Stories
Where they are now
Three graduates, in their words
Graduates of Kesho College carry deliberate handwork, commercial salon awareness, and technical confidence into the professional hairdressing and beauty sector. Here, three past students share their educational journey from mannequin benches to independent salon chairs.
Hairdressing Diploma, 2024
Lucía Ferrer: Hairdressing Diploma, Class of 2024
Lucía Ferrer enrolled in our 12-month Hairdressing Diploma without any prior salon experience, drawn to the college’s focus on daily handwork. During her training, she spent mornings mastering scissor tension on mannequin blocks under Theo Marchetti and afternoons refining balayage formulation in the Student Salon.
The transition from practice heads to live clients gave her the confidence to communicate naturally while managing appointments calmly. Following graduation in 2024, Lucía secured a position as a junior stylist at a neighbourhood salon, where she performs daily cutting, tinting, and styling. She credits the college’s strict floor discipline, thirty-hour weekly schedule, and continuous feedback for preparing her to handle busy appointment columns with professional composure.
02
Jonah Petrov: Barbering Certificate, Class of 2025
Jonah Petrov completed the 6-month Barbering Certificate in 2025 under the technical guidance of Nadia Okafor. Arriving with a passion for men’s grooming but lacking formal structure, Jonah spent twenty-four weeks mastering clipper transitions, skin fades, hot-towel treatments, and precise scissor-over-comb work.
The high volume of afternoon clients in the Student Salon helped him develop speed and clean sectioning habits without sacrificing precision. After finishing his certificate, Jonah chose to rent a chair at an established independent barbershop. Working as an independent chair renter, he manages his own clients, schedules appointments, and applies the hygiene and tool maintenance standards ingrained during his daily training at Harbour Lane.
03
Aisha Rahman: Makeup Artistry Certificate, Class of 2023
Aisha Rahman joined Kesho College in 2023 for our 4-month Makeup Artistry Certificate, studying skin preparation, facial anatomy, and camera lighting under Inês Duarte. The small cohort of 14 students allowed for immediate daily critique, helping Aisha master delicate bridal skin finishes and bolder theatrical character design.
Since graduating in 2023, Aisha has built an active freelance practice specialising in wedding parties and regional theatre productions. Her foundation in hygiene protocol, client consultation, and colour balance enables her to work smoothly with photographers, actors, and brides. She points to the college’s practical, unhurried teaching style as the foundation of her freelance business.
