Barber
Barber
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Jessica Amundrud
Health and Wellness Enrolment Specialist
780 871 5429
780 808 0006
Ask me your questions
Be job ready in a single semester with a barber certificate.
Not only is it a quick entry into the working world, it’s also a door into the resurgence of barber shop culture and growing emphasis on gender-neutral cuts and styles.
Barbers work with hair. That means shampooing, cutting, trimming and styling. And, a barber's work isn't limited to men's hair. They can work with the shortest cuts with clippers to long, layered looks.
As well, you learn how to:
- analyze hair and scalp and suggest treatments
- give a scalp massage
- suggest hair styles, styling aids and products
- create a hair tattoo with clippers
Barbers work on more than the hair on people’s heads. It also includes shaving, trimming and shaping facial hair. The art of shaving with a straight razor is one of the skills.
Lakeland’s certificate is a gateway to the Alberta barber apprenticeship program. You’ll complete all of the technical training. You’ll get a head start on your on-the-job training hours though the college’s public salon.
You’ll need to add just over 1,300 hours of the on-the-job training before you can write the journeyperson exam.
Requirements
More program details
Remember that studying includes other expenses than tuition and fees - you should
also be budgeting for your accommodation and living expenses. Alberta student loan
guidelines recommends $1,153/month.
Our tuition and fees page has details about academic, application and mandatory fees and their cost breakdown per term.
You can view your required textbooks ahead of time.
Courses are modules. You learn the skills from each module in order to move on to the next course.
The program runs September through December.
Your weekly class schedule can be found on your My Lakeland student portal when available. This is usually one month prior to the program start date.
Important dates found below include your tuition due date, your program registration/start date, events and holidays.
Dates are subject to change. We recommend you check here regularly for any updates.
Academic Schedule
Note: These dates are subject to change.
2025 Fall term/semester
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Aug 11, 2025 | Fees due, fall term |
| Sept 2, 2025 | Registration Day |
| Sept 3, 2025 | First day of classes |
| Sept 10, 2025 | Last day to add fall term courses |
| Sept 23, 2025 | Last day to drop fall term courses Last day to withdraw with full refund of fees less tuition deposit |
| Sept 30, 2025 | National Day Truth & Reconciliation, college closed |
| Oct 13, 2025 | Thanksgiving, college closed |
| TBD | First day public clinic/practicum |
| Nov 3, 2025 | Last day to withdraw from fall term courses with W grade or change from credit to audit |
| Nov 11, 2025 | Remembrance Day, college closed |
| Dec 12, 2025 | Last day of classes/public clinic/practicum |
| May 29, 2026 | Lloydminster campus Convocation |
Note: These dates are subject to change.
2025 Fall term/semester
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Aug 12 | Fees due, fall term |
| Sept 1 | Registration Day |
| Sept 2 | First day of classes |
| Sept 7 | Labor Day, college closed |
| Sept 9 | Last day to add fall term courses |
| Sept 22 | Last day to drop fall term courses Last day to withdraw with full refund of fees less tuition deposit |
| Sept 30 | National Day of Truth & Reconciliation, college closed |
| Oct 12 | Thanksgiving, college closed |
| TBD | First day public clinic/practicum |
| Nov 2 | Last day to withdraw from fall term with W grade or change from credit to audit |
| Nov 11 | Remembrance Day, college closed |
| Dec 18 | Last day classes/public clinic/practicum |
| May 28, 2026 | Lloydminster campus Convocation |
Complete your apprenticeship
Our barber certificate qualifies you to as a barber apprenticeship. You'll complete all of the required technical training for Alberta's barber apprenticeship program.
After graduating from our program, your next step is to find an employer. Then, you'll register as an apprentice and do 1,450 hours of on-the-job training. Contact your local Apprenticeship & Industry Training (AIT) office for more details.
When you finish those hours, you will write the journeyperson exam.
Blue seal
If you are interested in running your own business, or if you want to get into management, you can also earn a blue seal. You must complete 150 hours in business subject areas. You may take courses from our business certificate program to earn this seal. To learn more, contact the business enrolment specialist.
Become a hairstylist
If you want to expand your hair skills, the next step is hairstylist. You'll move into hot tools as well as chemical treatments including colouring and perms.
Lakeland also offers this certificate. You'll have completed the first semester of your technical training with your barber certificate.
Professional development
Professional development courses and workshops are often offered through a salon or product company.
Add to your skills
Lakeland's esthetician and clinical esthetician programs are options that broaden your skills into beauty, skin care, anti-aging and stress reduction.
