only completed the theory component and has little or no in-salon experience. This indicates that the individual did not complete an apprenticeship or traineeship (indentured to a salon), but rather a fast track course. This lesser rate of pay is only applicable for 12 months of in-salon experience after they have received their certificate.

Employing Graduates

Employers’ frustration with job applicants often relates to the lack of employability skills that they want and need but often can’t find in new graduates. Employability skills, theoretical knowledge and service skills are built over time – they cannot be developed properly in a year, and they certainly cannot be developed without in-salon experience. During the course of an apprenticeship employees are exposed to all aspects of the industry and get on-the-job experience during their education and training. These fast track courses simply do not allow adequate time for these skills to be developed.

Fast Track courses aren’t only failing salon owners, they are failing the student as well. No one wants to hire someone with limited skills, who need to be paid at a higher rate than an apprentice, but don’t have the requisite experience. The students are short-changing themselves by not investing their time to gaining the practical experience and skills that they would acquire if they were to be undertaking a traditional apprenticeship.

HABA wants to warn our members and any individuals considering a fast track course that it may not beneficial to either party. There are always exceptions to the rule, but for the most part fast track courses are inhibiting young salon workers from progressing and learning at the appropriate rate, providing a short cut that would not be suited to most students and are putting both employers and employees in tough positions. If you are considering hiring a fast track graduate, or have one on your staff that you are struggling with, lean on HABA to help support you in achieving the best outcome for you, your salon and your staff member. Call our team of experts at any time on (02) 9221 2211 and one of our in-house Industrial Relations and Human Resources experts will help you navigate this difficult situation.