Workshop to promote career opportunities in hair and beauty

The Institute of Hairdressers & Beauticians (IHB), supported by a Board of Governors consisting of the best hair and beauty experts in the country, would conduct a free interactive workshop at the Weerasingham Hall in Jaffna on January 27, 2013 from 9am to 2pm.

Some of the participants at the workshop

Nayana Karunaratne demonstrating at a IHB workshop

The workshop will bring together expert trainers of the IHB, including Nayana Karunaratne, Founder President of SLAHAB and Asia Zone President of the World Federation of Hairdressers (OMC). They would introduce the IHB International Accreditation programme to aspiring Hair stylists, Beauticians and Barbers in Tamil, Sinhalese & English.

IHB operates as an independent professional body with the aim of streamlining the standard of education in hairdressing and beauty therapy. IHB is accredited to the World Federation of Hairdressers (OMC), assuring quality training for employment and opportunities for further studies in Advanced Certifications and Management. As an OMC International Education Centre, all certifications would be from OMC, while the curriculum would further include the OMC Bronze, Silver and Gold Diploma certifications.

Armed with complete guidance and support from City & Guilds, IHB is a nonprofit making organization, dedicated to set Hairdressing, Beauty Therapy and Barbering standards on par with International IVQ, Pivot Point, OMC and British NVQ standards. IHB responsibilities are to update and maintain skills standards through the preparation of curriculum, setting and conducting theory and practical exams in English, Sinhala and Tamil, issuing certifications and conducting 'train the trainer' programmes.

During the programme, the teams would work on a series of models, demonstrating different techniques and ideas to the participants.

"My mission in life is to help both men and women look their best and also to elevate the profession of hairdressing in Asia to European standards. I therefore recommend all those who wish to take it on as a career, to qualify themselves with IHB certification for practicing both here and abroad," said Founder President of SLAHAB Nayana Karunaratne.

"I have been lucky enough to have followed the IHB course and received a Distinction in the examination conducted in December 2012 for the "Barbering diploma. I studied and sat for the test paper in Tamil. It has been a tremendous boost to my inherent passion for hair styling.

It will create a respect from my peers and a personal sense of achievement," said Pennirselvam Kannathasan, a Barber by profession.

More information could be obtained on www.ihbinternational.net