Earlier this summer, the Great British Barbering Academy (GBBA) was invited to deliver some training in India’s hippest barbershop – The Chop Shop Goa.
Mike Taylor and Gareth Clark from the GBBA went over to India to deliver one of VTCT’s Barbering Level 3 qualifications for the barbers in the Chop Shop. Initially, they knew very little about the barbering trade in India and were amazed when they saw the barbers all had the same last name – Salmani. At first, Mike and Gareth thought they were all related until the barbers informed them about the ‘barbers’ caste’. They went on to explain the barbers’ caste is the only route into barbering; by being born into it. This means they are taught by family and the trade goes through the generations. None of these barbers were actually related, simply part of the same hereditary caste.
Upon arrival, Mike and Gareth found the Chop Shop Goa to be a very professional shop. Before their trip, they were not aware of the health and safety standards in the barbershop and whether the barbers would meet the criteria required to pass the qualification. They were pleasantly surprised when they arrived to find health and safety was at the forefront in the Chop Shop Goa. The barbers were all wearing shirts and bow ties, and their apprentice kept the place perfectly clean.
Mike commented, “As we know, times are changing for barbering and these changes are being seen across the globe. Long gone is the quick 10-minute haircut, we now see men wanting to spend time in a barbershop and get the best service possible. It was really great to see The Chop Shop Goa taking on these modern changes in their barbershop.”
The Chop Shop barbers all took the education and training very seriously; they each received a copy of Mike Taylor Education’s Barbering Resource Book prior to the visit so they could start to study ahead of the training, which they all did.
The Chop Shop Goa has big ideas for the future with plans to become a huge barbershop chain with shops all over India. Mike and Gareth both agreed that their experience at the barbershop in India was life-changing and as well as the Indian barbers learning from them, they also learnt so much from the barbers.
The GBBA intends to keep working with barbers across the globe with helping to raise the standards of barbering and bring in qualifications all over the world. The GBBA has always said knowledge and good practice should be shared, and they believe that by working together, everyone can raise the standards in the barbering industry.
For more information about VTCT’s Barbering qualifications, please click here.