Contestants entered in the 2016 JN Small Business Loans (JNSBL) Barber and Beauty Battle are slated to receive certification from the HEART Trust/ National Training Agency, as part of the Agency’s endeavors to certify skilled persons in Jamaica, in keeping with international standards.
The first set of persons to be certified will be 27 of the 28 barbers, hairdressers, nail technicians and make-up artistes, who participated in the finals of the JNSBL Barber and Beauty Battle, at the National Indoor Sports Centre, on April 10.
The certification exercise is being undertaken by the Business Development and Workforce Solutions Department of HEART Trust/NTA.
“This competition gives us the opportunity to certify persons in the beauty sector, who are skilled and have experience; however, there is no documentation to specify their level of competency,” explained Kadeen Harvey, Acting Industry Liaison Officer, HEART Trust/NTA.
“However, given the structure of the JNSBL’s competition, the HEART Trust/NTA decided to partner with the company to provide members of the beauty industry with the opportunity to be accredited, in keeping with international standards,” she added.
Miss Harvey stated that a part of HEART Trust/NTA’s mandate is to provide an avenue through which skilled persons can be qualified while on the job; in the Agency’s drive to achieve a competent and certified workforce.
“Through our Business Development and Workforce Department, we prepare persons for their respective vocations by assessing and certifying them, based on years of experience; and, avenues which indicate expertise for qualification. Many persons may not know about the various opportunities; therefore, we consistently facilitate them by doing on-the-job assessments,” she said.
Miss Harvey explained that the finalists will also need to participate in a special training session as part of the certification process. And, she indicated that the programme would be an ongoing one, which would benefit future entrants in the JNSBL competition.
Mrs Gillian Hyde, general manager of JNSBL, commenting on the certification of the entrants in the competition, stated that providing work enhancement opportunities for members of the sector was one of the core objectives to mount the competition.
“When we developed the concept for the challenge competition in 2015, it was to alert barbers, hairdressers and other members of the sector about opportunities that existed for them to grow their operations,” explained.
Mrs Hyde noted that many persons in the barber and beauty sector receive their formal training from established institutions; and, subsequently work as apprentices, prior to moving on to establish their own businesses.
“We, therefore, wanted to generate additional training and development; to enhance their financial literacy; and, improve their business management skills. With the certification from HEART/NTA, more members of the sector will now be able to market certified services; and compete in a vibrant national beauty sector,” she pointed out.
First held in 2015, the JNSBL Barber and Beauty Challenge competition emerged from a conversation, between Earl Jarrett, General Manager of Jamaica National building Society (JNBS) and his barber. The competition is structured to provide persons in the beauty industry the opportunity to showcase their craft; and develop their business operation.
