Barbering at IBMC College

When IBMC College first started Cosmetology career training courses in 2013, there was no way to know that in a short time, the new programs would grow in popularity until IBMC stood as the premiere beauty training institution in northern Colorado.

Up until the time IBMC started offering Cosmetology programs, the school had been known for offering medical and healthcare-related career training with courses also paralegal studies and business-focused degrees and diplomas.

There were a handful of beauty schools that had been operating in the area previous to IBMC’s Cosmetology program launch but these often had troubled histories and several were in the process of closing their doors due to accreditation issues or financial turmoil, leaving people who sought training in the beauty industry on an island.

Predominantly, the only options left for those who had a passion for styling and cutting hair, doing makeup or skin care and nails existed near or within the city of Denver or Colorado Springs. This meant lengthy, expensive, often exhausting commutes to class two or three times per week. Those who frequently travel on I-25 or on Colorado Highways 287 or 34 know how quickly those commutes lose appeal.

Soon after IBMC’s Cosmetology program launched, it began to grow in popularity, becoming one of the school’s more desirable programs and as it expanded and evolved, IBMC began looking for other opportunities to offer training in these industries.

School planners began looking to the communities the college served and in meeting and talking to community members and local experts, it became clear that the need for a school to teach the barbering profession was a perfect complement to the school’s already-growing Cosmetology program.

Barbering is a career on the rise. Nearly-gone are the days of the traditional street corner barbershops which were seen as a “man’s place” — a bastion of manliness where a guy could get a shave and haircut, and gossip about the community, talk about the weather, news or sports.

“Being a barber is about taking care of the people.”

— Anthony Hamilton

The modern barbershop is often frequented by both men and women. More and more, these are hip, fashionable establishments filled with creativity and influence where you could just as easily get introduced to a new musician or tattoo artist as you might be shown a new favorite haircut or shave.

IBMC’s campus in Longmont enjoys the largest number of students in the Barbering program of all their campuses. The students in the barbering program there are a diverse group with intense personalities, definitive style choices and a passion for what they are learning.

IBMC’s Barbering students stand out. They’re assertive, honest and fun to be around. They’re introspective, creative and artistic. Upon walking into the cosmetology, esthetician and barbering wing on the campus you’ll easily identify them by their tattoos, piercings and the way might challenge your way of thinking as they also challenge the school’s semi-professional dress codes.

In talking to IBMC’s barbering students, you’ll hear stories about how they would cut their friend’s hair in their parent’s garage as a teen because, “no one else could really do the cuts that we wanted” or you’ll hear about how they couldn’t really afford to get their hair cut professionally so, to save money, they learned to cut their own hair as well as their siblings.

You’ll hear about how they got interested about doing men’s haircuts while they were in the military because of how important it was to maintain hygiene and a professional appearance.

You’ll hear about how they just want to help people look and feel better about themselves.

Some have men and women in their family with a long history of hair cutting and barbering and are driven to carry on that tradition.

Others grew up with mothers, aunts or grandmothers who worked in hair and beauty salons and simply woke up one day, after years of helping sweep up hair trimmings and cleaning haircutting stations and realized they were just interested in cutting hair and felt a natural desire to pursue it as a career choice.

Today’s barbers are artists and influencers. They are very active on social media. They pay attention to trends and fashion. They’re cool and street-wise. Class and their environment are a huge component of their identity. They are into music and entertainment media and have a definitive swagger and identity.

While aware of the heritage and tradition of the barbers of the past, they strive to push boundaries and experiment with style and flair. They love the flexibility of the barbering career, don’t like being constrained or restricted and exhibit a pride and enthusiasm for what they do that seems to be missing or simply can’t exist in other industries.

Above all, like their counterparts in yesterday’s barbershop, today’s barber is a people person. They offer a service that is more than “just a little off the top”. They are listeners, commiserators and therapists without a fancy psychology degree. They’ll empathize with you whether you’re feeling happy or sad and they’re there for you on the good and bad days. With their scissors, razor and comb they can transform you into a better version of yourself and have you smiling in the mirror by the end of your appointment with them.

Being a barber probably isn’t for everyone but for those who feel the calling, it’s a highly-respected, much sought after career choice which offers incredible flexibility and opportunity. It’s a career that will grow with you and one you can take with you wherever you go.

Barbering is a career that, simply put, will be around as long as people need haircuts and shaves. There are few other careers that offer the kind of outlet for creativity and individuality that being a barber offers and fewer still that allow you to go anywhere in the world and be able to make a living doing what you love.

If you’re interested in barbering —

there is no other place that you should be than at IBMC. Come check us out. Take a tour of our campuses and meet the instructors and the other students. You’ll be welcomed into program and before you know it, you’ll be on your way to the career you’re dreaming of.

All photos in this blog were taken at the Longmont campus by IBMC College staff and are property of IBMC College. Use of these photos outside of this website is prohibited without express permission from IBMC College.