BACK TO SCHOOL

The pandemic months have made the beauty industry instrumental more than ever in imparting confidence in people. Experts are optimistic about the future of beauty academies, and trust that they will not only survive but also bounce back.

Raman Bhardwaj, Owner & Creative Director, AN John Salon and Academy, informs, throughout the lockdown, students were waiting patiently for academies to open; none of them asked for a fee refund; and there were new admissions too. “In fact,” he says, “we were getting several queries and had to request them to wait for the next batch as the current one was full. We have enough space to accommodate the entire batch with proper social distancing norms, so there was no need to restrict the number of students.”

“I was lucky to have tied up with other makeup artists to conduct makeup classes,” says Vipul Bhagat, Director and Founder, Vipul Bhagat Hair & Makeup Zone and Vipul Bhagat Academy. “We had 262 students from all over the world. I was busy for six weeks, spending three to four hours each day teaching makeup.”

Biju Nair, CO-Founder and Director, LTA School of Beauty (India), shares his observation on the changes that the lockdown has brought about in the academy business. He says, “Due to the pandemic and lockdown, the use of technology has accelerated. In terms of students that we get, there are advanced learners and beginners. For the advanced learners, look and learn seminars have always worked. Now with the help of technology, we are able to reach out to a worldwide audience.” He further adds, “Around March 2020, when we realised that the lockdown will be imposed, we migrated to the digital platform and revised our pricing. We got a head start there. Now as things are opening-up, we see an influx of students. Earlier on, students would prefer an academy near them. Now due to our digital outreach, they are ready to come to us,” he added.

Digital advantage

Digital learning comes with several advantages.

As Bharti Taneja, Director, ALPS, Cosmetic Clinic and Academy, highlights as advantage: “Saving time and connecting with all our franchisees at one go. However, the beauty industry is based on hands-on training, and hence, we cannot do away with offline learning. Keeping with the new safety protocol, we can have smaller batches.”

“A beginner has to have a classroom set-up as it is not possible to learn everything online,” says Bhardwaj, adding, “…a working professional can go in for online training. It is important to have a mix of both.” For an advanced learner who has been considering enrolling at an academy in another city, online learning is a good option wherein he can learn at his own pace. He can also focus on niche concepts such as a particular kind of haircut. For interim upgrade classes, the digital platform would work wonderfully well but the beginner will need to come to the academy. “You can accommodate hundreds of students in one online session and have a competitive price. This helps cut down the costs 10 times and have a wider reach,” explains Bhardwaj.

The beauty industry is based on hands-on training, and hence, we cannot do away with offline learning. Keeping with the new safety protocol, we can have smaller batches.

Further, given the fact that social media platforms such as Instagram are flooded with free tutorials, what is the scope for paid make-up courses in the digital world?

Bhagat responds, “People are looking forward to learning techniques from us. They learn a lot on social media, but from makeup educators like us, they learn techniques, how to play with colours, how to work with different skin tones and textures.”

Taneja says, “Theory is as important as practical. To learn the theory of skin and hair, students must come to academies. Moreover, a mentor or teacher will teach them and point out their mistakes. Simply watching videos will not make someone a professional.” When asked if academies will be looking at a hybrid model of education – a mix of online and offline training – to combine theory and practical learning, she adds, “We have already started doing that.”

It is important for students to know their mistakes and get them rectified from their teachers. Hence, experts do recommend an interactive classroom environment, even for online sessions. Bhardwaj suggests that the same can be achieved with a host who explains the demo while the expert is doing it and takes questions from the students, too. He additionally emphasises on how online sessions need to replicate the offline formats, including coffee breaks, so that students learn systematically. “Certification can also be done digitally.”

Becoming tech savvy

What are the practical aspects of conducting online training? Nair highlights the importance of having the right lighting and ambience. The trainer might not be able to perceive it, but it is a must for students to see the demo in a clear light. “This is a challenge. The trainer is also required to be re-trained on how to conduct classes virtually.”

In agreement, Taneja adds that irrespective of the format – online or offline – the trainer needs to be trained too. A makeup expert need not necessarily be a good trainer. “There needs to be passion for training. For instance, a trainer cannot be afraid about creating competitors. For academies, it is vital to teach the trainers what the academy wants to teach and the way the academy wants them to teach.”

Bhagat underscored the importance of continued education for the mentors and teachers, too. “Learning should be a continuous process for trainers because that is how they will be able to teach more.”