THINKING OF WHAT SUBJECTS TO TAKE FOR YOUR GCSE?
We always advise that the best subjects to help you towards your makeup training and career would be the following subjects:
- Business – This will help to set your goals for when you become a self-employed makeup artist, build your goals and targets.
- Art & Design – Have the knowledge of designing and creating a vision mood within our practical makeup classes.
- IT – Be confident creating presentations, completing our assignments, resume, adapt to online programmes and building your makeup artist website.
GCSE OR RE-TAKES
In England, you can leave school at 16 but until you’re 18 you must stay in full-time education (eg a college) or start an apprenticeship or traineeship.
All 16-year-olds are required to achieve at least grade 4 in their GCSE maths and English or retake them (up until age 18). Re-taking GCSE English or maths need not delay your dream of leaving school and becoming a professional make-up and hair artist. Simply enrol on our BTEC course and re-take your GCSE exams at the same time.
Students studying and re-taking their GCSEs, usually spend around 2 hours, per subject a week. Please note that we do not run GCSE courses but we can advise so if you need to retake an exam you can simply enrol at another further or higher education college.
WHAT LIFE AND WORK SKILLS DO YOU NEED TO BE A GREAT MAKEUP ARTIST?
Useful skills to highlight and develop in this career include:
- Confidence – it takes self-confidence to build your brand as a freelance makeup artist, especially when no-one’s ever heard of you… yet.
- Good communication skills and team building – as a media makeup artist in film, theatre or TV you’ll be working long irregular hours to tight deadlines. Team spirit is essential. When you’re working with clients, you need communication skills to listen to what they want, tactfully suggest looks that will really suit them, and make them feel good about the makeup looks you create for them. You also need good communication skills to market your skills and business!
- How to problem solve – your work can involve travel, meeting tight deadlines, last-minute panic at weddings and fashion shows, and so much more. You need a cool head to make sure your services can be relied on whatever happens.
- Good organisational skills – Your makeup kit will be expensive to build and maintain. You need to make sure everything is in its place and all those makeup products are clean and well looked-after. And whatever you do, don’t ever leave your professional make-up supplies on a train!
- Self Management – many makeup artists are freelance and/or self-employed. You have to be able to manage yourself to score gigs, build clients and develop your portfolio.
Vocational qualifications and work experience will help you build these skills over time.
LEAVING SCHOOL TO LEARN NEW SKILLS
Our learners have the opportunity to become truly versatile artists so they’re leaving school but learning new skills. You’ll learn how to select and use the right equipment, products and materials. We prepare you practically, academically and enhance your life skills with our well-being coach. We focus on building your personality, weaknesses and strength and see you grow as a professional makeup artist.
We recognise that students learn differently. And, should any learner require help with their course work, for example around their dyslexia, we are ready to provide additional support.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
Final Checks Academy staff are responsible for your welfare whilst you are on your programme. Learners are strongly advised to contact them immediately if they experience any difficulties or circumstances that may impact on their learning or prevent them from completing their course.
All learners are asked to complete a Personal, Social & Emotional Development Questionnaire self-assessment to disclose any matter that has previously or may still be currently impacting upon them. Designed and completed with our well-being advisor Ben Green.
Final Checks Academy will signpost learners to appropriate support, as well as providing ongoing advice and guidance. Learners who are receiving additional learner support throughout their programme will have regular reviews to monitor the impact of its effectiveness and adapt it should it be required.
Our Learner Mentors are either Tutoring Staff or Senior Staff who will provide support and advice to learners relating to personal matters, learning difficulties, obtaining employment, including how to build a CV, how to prepare for interviews or other soft skills or employability skills for future life.
Final Checks Academy will also provide extra support if a learner has disclosed they have or are likely to have difficulties such as dyslexia/dyscalculia, other learning disability or if they have poor literacy or numeracy or perhaps are not IT literate. We will arrange a meeting with the learner and Tutor to discuss how best to support a learner and this is detailed in their ILP so they are able to work towards and achieve any targets.
