Stylist Charlotte Wows the Audience at The Skills Show

A talented hairdresser from Ystrad Mynach wowed the audience as she created avant-garde hairstyles at the UK’s biggest skills and careers event. Charlotte Zerk from Spirit Hair Team, and model Kelsie Hamson from Sarn, Bridgend, were part of a team from Bridgend-based training provider ISA Training that showcased hairdressing as an exciting career at The Skills Show, held at the NEC Birmingham.

They starred in the avant-garde hair, Vamp It Up showpiece that saw competitors from ISA Training’s annual skills competition, Salon Cymru, create innovative, eye-catching hairstyles suitable for fashion shoots and the catwalk - inspired by modern day vampire films and TV.

A team of apprentices from ISA Training was joined by performing arts students from Bridgend College, who doubled as models and ended the show with an exciting contemporary dance routine.

There were three elements to the showcase. Ready, Steady, Hair saw award-winning barber James Beattie, owner of Beatties & Co in Brynmawr and Abergavenny, and Lehanne Wells, owner of Tonic Hair in Abersychan, with model Gabby Blake from Bridgend, both demonstrating their innovative work.

Both stylists invited volunteers from the audience onstage to have a go and to have their hair styled, with James demonstrating hair tattooing and Lehanne creating glamorous styles.

Other stylists taking part were Stacey Ranson, owner of Coast Hair in St Brides Major with model Bethan McCauley from Wick, and Marcus Scott, owner of Identity salon in Johnston, Haverfordwest with model Lily Tyler from Heol y Cyw.

Shirley Davis-Fox, managing director of ISA Training said,

To be able to give these opportunities to our learners, to showcase at a large event is what makes ISA stand out from the rest.

ISA was the only Welsh organisation chosen to showcase hairdressing and I was so proud of the learners and the standard of work they presented. The interest and support from the audience was fantastic.

Having this opportunity to showcase their ability at the UK’s largest skills event gave our learners a real sense of achievement and will increase their confidence and enhance their learning journey, which will impact positively on their salons.

Berni Tyler, ISA Training’s director of operations, revealed that the Skills Show had raised the company’s profile in England massively and generated great interest in Salon Cymru.

We were approached by many colleges during the showcase, asking about Salon Cymru and how their students could enter. We are expecting record numbers at next year’s competition on April 28th at the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff.

ISA Training is Wales’ largest hairdressing and beauty training company with more than 700 learners and 550 employers on its books. The company specialises in workplace training, delivering government funded programmes in hairdressing and beauty, customer service and team leadership in Wales and England.