For aspiring hairstylists, apprenticeships offer a new (old) way to begin

A new apprenticeship model is offering an alternative to the way Hoosier barbers and stylists are trained in advance of obtaining a license—and some salon owners say the approach will increase access to the profession.

But the apprenticeships—made possible by a state law passed last year—could disrupt the industry by letting aspiring stylists choose to bypass the traditional beauty school system.

For now, the registered apprenticeship programs aren’t widespread as salon and barbershop owners get up to speed. But the shops that are beginning to offer apprenticeships, including MDG Salon in Carmel, say they see promise in the new structure.

“I think that it just broadens the market,” said Mel Allen, director of operations and talent at MDG. “I do believe that it creates more of a well-rounded education path for different individuals with this program. I do believe that it will help to elevate the industry as a whole.”

But some critics of the change worry that relying on on-the-job training could leave stylists and barbers without key education about safety and sanitation, putting customers at risk.

Currently, the most common path to preparing for the state licensing exam is to enroll at a beauty school, which can cost more than $20,000 in tuition.

But through the option created by the 2024 state law, students can instead complete a U.S. Department of Labor-approved apprenticeship before taking the exam. That path emphasizes on-the-job training and allows enrollees to make a little bit of money while they work toward certification.

The program has benefits for salons, as well, because it lets them get stylists up to speed more quickly. Tanya Foster, the owner of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with locations in Fishers and Carmel, said beauty school graduates often need a year of extra training before they’re ready to work full time at her shops.

“I can tell you right now, 90% of the time those kids are not ready to go into the real world of doing hair,” Foster said.

Allen at MDG Salon echoed the sentiment and said she’s had to reteach simple skills like the proper grip for scissors to beauty school graduates.

MDG and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang are among the salons that have been able to incorporate the new apprenticeships into their pre-existing training programs, combining hands-on teaching with an approved third-party curriculum.

The apprentices cover the salon’s cost for licensing the curriculum as well as for a kit of hair-cutting tools. But unlike at beauty schools, apprentices are able to start earning money for the services they provide while working toward their license. In addition, the registered apprenticeship programs are eligible for federal grants.

Another benefit for apprentices, said Allen and Foster, is the way the program prepares them for the business side of the profession. That’s especially important in an industry in which up to two-thirds of people who earn their cosmetology license leave the profession within five years.

“The customer-service side, the business side of knowing and learning the commission world, how to build relationships and therefore having predictable income—they don’t touch on that a lot in beauty school,” Allen said. “You can be technically the best, but if you aren’t prepared for the customer-service world, the relationship-building world, you’re a starving artist.”

According to the Indiana Department of Education, tuition at premier beauty schools, such as Aveda Fredric’s Institute in Carmel, costs more than $23,000. The registered apprenticeship program at Kiss Kiss Bang Bang runs apprentices $6,500 in fees that can be offset with earnings, Foster said.

Other beauty schools in central Indiana charge fees ranging from $13,000 to $21,000. Textures Institute of Cosmetology on the northwest side of Indianapolis charges about $18,500, and the school offers financial aid.

Kedar LaBroi, the lead cosmetology instructor at Textures, said he sees cost benefits of the apprenticeship route, but he worries the training might not be adequate in all cases.

“One of the biggest things is that schools drill sanitation and sanitation procedures and protecting the public from contagious diseases,” LaBroi said. “With an apprenticeship, it makes that harder. You fall into your own habits and [might not be] doing it by the book.”

LaBroi said that Textures’ curriculum does give guidance on the business side of the beauty industry and that the quality of training at both beauty schools and apprenticeships depends on the instructor.

Multiple other beauty schools in the Indianapolis area, including Aveda Fredric, did not respond to interview requests for this story.

The U.S. Department of Labor requires registered apprentices to fulfill 2,000 hours of training before taking the licensing exam. Under Indiana law, students who go to beauty school must complete 1,500 hours of training to take the licensing exam.

Legislation considered last spring by the Indiana General Assembly would have reduced the beauty school hours to just 1,000, but the bill failed.

Although advocates of apprenticeships say the on-the-job training provides benefits for students, most aspiring stylists and barbers will likely continue to pursue the traditional education route. That’s because there are—at least for now—fewer apprenticeship opportunities than beauty school slots.

MDG has four apprentices. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang has five. Both salons launched their programs this year after months of developing them and earning Labor Department approval. Foster said it’s likely fewer than 10 salons in the state currently offer registered apprenticeships.

That’s why she doesn’t foresee the new apprenticeships making a dent in beauty college enrollments anytime soon. She said apprenticeship programs are most feasible for larger salons that already have training programs.

But Travis Moore, who owns MDG Salon as well as the Black Orchid barbershop franchise in Indianapolis, is more optimistic. He sees the new cosmetology apprenticeships as another example of the trades gaining traction in the state.

“I think a lot of it has to do with the cost of beauty school. It’s so high that it’s turning people away,” Moore said. “There’s no doubt that the trades are making a comeback. People are skipping going to college, because the big question is: Is it a worthy investment?”

In addition, the state has been pushing to develop more apprenticeships overall, not just in cosmetology.

According to federal data, Indiana had 25,250 active apprentices of all types in Indiana in the 2025 fiscal year—the seventh-most of any state.

And that’s likely to increase as new high school diploma requirements take effect in Indiana—starting with the class of 2029—that create a graduation pathway based on work-study programs, including apprenticeships.

But LaBroi said that even if cosmetology apprenticeships don’t become the norm, the changes will likely push beauty schools to reexamine parts of their curriculum and make changes that benefit students and the industry.•