HAIRDRESSING and beauty therapy apprentices have been getting creative to continue their training during the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

Students with Saks Apprenticeships, a national training provider, based on Duke Street, Darlington, are learning via remote sessions and demonstrations.

Mandy Durkin, national training manager, said: “We have apprentices on a national basis and obviously a lot of the apprentices have been furloughed by their employers.

“We’ve had very little guidance from the government about what’s happening.”

Saks are now keeping the apprentices on track by switching their learning and engaging with them online on the systems they were already using before the coronavirus outbreak.

Saks has provided Facebook forums which have had a lot of positive feedback from learners and employers across the UK.

The apprentices were studying towards hairdressing and beauty therapy courses and have now had to become creative to keep their skills up-to-date.

Ms Durkin said: “One learner didn’t have anyone in their household who had hair to practice on, so she made a video of her trimming her dad’s nasal hair.”

All learners have also been sent out a free training head, so they can practice their hairdressing skills.

“We’ve had staff go into the office on a one-on-one basis to send out the training heads," said Ms Durkin. "There’s been lots of trips to the post office.

“We’ve also been posting keep fit videos and talking to them and safeguarding them as well."

She added: "We’ve had very little guidance from the government – we don’t know if we’re going to get funding.”