Iona Timmins

Iona Timmins gained her first hairdressing apprenticeship when she was 16. She then fell pregnant with her son which put her career plans on hold.

Iona said, “When I turned 28 I had the opportunity to pick up my career dreams again. An apprenticeship was going locally and after a bit of persuasion I decided right, I’m going to go for it. I was a bit embarrassed at first because of my age, as a lot of apprentices are in their teens, but I just pushed forward knowing that I had to do it.

“I was in a different headspace I think because I was older. My goal for years was to be a hairdresser. Now that I have it I am very grateful for it – for the opportunities, the creativity and just enjoying my job. I love it – I couldn’t see myself in anything else and I worked hard to get it.

“I had to make a lot of sacrifices – running a home on an apprentice pay, working full-time hours and travelling to College one day a week. I’m dyslexic as well so I struggled with the reading part but I had a lot of support from family, friends and my College lecturer who would read things out to me so that I could take in and process the information. I studied hard and I passed all my exams.”

Iona also became a full-time carer to her husband during this time who was diagnosed with a terminal illness.

“I’m so happy that I have hairdressing. My husband pushed and supported me and he knew with his diagnosis that if I had my qualification then I could support the family myself when he was gone. I am just so grateful to have my qualification.

“I qualified when I was 30 – it’s taken 14 years to want this career and I have it. I now work for myself, renting a chair in a salon. We work as a team even though we are all self-employed.”

Iona completed her Level 2 qualification and plans to come back to College to complete her Level 3 Hairdressing qualification which she will self-fund.

“I love College and I want to get my Level 3 qualification. You are always learning with hairdressing –there’s always new products coming out and there are always ways to do things better.”

Iona has developed a love of colour and has built up a reputation for blondes.

She said, “It’s definitely blondes that I am known for. I put a lot of care into product choice and after- care – they take a long time but the end results are just amazing and the compliments I get makes it all worthwhile.”