Welcome to the Hair, Beauty and Nails Virtual Work Experience World. The Aspire salon is just across from the bank, between the insurance broker's and the estate agent. Go in through the main door up to the reception desk.

Hi there, I am Zoe, I'm the duty receptionist. The manager is expecting you. If you go upstairs, you will find her office on the first floor. Just knock on the door. I will let her know you are here. Click on the manager's office door and enter.

(Jackie) Hi there, it's nice to meet you. I see from your letter that you want to find out what it's like to work in hairdressing and that you would like to take Level 1 hairdressing at school. Well your time with us will give you a better idea of what it is like to work in a salon. Click on Jackie to hear more.

(Jackie) I hope you'll enjoy your time here. First, I need to take you through the induction process. It is important that you are aware of the health and safety rules. Click on Jackie to hear more.

(Jackie) Click on the TV. We can watch the induction video. Don't be afraid to ask any questions. You should also read the personal hygiene section. It will explain why it is so important for hairdressers to pay attention to this issue. Click on Jackie to hear more.

(Jackie) Let's go and see Ross. He is responsible for all training in the salon. He will get you started. He is down the corridor on the right. You will get a chance to meet Scott and Suzie, our new trainees. On leaving Jackie's office turn left and walk down the corridor. The Training room is first on the right.

(Ross) Hello I am Ross. I will be in charge of you during your work experience. If you have any problems I will help sort them out. Click on Ross to hear more.

(Ross) This is our training room. As you can see it is laid out to look like a real salon. This is where our trainees learn the basics of hairdressing practice. Click on Ross to hear more.

(Ross) Your work experience will cover everything from reception duties to beauty care. You are going to begin at reception. So please go back downstairs and say to Zoe that you are ready to start. Turn left back down the corridor and down the stairs. Zoe's desk is next to the waiting area near the front door.

(Zoe) I am the first member of the staff that a client meets when they come to the salon. It is very important that I make a good impression. Click on the desk to hear what a salon receptionist's job is like. Click on Zoe to hear more.

(Zoe) My main duties are to maintain reception, look after the clients, handle enquiries, make appointments and handle payments. If you click on the computer you can see a full list of a receptionist's duties. Click on Zoe to hear more.

(Zoe)I better answer the phone. I don't want to keep a client waiting. Listen to how I take the call. Click on Zoe to hear more.

(Zoe) Oh Hello Mrs Smith. You would like an appointment with Jason for a cut and colour. Which day would you prefer? Saturday. Please hold on till I check the diary. Click on Zoe to hear more.

(Zoe) 3 o'clock is available. Oh that is too early for you. How about 5 o'clock? That's OK. Fine your appointment is with Jason at 5 o'clock this Saturday. See you then. Bye. Click on Zoe to hear more.

(Zoe) I need to make some calls, Suzie will let you look at some of our training videos, she's upstairs. Speak to you later. Go back up to the Training Room. Once at the top of the stairs it is down the corridor and first on the right.

Hi there, I am Suzie. I am working on one of our clients and as I am a junior my work is supervised by my trainer and as well as training in the salon I go to Inverness College one day a week. Click on Scott to hear more. He is on the right.

I am Scott . I am working on one of the training blocks. I also go to college one day a week on day release where I am studying for my SVQ level 2. If you click on the block you can see what you require for SVQ level 1 and level 2. Click on Suzie to hear more.

(Suzie) Ross is assessing our performance. He works 3 days a week in the salon as a stylist and 2 days a week in the training room. I will run a video now and you will see Ross explaining what each of the trainees are doing. Click on Scott to hear more.

(Scott) It is hard work being a hairdresser. There are a lot of physical challenges such as standing on your feet all day. Click on the chair to read about the challenges. Click on Scott to hear more.

(Narrator) Click on Scott to hear him talk about hairdressing. Click on Scott to hear more.

(Scott) Your work experience will touch on level 1. Most of the time you should be watching and listening how we interact with the clients. Click on Suzie to hear more.

