Misbah Yasin

I started my qualification in September 2008 and have almost finished. I have always loved the idea of working as a hairdresser which inspired me to take up this course. As a deaf student, naturally there are sometimes issues that affect me that might not apply to or affect other students, but there are always ways and means of addressing these. For example, there have been times when I’ve encountered negative attitudes from some students within the group, but I find the best solution is to just throw myself into the work at hand. Fortunately, negative attitudes such as these are very rare and my peers are mostly supportive.

Another complexity is that some signers are difficult to understand, and therefore when you find a good signer it is important to hold onto them! The college was incredibly supportive in helping me with this issue and I was sent different signers until I found one I could fully understand. As a deaf learner, continuity is of huge importance – if you have a different signer every week this will be disruptive and could have a detrimental impact on your training.

For other deaf students considering a career in hairdressing I would advise them not to be nervous as there is so much support available. My experiences here have been positive on the whole – I’ve been able to learn in a nice environment which is motivating. The college tutors are incredibly flexible and considerate and if you have any problems they are more than happy to help you. I’m so proud to be here and would tell others with a disability not to let this prevent you from striving to achieve. Vocational training is a fantastic way to learn and in a growing industry, such as hairdressing, there are so many new qualifications being introduced which are designed to provide you with the skills required to work in the sector.

On completion of this course my aspiration is to go to university and I feel that the skills I’ve so far obtained have provided me with excellent experience for the future. The highlight of the course has been developing practical skills and this is one of the many positive aspects of vocational learning – you acquire practical, transferable skills which you’ll have with you throughout your life. I eventually hope to have my own business and would consider taking up further vocational qualifications in the future in order to ensure my knowledge is refreshed and up-to-date.

I want people to realise that a disability shouldn’t prevent anyone from aiming high.