Senior Kendall Everett has been working at Paul Mitchell since August of her junior year, and this has given her a way of further exploring a passion she has had for years.
“I have always had an interest in doing hair, makeup and skin,” Everett said. “When I saw there was an opportunity to do it through high school, I was like ‘score!’. I remember my counselor talking about C9, and cosmetology was a very high interest for me. Doing this program during high school gives me my high school diploma and my cosmetology license. Being able to do it full time once I graduated was appealing to me.”
When Everett made the decision to apply for C9 and was successful at reserving a spot, she began her journey at Paul Mitchell.
“It’s a cosmetology school, along with being a business,” Everett said. “Clients come in and sign a waiver to acknowledge that you’re a student and that you’re not licensed. You have your nails, your skin, your hair: all that fun stuff. We have adults who come in and do it, C9, 3 day students, and night students. If you’re going through C9, you can start when you’re a junior.”
However, Everett could not participate in working in the salon without going through a training process at Paul Mitchell first.
“If you go into the Paul Mitchell building, you automatically see the clinic floor where trained students are able to take clients,” Everett said. “In the back we have two core classrooms where people are trained in the basics in hair coloring, cutting, styling, manicures, pedicures, hair treatments, waxing, makeup, and facials. For regular students, it’s about 6 weeks, but for Paul Mitchell, it’s around 2 to 3 months. Regular students are people who have already graduated from high school and are full time cosmetology students.”
Once a student has made it through the training process, Everett said that everyone at Paul Mitchell has the option to go through a program that covers all the areas of cosmetology, or one that focuses on a more specific field.
“I mainly focus on hair and then some waxing services, mainly eyebrows,” Everett said. “You can get tips but you don’t get paid at all. I enjoy making connections with clients and being able to achieve their realistic hair goals.”
While Everett has been working at Paul Mitchell, she has learned the benefits that come with the path she has chosen.
“My favorite parts about going to Paul Mitchell through C9 are meeting new people from other schools who have similar interests to mine, doing events, and being able to jump right into my career after graduation,” Everett said.
While Everett has had many positive experiences, she has also discovered the more challenging parts of working as a student cosmetologist.
“My least favorite part is how long we have to stay there,” Everett said. “It takes longer since we are doing this program for two years instead of 10 or 11 months.”
With her high school graduation right around the corner, Everett has put together her plan for the beginning steps of her career.
“I have a fully licensed job lined up,” Everett said. “It’s a job outside of Paul Mitchell. I’m going to graduate from Paul Mitchell and then I’m going to be working at a salon: doing hair, taking clients, actually being a hairstylist.”
