A hairdressing apprentice will be celebrating her 17th birthday in style, after accepting a place on a once-in-a-lifetime work placement in Spain.
Georgina Rice, from Pengam, swapped the Welsh winter for Spanish sunshine when she headed out to Tarragona on Sunday March 12 for a 15-day work placement.
Georgia, who works for Spirit Hair Team in Ystrad Mynach, is one of seven apprentices chosen to go to Tarragona to work in salons and attend workshops at the highly-rated Schwarzkopf Academy in Barcelona.
The 16-year-old is currently undertaking an apprenticeship through Bridgend-based ISA Training, and speaking before she left, said: “My 17th birthday will be special as I’ll be celebrating it while I’m away in Spain. I am looking forward to the experience and learning new things, especially how they do fantastic blow dries and other techniques.
“I have never had an interest in anything other than hairdressing and couldn’t wait to leave school to do what I wanted to do. My ambition is to be a successful hairdresser and I would love to own my own salon in the future.”
Berni Tyler, ISA Training’s managing director, said: “The work placement is designed to show the apprentices the exciting career opportunities that exist in Spain and introduce them to the country’s culture.
“We want to enhance the learning experience and inspire our learners to realise that hairdressing and beauty therapy are professions that can grant them a passport to travel the world.”
The visit was arranged as part of ISA Training’s Oyster Project, which aims to enhance the learning experience of apprentices, increase their confidence and broaden their career horizons. The company has already arranged visits for learners to experience the hair industry in Spain, Cyprus, Poland, Turkey and New York.