Mana Dave & Kelly Latu
Blaze, Newmarket, Auckland
Mana Dave and his business partner Kelly Latu have owned Blaze Salon for one and a half years. Four of their 12 staff are apprentices.
“For a business, apprenticeship training works as you can influence the structure of the training so it’s relevant to your salon. It allows you to groom them into the stylists you want them to be,” says Mana.
“Apprenticeships are the best way to learn as you make money while you work and you’re exposed to real situations with real clients – you earn while you learn.”
“Off job training provides a good overview but it’s the responsibility of the salon to dig deeper into the topic, add the detail, and add your salons slant on the detail,” he says.
“I know what apprenticeship training did for me and its advantages. I am what I am because I was given the opportunity to do an apprenticeship and now it’s about giving something back.”
“By having apprentices you’re helping to build the future of the industry.”
“Apprentices require time and energy and you need to be committed to it otherwise it’s a wasted opportunity. But if you stick at it and make it work you definitely get a great return,” Mana says.
“Having apprentices in your salon fine tunes your management and communication skills. It helps you to better understand your staff and to become a better manager.”
“Communication with staff is huge when you’re running a business – it’s everything. Having our own apprentices has made our management team better communicators and better managers.”
