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1.3.1 The Log book
- The Log Book Purpose and Features
A log book is a written record of an apprentice’s progress through the hairstylist apprenticeship. It contains a listing of the in-school training required/completed, the work skills obtained on the job, and the total number of hours worked in the hairstylist trade.
The Apprenticeship Training Standard Log Book for Hairstylist 332A identifies all the skills associated with the hairstylist trade in Ontario. It is written in statements that describe how you, the apprentice, must perform each skill in order to be considered competent in that skill.
The Apprenticeship Log Book for Hairstylist (332A) was developed in consultation with representatives and stakeholders from the hairstylist industry
- Getting The Log Book
Once your apprenticeship is approved by the Ministry and you sign an apprenticeship agreement with your sponsor, you will receive your authorized Hairstylist Apprenticeship Log Book from your local Ontario Apprenticeship Office.
The Log Book is a document issued to Apprentices who sign a Registered Training Agreement in the Province of Ontario. The Log Book is intended to be used by the Apprentice and Sponsor as an official record of training. The completion of this document is necessary to complete your apprenticeship and receive your Certificate of Apprenticeship.
- Roles and Responsibilities of the Apprentice
As an Apprentice, you have certain roles and responsibilities to follow throughout your apprenticeship training:
Steps:
- You must become a member of the Skilled Trades Ontario portal and maintain your membership in good standing while you complete your training.
- As an Apprentice, you are responsible for completing skills or skill sets in this Log Book and ensuring that they are dated and signed by both you and your Trainer.
- You must also ensure your Skill Set Completion Form (Please refer to Appendix C of the Hairstylist Log Book) is completed and signed by your current Sponsor once you have demonstrated competence in all the mandatory skills in this Log Book.
- You are responsible for informing the staff at your local Ontario Apprenticeship Office regarding changes to the following:
- Your Sponsor’s address;
- Your name and address; and/or,
- Your Sponsor, including starting employment with a new Sponsor.
- You must present the Apprentice Completion Form (Please refer to Appendix B of the Hairstylist Log Book) and Skill Set Completion Form (Please refer to Appendix C of the Hairstylist Log Book) once all unshaded skills and skill sets have been completed within this document, along with your authorized Log Book to your local Ontario Apprenticeship Office.
- Roles and Responsibilities of Sponsors and Trainers
The Hairstylist Log Book identifies the on-the-job skills required for the hairstylist trade and its related training program. This Log Book has been written in concise statements which describe how well an Apprentice must perform each skill in order to become competent.
Competence means being able to perform to the required standard. By using this Log Book, Trainers will be able to ensure that the Apprentice is developing skills detailed for the trade.
Trainers and Apprentices are required to sign off and date the skills following each successful acquisition. The detailed content listed for each skill is not intended to represent an inclusive list; rather, it is included to illustrate the intended direction for the skill acquisition.
The Trainer must provide their signature based on their assessment and professional judgement that the apprentice is competent in the skills described above. The Trainer’s signature is not a general warranty or guarantee of the apprentice’s future conduct.
Sponsors participating in this training program will be designated as the Signing Authority and are required to attest to successful achievement by signing the appropriate box included at the end of each skill set.
There are two types of signatures required in your Log Book:
- Skill Confirmation:
You and your trainer sign off each required skill to confirm that you have demonstrated competency in that skill.
- Skill Set Confirmation:
After you and your trainer have signed off all the required skills in a skill set, your sponsor signs the signature box at the end of each skill set to confirm your competency in the skill set.
Note: Employers and supervisors are not responsible for keeping your Record Book up-to-date. They are responsible for the sign-off of competencies once you have achieved the required level of skills and knowledge.
Please refer to the “Definitions” section of the Hairstylist Log Book for further details of concepts and terms in the log book.
