piercing apprenticeship?

So i decided that I love people and i love piercings, so why not pierce people?

Anyone have any tips about getting an apprenticeship, like how to go about asking for one? I've just started hanging around some of the piercing places in my area to get to know the people that work there and see which one I would like to work at. So far I love being in the shops I love the people that work in them and I'm just really interested in pursuing a job in that trade.

Anyone have any tips about getting an apprenticeship?
or what exactly you have to go through/any requirements to be a piercer?

if anyone thinks of any other things i should think about please through it out there.

PLUR
christa

 

Great question, i'd love to know the exact same thing!

 

Rule #1, seriously - trying to get an apprenticeship can be REALLY intimidating to a lot of people - don't let it be.

I've thought about it, but can't yet (not 19, don't live in a town with a shop). I've already chosen a piercer, the ONLY one that I would settle for apprenticing with around here, but he lives in a town about 1½ hrs. away so I can't yet.
Just find a piercer, one that you trust, usually one that you've been pierced by before - make them YOUR piercer. Don't get pierced by anybody else. Know their aftercare methods and everything. Always judge how they do things (septums are often crooked, so seeing that he/she has done a lot of them straight... piercers that aren't afraid to refuse people because they seem irresponsible, etc. always a huge plus). Get to know them.
The piercer that I chose is Dan. He's a big guy, looks like a huge biker-hippie, definitely the kind of guy that I could get along with, and his wife and the people that he chooses to apprentice/work for him are absolutely amazing, I've never disliked any of them. He's an incredible piercer and the only one around here (keeping in mind I'm driving almost 2 hours just to get pierced, if I do) that I'll let pierce me. I like the way he does things, how clean his store, staff rooms, piercing rooms, etc. are, the way he seems to keep people REALLY calm when he pierces them (he just talks through the entire thing, like there's nothing else going on), his aftercare methods, pretty much everything that he does, I think, is just great... and I've seen a lot of his work, he just ALWAYS gets things right, whatever the person wants.
So if I lived in the same town, since I kind-of know him (don't see him often and he sees a lot of people in a day, but he always remembers me), I would first get to know him a bit better, then approach him. Ask questions, "Do you do apprenticeships?" "Are you currently considering a new/another apprentice?" "Do you know if/when you'll be considering an apprentice?" (if they aren't)... pretty much just those kind of questions.
And try to make a good impression just by getting pierced by them. The first time I walked into Dan's shop, just like any other shop I go into, I asked a million questions - where's your autoclave? can I see it? do you have current spore test results? (they should test every 3-6 months or MORE often, lets them know that their autoclave is working properly), can I see an aftercare sheet? (ALL good piercers should give out piercing aftercare sheets), do you use clamps or freehand? (if this is important to you, though it usually depends on the piercing and the piercer's comfort/experience doing the piercing). Just ask all kinds of questions to make sure it's the kind of shop you want to get pierced at - clean, respectable, responsible, etc. THEN approach them about the apprenticeship, after you get to know them better.

Expect to do a lot of "bitch work" the first little while. Piercers will often start off an apprentice by 1) having them watch piercings (make sure you're okay seeing that kind of stuff), 2) having them clean a lot (make sure you can keep really clean, don't have problems cleaning up blood, etc.) 3) have them run errands ("hey, we need photocopier paper for caresheets... and a roll of paper towels, some bleach, a new mop, etc.") and 4) having them sit with some of the people after they get pierced (people that get nauseous/dizzy, etc.) Just general basic stuff, pretty much like starting any job, you have to earn their trust and respect.

 

Thanks for that!

 

When I went for an apprenticeship in tattooing/piercing (which I didn't stick with as $40.00 a week was shit for what I was doing so I got a different job) I was made to show them how to clean all the equipment....then, what I didn't already know how to do, they showed me. After I was taught the proper way to clean equipment, I was left to do a load of that stuff by myself and the things were examined to make sure I was doing a thorough job. Then, I had to learn to clean the rooms and stations of each profession.
Then, the tattooer asked me to show him my drawings/sketches....NO PROBLEM!
The piercer let me give him a surface piercing....it was pretty easy and didn't make me so nervous. That was AWESOME!
Luckily, I was friends with everyone that stepped foot into that shop....so, I didn't annoy anyone by just hanging around. You might want to watch that.
I never made it as far as getting to hold a real tattoo gun and do a real tattoo....but, I've been offered the job any time I want it back.

 

i'm sure its possible. i don't know how to get into it though.
i would suggest talking to local piercers and body art peeps. they should be able to help you. and talk to schools in your area.

 

I remember a little shop that was always looking for people to apprentice. The pay was shit so no one stayed on longer then a month.

 

The thing people need to realise, is a lot of piercers will not pay apprentices. Especially if youre a random. Why train someone up and then have them open a shop down the road and take half your business?
The other thing is, there are a LOT of people who would like to be a piercer. A lot more than there are apprenticeships available. A strong relationship with your piercer is essential. And if you dont have A piercer, get one. Fine the studio whos work and personality youre most comfortable with and stick with them! As stated, never go anywhere else. Out of town on holiday, fine. But loyalty to your piercer is essential also. The studio where i am soon to be apprenticing at, working parttime at the moment, the last girl who was lined up to be apprentice completely ruined any chance by gettng a few piercings by another piercer in town (horrible jobs i must add).
Since moving and meeting my studio ive never been pierced by anyone other than the two piercers at my studio and an old worker of the studio, who now runs piercing for a shop about a 10hr drive away.
Creating a close relationship to your studio is the best way to attempt to get an apprenticeship. I was lucky as my studio was about a block away from my university, so for the majority of this year i was going in basically every day. Then through many piercings, many unusual surface piercings (unusual for new zealand anyway..) scarification and skin removal (the first time my piercer had actually done removal) and now its built to the level where i see my piercer hamish and his wife natalie, my other piercer hamish and the legions of other people who are in the shop many times a week as some of my closest friends.. Im working generally 1-3 days a week depending, although the shop isnt in the right position to take me on fulltime at the moment (paying anyways, and i kind of cant survive without the pay), but were hoping for a bigger shop soon and then ill be on fulltime.

Knowledge is an important thing. While obviously an apprentice will learn many things through the job, its good to show you know a lot about the culture and profession. Knowing a lot about aftercare, types of piercing, jewellery types, good materials (aka 316LVM steel and not something like 304L steel), knowing a lot about these things will help greatly in being taken on as an apprentice.

Also, have no false hopes or conceptions. Dont expect to be piercing the first month youre there. If youre piercing straight off the bat, its probaly a good idea to drop the studio and find another, if thats their standards of teaching. There should be extensive levels of teaching cross-contamination prevention methods, piercing techniques, sterilization and first aid etc etc.

Anyways quick rant over