Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1339654
N ot a m e m b e r ? J o i n at a s so c iate d h a i rp rofe s sio n a ls .c o m 37 YOUR VOICE MATTERS While advocacy work may not be your individual strength, your individual effort to become informed and remain engaged will strengthen our entire industry. Rather than passively learning about proposed bills or already-enacted laws through the media, we have ample opportunity to research the issues, develop positions, and contact legislators before a bill becomes law. Finding your representatives and tracking bills would be daunting if not for excellent free resources available online, including Open States and LegiScan. The legislative process, both state and federal, happens whether or not we participate. The more influence we exert, the more progress we make. Reduce the number of curriculum hours, utilize virtual learning, and mandate continuing education. Given the cost and time invested, our outdated system of educating future beauty professionals does not produce justifiable results. Education takes far too long, and the examination pass rates don't support the investment. The number of curriculum hours should be determined by prioritizing health and safety content, not working backward from current requirements. Virtual learning could significantly reduce the costs of beauty school while increasing accessibility to a broader range of students. If clock hours could be replaced by a competency-based system, that would be even better. Continuing education would update all licensees on new regulations, best practices, advanced techniques, and product innovations. With the inconsistent quality of beauty schools, continuing education could remediate and compensate for gaps in knowledge. Ultimately, consumers would be safer and licensees more competent if current training were required. Moreover, it would promote an ongoing, cooperative relationship between state boards and their licensees. Increase transparency. For transparency and accountability (both legal and financial), salon owners and licensees should be required to advertise and conduct business with their legal names and license numbers prominently displayed. Otherwise, consumers and employers seeking to validate licensure are unable to do so, even though it's recommended. There's an effort underway to create a national database of licensees by the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (commonly known as the NIC), the predominant provider of licensure examinations. Work closely with relevant federal and state agencies. State boards should form advisory groups with representatives from other government agencies that also have jurisdiction over beauty businesses and licensees. This group could use its collective resources for better policy decisions, outreach, and enforcement. These other agencies include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Internal Revenue Service, state public health departments, workforce agencies, and more. joel muniz/unsplash