- Program Completion Guidelines
Hours-based completion:
- On-the-Job Training Duration
The industry has identified On-the-Job Training as the duration necessary for any Apprentice to become competent in the skills required:
- For regular apprentices – 3020 hours and
- For graduates of a private career college or community college 1500, hour programs – 2000 hours benchmark
There may be circumstances in which the duration varies from this guideline.
- Classroom Training Duration
The industry has identified the duration necessary for an apprentice to complete the in-school curriculum for this program:
- Regular apprentices – 480 hours
- Participants in private career college or community college program – 1500 hours
Competency-based Completion
Competence is the ability of an individual to perform a skill repeatedly and without assistance in the workplace. As set out in the Log Book, the Apprentice must achieve competency in all mandatory (unshaded) skills identified in the Log Book. This is required for competency-based completion.
- Hairstylist Skill Sets:
- U5341.0 Workplace Health and Safety Procedures
- U5342.0 Perform Sanitization Procedures
- U5343.0 Perform Routine Salon Functions
- U5344.0 Perform Service Fundamentals
- U5345.0 Treat Scalp and Hair
- U5346.0 Cut Hair
- U5347.0 Style Hair
- U5348.0 Perform a Chemical Wave
- U5349.0 Perform Chemical Texture Services
- U5350.0 Perform Colour Services
- U5351.0 Work with Wigs, Hairpieces and Extensions
Once an Apprentice has completed all the classroom training and on-the-job hours specified for the hairstylist trade and has acquired all the mandatory skills included in the Hairstylist Log Book:
- The Apprentice and the Sponsor complete the Apprentice Completion Form and the Skill Set Completion for Sponsors Form located on the following pages,
- They sign the forms and submit them to their local Ontario Apprenticeship Office,
- Once the completion has been confirmed by the Ministry, the Ministry will issue a Certificate of Apprenticeship to the Apprentice.
- Registering Apprentice to Write Exams:
If you have completed an Ontario apprenticeship program in a trade that has a certifying exam – such as hairstylist, your next step is to write that exam to obtain a Certificate of Qualification.
In the meantime, when you are issued a Certificate of Apprenticeship by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, Skilled Trades Ontario will automatically issue you a 12-month Provisional Certificate of Qualification. This Provisional Certificate of Qualification allows you to continue working legally as a professional hairstylist for up to 12 months while you work to pass the certifying exam, and your information will continue to appear on the Public Register.
Like many of the skilled trades in Ontario, the hairstylist trade has a final certification examination that you must pass to become a certified hairstylist. Passing the examination gives you the right to join the certified professionals and receive a Certificate of Qualification in the hairstylist trade. The Hairstylist Red Seal exam is the only type of exam to achieve a Certificate of Qualification in Ontario, and the next section provides detailed information about Red Seal Program and the Exam.
Here there is an IMPORTANT NOTE about the Red Seal endorsement for Ontario. You must write the Red Seal Exam to get the Certificate of Qualification. But Ontario DOES NOT offer an Interprovincial Red Seal Endorsement to a hairstylist. Because Ontario has no practical Hairstyling exam to accompany the written exam, the Certificate of Qualification license is titled as ‘Red Seal.’ In other provinces where both exams are present, the license is titled as ‘Interprovincial Red Seal.’
- The Red Seal Program:
Labour mobility is essential for the Canadian workforce. For skilled tradespeople, the Red Seal is the recognized passport to mobility in trades across Canada.
The Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program (also known as the Red Seal Program) provides certified workers mobility across Canada by encouraging the standardization of training and certification programs.
The Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) is a voluntary intergovernmental partnership between the provinces and territories, which are responsible for apprenticeship training and trade certification, and the federal government.
The CCDA supports the development of skilled trades in Canada and manages the Red Seal Program. Quality standards are the backbone of the Red Seal Program. The National Occupational Analyses (NOA) was for many years the standard for the Red Seal Program. As part of an initiative to Strengthen the Red Seal Program, a new format for the standard was adopted in 2015. This new format is called Red Seal Occupational Standard (RSOS), and this will be developed for all Red Seal trades over time.
