Ross Miller

Bradford Enterprise Academy hosted a Hair Styling Show on Thursday 4^th March. Ross Miller, an artistic and a training director of renowned Renella Hairdressing Salon, also member of Habia Skill Team came to do a live cutting demonstration for Bradford College students, but also to talk about his beginnings.  

Ross has 20 years of experience within the hairdressing industry, working for a family hairdressing salon of 41 years in Scotland. He didn’t always want to become a hairdresser. His dream was to study architecture, but when he found out it would take seven years of university studies, he decided against it. He had a chat with his mum and dad and decided to join the family business. And he never regretted his decision.

Ross’s family owns three salons, employing 40 hairdressers, 12 apprentices and five members of administrative team. For Ross, the customer service within the salon plays the biggest role, sometimes more important than the cutting experience. As he says: “Hairdressing industry is a Happy Industry. Customers leave with smiles on their faces.” But it is also a hard working industry as hairdressers work long hours, on their feet most of the time.

“Hairdressing is a big industry that keeps growing as people always need a change. Therefore it is important for a hairdresser to understand what customers need and want. You should try to visualise what you trying to achieve, always thinking of simple steps. It is also important how you position your hands, they are after all your most important tools and the right positioning whilst cutting can prolong hairdresser’s life,” commented Ross.

When asking Ross about his experience as a student, he pointed out the variety of courses and training available to all students nowadays. During his students years, they had much theory to go through that was not encouraging.

Ross realised the need for training whilst working at the family salon. Some years back, Renella Hairdressing salon was the only salon in Scotland that offered hair extensions. After eight years of delivering this service, it was inevitable to train members of other salons to relieve Renella of the pressure. Ross discovered the need for ongoing training of their members of staff and got involved with Habia.

Habia is the standard setting body for the hair, beauty, nails and spa industries, and creates the standards that form the basis of all qualifications including NVQs, SVQs, Apprenticeships, Diplomas and Foundation degrees, as well as industry codes of practice. Nowadays, Habia is an international organisation working with different countries that aim to set and adopt UK standards within Hairdressing and beauty industries.

For any hairdresser, it is great opportunity to become part of Habia team. Ross has recently been to Japan and Kuwait, teaching students and photo shooting in Italy as part of the Habia skill team. Ross enjoys his work very much, always looking forward to the future: “Who knows what will next year bring. But as long as you enjoy what you doing, you have something to look forward to.”

Photography By Joseph Dawson

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