(Suzie) Go down to the main salon and meet Sandra, the senior stylist. Turn left down the corridor and go down the stairs. Sandra is on the right in the main salon.

(Suzie) This is Sandra. Sandra is the senior stylist. She has just returned from a 8 month contract on a cruise ship which was mainly located in the Caribbean. Click on Sandra to hear more.

(Narrator) Click on the chair to hear what Sandra says about hairdressing. Click on Sandra to hear more.

(Sandra) As Suzie said I am the senior stylist. I've had 10 years experience in hairdressing. Over 7 years working in this country. I also spent a year working in Australia. And I have had two contracts on cruise ships, which are great fun but hard work. Click on Sandra to hear more.

(Sandra) I am qualified to SVQ level 3. This is recognised just about everywhere in the world.As they say "Have scissors will travel!" Let's see what is required to qualify at level 3. Click on Sandra to hear more.

(Sandra) Watch how we touch the client's hair. Hairdressing is a career where clients put themselves in your hands. They need to feel happy about you touching their head. Click on Sandra to hear more.

(Narrator) Go through to the colour mixing area. Charlene the colour technician is waiting for you there. Go straight through to the room at the back of the main salon. Charlene is standing to the right.

(Charlene) I'm a colour technician. I specialise in colour and colour correction. Some clients do home colouring which doesn't work out properly. I then have the tricky job of fixing the problem. Click on Charlene to hear more.

(Charlene) Colouring is a very important service in hairdressing. Click on Charlene to hear more.

(Narrator) Click on Charlene to watch Scott finishing a highlighting process. Click on Charlene to hear more.

(Charlene) Let's see how we mix colours and what precautions we take. Click on Charlene to hear more.

(Charlene) You must always wear personal protective equipment when working with colours. We call this (PPE). Click on Charlene to hear more.

(Charlene) You also must always switch on the extraction fan when mixing colours. Click on Charlene to hear more.

(Charlene) When I have more experience I might like to become a manufacturer's technician. They spend most of their time visiting salons and colleges showing their company's products. They also take part in roadshows and exhibitions demonstrating colours products and techniques. Click on Charlene to hear more.

(Narrator) Let's go to the nail bar now and see what happens there. The nail bar is at the top of the stairs, on your right.

(Narrator) This is Julie, Julie is a nail technician. She offers a selection of nail services including manicures, nail art and nail enhancements. Click on Julie to hear more.

(Narrator) Julie used to work part time but the nail bar is so busy now that Julie works full time. Click on Julie to hear more.

(Narrator) To learn to do this job Julie took an SVQ level 2 in nail services at college and is now working towards an SVQ level 3 in nail services. Click on Julie to hear more.

(Narrator) Go back downstairs to the salon now and see how to wash hair. Suzie does this job. Suzie is standing at the sink on the left.

(Suzie) I make sure that the client's are properly prepared for shampooing, ensure that the water temperature is fine for them and check whether they like conditioner applied. Click on the sink to see the video on shampooing and scalp massage. Click on Suzie to hear more.

(Suzie) Quite often I finish off the blow drying to help the senior stylists. This gives me lots of experience in handling different types of hair. Click on Suzie to hear more.

(Suzie) My job involves lots of different tasks like taking appointments, taking payments, sweeping the floor, restocking the shelves and ensuring there are clean towels for all the stylists. Click on Suzie to hear more.

(Narrator) Jackie wants you to go to the beauty room now. Amanda the beauty therapist will look after you there. Go upstairs. The treatment room is at the end of the corridor, on the right.

(Narrator) This is Amanda the beauty therapist. Click on Amanda to hear more.

(Amanda) Hi, I'm Amanda the beautician. I have been working at the salon for nearly two years now. I started working in an office and then decided to go to college for some courses on beauty treatments. Click on Amanda to hear more.

(Amanda) I do a range of treatments from face massage to aromatherapy, which I specialise in. Let's watch a training video. Click on Amanda to hear more.

(Amanda) The clients really like this environment with the soft lighting and soothing background music. It helps them relax and enjoy their treatment. Click on Amanda to hear more.