The RSOS is a key document for each Red Seal trade. As a future certified hairstylist, here are three reasons why you should get to know the hairstylist RSOS:
- Each RSOS sets the standard for a Red Seal trade
- Red Seal examinations are based on RSOS
- Provincial and territorial apprenticeship training programs may also be built upon RSOS
The RSOS outlines everything that a tradesperson needs to know about their trade. This includes:
- trade activities (tasks and sub-tasks)
- skills and knowledge requirements
- essential skills
- safety information
- trends affecting the trade
- technical terms
- names of tools and equipment
- acronyms
- The Hairstylist Red Seal Occupational Standard (National Occupational Analysis)
Now, after this general overview, it is time to bring the scope to the hairstylist trade.
“Hairstylist” is the official Red Seal occupational title approved by the CCDA. “Hairstylist” is also the official Ontario Trade/Occupation name. The CCDA was undertaking the Harmonization Initiative in 30 Red Seal trades by 2020, and the Hairstylist trade is already a harmonized trade. In this respect, the 2016 Hairstylist NOA is now transferred to the 2019 Hairstylist RSOS. So the final reference standard for the hairstylist trade is titled “Red Seal Occupational Standard Hairstylist,” and both website content and a downloadable version of the latest document can be reached at this link.
This standard is developed by a broad group of hairstylist trade representatives, including professional certified hairstylists, instructors and employers at a National Workshop led by a team of facilitators.
The Red Seal standard system is based on volunteer participation of the provinces and territories. Participating provinces and territories consult with industry to validate and weight the document for the purpose of planning the makeup of the Red Seal Interprovincial Examination for the trade. They validate and weigh the major work activities (MWA), tasks and sub-tasks of the standard.
The validation of the RSOS is used to identify common core sub-tasks across Canada for the hairstylist trade. If at least 70% of the responding jurisdictions’ industry performs a sub-task, it shall be considered common core. Interprovincial Red Seal Examination questions are limited to the common core sub-tasks identified through this validation process.
Currently, there are eight major work activities accepted for the hairstylist trade:
| MWA | ACTIVITY | PERCENTAGE IN THE EXAM |
| MWA A | Performs common occupational skills | 12% |
| MWA B | Performs hair and scalp care | 9% |
| MWA C | Cuts hair | 20% |
| MWA D | Styles hair | 13% |
| MWA E | Performs chemical texture services on hair | 14% |
| MWA F | Alters hair colour | 21% |
| MWA G | Performs specialized services | 5% |
| MWA H | Performs salon operations | 6% |
This table represents a breakdown of the interprovincial Red Seal examination. Based on these major work areas, the hairstylist occupational standard includes the Task Matrix indicating the breakdown of tasks and sub-tasks within each Major Work Activity and the breakdown of questions assigned to the Tasks.
The Organization of the Hairstylist RSOS Document:
- Description of the Hairstylist trade: an overview of the trade’s duties, work environment, job requirements, similar occupations and career progression
- Trends In the Hairstylist Trade: some of the trends identified by industry as being the most important for workers in this trade.
- Essential Skills Summary: An overview of how each of the nine essential skills is applied in this trade
- Red Seal Examination Weightings based on MWAs: A table/graph which depicts the national percentages of exam questions assigned to the major work activities
- Hairstylist Task Matrix: A chart which outlines the major work activities, tasks and sub-tasks of this standard graphically.
- Details of each Major Work Activity: the largest division within the standard that is comprised of a distinct set of trade activities.
- A detailed list of the Hairstylist Tools and Equipment: a non-exhaustive list of tools and equipment used in this trade
- A list of Glossary: definitions or explanations of selected technical terms used in the standard
- The Red Seal Exam for Hairstylists:
Red Seal examinations are administered by provincial and territorial apprenticeship and certification authorities. In Ontario, Skilled Trades Ontario has this authority as the governing body of the Ministry.
