Stories @ TCAT

Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville will offer a Cosmetology Instructor program in January 2025, aimed at licensed cosmetologists who want to branch out into the field of education.

Seats will be very limited for the program; only five students will be accepted, each of whom will attend class one day each week, along with one day a month for theory. The one-year program consists of 300 hours, at the end of which students can test for their instructor certification.

“The junior instructor program is open to licensed hairdressers who either want to get out from behind the chair or who want to just further their own education and see what the industry is like with the younger girls coming in,” explained program instructor Tammy Sharp. “Their practical is working with the student who is learning. Their part is filling out observation sheets and how they observe that student.

“This program is based on learning styles and teaching styles,” Sharp added. “It’s a whole different hair from learning about hair. They know hair. Now it’s about how is this student learning differently from this one, how can I relate to this student.”

For practical, students teach “a class of people who aren’t really there, and they’re graded on that,” Sharp said.

The only requirement beyond being a licensed cosmetologist is to have “at least three years in the salon,” Sharp said, “so that you have something to bring to the students.”

For more information or to apply, call (423) 663-4900.