Newcastle College is proud to announce a new partnership with renowned hairdresser Andrew Barton.
It is the first and only North East college to officially join the Andrew Barton London Education (ABLE) programme - a transformative two-year programme that aims to address the industry’s skills shortage, inspire the next generation of stylists, and equip aspiring hairdressers with the essential tools for a successful career.
With over 200 students enrolled in hairdressing and barbering courses at various levels- from Entry Level to Level 3, including 16-18 programmes, adult part-time courses, and apprenticeships - Newcastle College is a cornerstone of hairdressing education in the North East.
The new partnership kicked off with a visit from Andrew Barton himself, where students, staff, and local employers got the chance to meet the industry legend and explore the opportunities the ABLE programme brings to Newcastle College.
Andrew Barton said: “At ABLE, we care passionately about supporting hairdressing colleges in their pursuit of training the future of British hairdressing. We know that many of the icons and stars of the hairdressing industry started their journey being trained in colleges like Newcastle. My own career began as an apprentice in a village salon and was shaped by my local college. I’m delighted to welcome Newcastle College to the ABLE programme and look forward to inspiring their students to build extraordinary careers in hairdressing.”
The ABLE programme offers lecturers exclusive resources to enhance their curriculum and align with advanced and creative hair professional apprenticeship standards. Students benefit from unique tools such as bi-monthly video tutorials featuring Andrew’s expertise, an in-depth printed manual of salon principles, and personal engagement opportunities with Andrew.
Beth Gubbins, Head of Newcastle College’s Hairdressing Department added: “We are delighted to work in partnership with Andrew again after running workshops and CPD sessions with him last year. We are excited to work with the ABLE team to develop a college curriculum that meets the needs of the hairdressing industry.
“Working in collaboration with industry is at the heart of Newcastle College and is key to developing a skilled workforce for the future. Our previous work with Andrew and Barton Bespoke has helped our learners develop new skills and confidence and is a fantastic example of the positive impact that working with industry has on young people.”