As a professional hairstylist, your goal is to get the Certificate of Qualification, and this certificate is issued by Skilled Trades Ontario. To qualify for the certificate, you must write the Red Seal examination (the exam) with a minimum passing mark of 70%.
This exam is a test of knowledge related to the performance of tasks involved with the practice of the hairstylist trade. Your Red Seal exam is based on the 2019 Hairstylist Red Seal Occupational Standard. As you may guess, this standard describes the skills and knowledge required to perform the duties of the trade. Each standard is divided into Major Work Activities, which are divided into Tasks, which are divided into sub-tasks.
To be successful at the exam, you need to familiarize yourself with the 2019 Hairstylist RSOS. The major work areas, tasks and sub-tasks form the backbone of the exam. The exam for the hairstylist trade has 120 multiple choice questions with a passing mark of 70%.
The Red Seal exam has a certain number of questions assigned to these sections. The number of questions is provided below:
| Hairstylist – Red Seal Exam Breakdown | ||
| Major Work Activity A – Performs common occupational skills – 14 questions | ||
| Task A-1 | Performs safety-related and hygienic functions | 4 questions |
| Task A-2 | Uses tools and equipment | 4 questions |
| Task A-3 | Prepares for client services | 3 questions |
| Task A-4 | Uses communication and mentoring techniques | 3 questions |
| Major Work Activity B – Performs hair and scalp care – 11 questions | ||
| Task B-5 | Analyzes and responds to hair and scalp conditions | 6 questions |
| Task B-6 | Shampoos and conditions hair and scalp | 5 questions |
| Major Work Activity C – Cuts hair – 24 questions | ||
| Task C-7 | Cuts diverse textures of hair using cutting tools | 19 questions |
| Task C-8 | Cuts facial and nape hair | 5 questions |
| Major Work Activity D – Styles hair – 16 questions | ||
| Task D-9 | Prepares and styles wet hair | 8 questions |
| Task D-10 | Styles and finishes dry hair | 8 questions |
| Major Work Activity E – Performs chemical texture services on hair – 17 questions | ||
| Task E-11 | Chemically waves hair | 10 questions |
| Task E-12 | Chemically relaxes hair | 7 questions |
| Major Work Activity F – Alters hair colour – 25 questions | ||
| Task F-13 | Colours hair | 9 questions |
| Task F-14 | Lightens hair | 7 questions |
| Task F-15 | Performs colour correction | 9 questions |
| Major Work Activity G – Performs specialized services – 6 questions | ||
| Task G-16 | Performs services for hair extensions, wigs and hairpieces | 4 questions |
| Task G-17 | Performs basic services on the face and nape | 2 questions |
| Major Work Activity H – Performs salon operations – 7 questions | ||
| Task H-18 | Performs front desk responsibilities | 4 questions |
| Task F-19 | Establishes business fundamentals | 3 questions |
Eligibility:
There are two courses of action to be eligible to take a certifying exam:
- Complete an Ontario hairstylist apprenticeship program and receive a Certificate of Apprenticeship,
- Being approved to take the exam by Skilled Trades Ontario through a Trade Equivalency Assessment for experienced workers who have not completed an apprenticeship in Ontario
Scheduling:
- Pay your exam fee of $150 + HST by contacting Skilled Trades Ontario at 647-847-3000 or Toll-Free in Ontario at 1-855-299-0028, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST.
- Once you have paid your exam fee with Skilled Trades Ontario, schedule your exam by contacting your nearest Ontario Apprenticeship Office.
Once you have taken your exam and your exam has been scored, Skilled Trades Ontario will contact you to inform you of the results and next steps.
You can access the Skilled Trade Ontario Exam Preparation Guide using this link.
You can also reach a 20-question sample test on the Red Seal website to understand the format and question types in the exam using this link.