Shears Academy was founded in 1984 by Ken Cooper, when he shared his training concept with other salon owners in the NHF and began delivering YTS hairdressing training from a site in Lewisham, quickly expanding to its Academy at Catford.
The Academy joined his Hairdressing salon group which began as a Barbers shop in Hither Green, Lewisham in the early 1960s, after completing his 3 year apprenticheship. He had to pay 50 guineas back then as apprenticeship training wasn’t funded in those days!
As fashion and demand was changing with men expecting more; Ken took men's hairdressing to a new level by opening his flagship Croydon Shears salon on Friday 13th March, 1970, offering appointments and a higher level of customer service/client care to the man who was becoming image conscious whilst looking after his longer locks. Women wanted to have their hair done in the same ambiance of this new, local salon, so Ken and his team qualified in classic ladies hairdressing and he soon opened Shears ‘unisex’ salons in Bromley and Eltham too, followed in 1995 by the opening of Claus & Co, Bickley, with his daughter, Claire Cooper and son, Alex Cooper.
Ken’s continuous training and education ethos remained at the heart of his 60+ year hairdressing career - the Academy team are passionately dedicated to continuing to take his vision forward – delivering REAL, employer-led, work-ready, high quality hairdressing training through fully funded apprenticeships, local authority funded City & Guilds NVQ courses and self-funded starter and refresher courses tailored to meet the individual needs of everyone at any age, who are aiming for a successful and rewarding career in the hairdressing industry!
So, if that feels like you, then call us Monday to Wednesday, to speak with our friendly team to find the hairdressing course that meets YOUR individual training nee