(Amanda) Don't get too comfortable in here. Jackie wants to see you again. Go back down the corridor. Jackie's office is on the right, facing the stairs.

(Jackie) Hi There. I'd like to tell you what I do as manager? If you click on the computer screen you will see a full list of my duties. Click on Jackie to hear more.

(Jackie) I am responsible for the operation of the salon. My responsibilities include staff recruitment, staff welfare, dealing with customer complaints and meeting with the suppliers. Click on the desk to hear about some of the challenges a manager deals with. Click on Jackie to hear more.

(Jackie) I started as a junior 15 years ago and then at the end of my training I became a stylist. After that I worked in a number of hairdressers and on a cruise ship. Then I progressed to senior stylist and decided to study for an SVQ level 4 management standards qualification. Click on Jackie to hear more.

(Jackie) When Tanya, the owner of the business, decided to appoint a manager I applied for the position and was successful. I have now been the manager for two years and I'm enjoying every minute of it. Click on Jackie to hear more.

(Jackie) One of my other duties is to draw up a training plan for all the employees including the senior stylists. There are always new things happening in hairdressing. If you were to start as a trainee in this salon you would have your own training plan. Click on Jackie to hear more.

(Jackie) Next week we are all going to a roadshow that Habia is running in Inverness. This is part of everyone's training plan. Click on Jackie to hear more.

(Jackie) Go next door to the photo studio. Nicola, the artistic director, will speak to you about her job. Turn left outside Jackie's office. The Photography Room is the first room on the left.

(Nicola) Hi, I am going to take some photographs of Lauren for a national competition. The closing date is next week. I'm the artistic director for the salon and also a session hairdresser. I have just styled Lauren's hair especially for the photo shoot. Click on Nicola to hear more.

(Nicola) Let me explain the difference between a session hairdresser and a platform artist. Click on Nicola to hear more.

(Nicola) A session hairdresser goes along to television or photographic studios and does celebrities' hair before they appear on screen or in photographs. A platform artist is someone like Patrick Cameron who travels around the world doing stage shows. Click on Nicola to hear more.

(Nicola) I am now going to take around 30 or 40 photographs of Lauren. These will include close ups. Different types of hairstyling and colouring techniques will be shown. I'll try to explain the various features as I go along. Watch and listen carefully. Click on Nicola to watch a video.

(Nicola) I'm using a digital camera. We will be able to download the photographs on to the computer and show them to Jackie and the salon owner, later on today. Click on Nicola to hear more.

(Nicola) Tanya is discussing new retail items with David, the sales rep. David was a hairdresser but he moved into retail sales. Listen to her discussions with him. She may want to purchase some new hair gels. We try out new things all the time to see whether clients like them. Turn right in the corridor and go downstairs. Tanya and David are in the waiting area near the front door.

(Tanya) I am discussing some new retail products with David, the sales representative. David was a hairdresser but decided to move into retail sales. Click on Tanya to hear more.

(Tanya) If you would like to listen to our discussions that would be OK. Once we are finished I will talk to you about your work experience. Click on David to find out what a sales rep does. Click on Tanya to hear more.

(Tanya) I have decided to get a supply of new gels and mousses to see what the clients' reaction will be. Now let's talk about your work experience. Click on Tanya to hear more.

(Tanya) Did you enjoy it? What did you learn from the experience? What did you like the most? What did you enjoy the least? Did everyone explain the challenges of hairdressing as well as the good points? For example the physical challenges can be considerable such as standing on your feet all day. Click on Tanya to hear more.

(Tanya) Did they talk about the opportunities in hairdressing? Did they mention the social events? Click on Tanya to hear more.

(Tanya) I hoped this experience helped give you a better understanding of hairdressing. Good luck with your SVQ level 1. Last of all I would like to invite you to come along to the roadshow next week and see another aspect of hairdressing. You have now come to the end of Hairdressing and Beauty Virtual Work Experience World. Thank you for visiting.