Faye Skues

'I've just come back from Thailand and I could see myself living out there,' she says cheerfully. But then, with a mad weekend coming up with all her mates - nearly all the friends she's made since working in the salon - life in England is too good to give up just yet.

She's doing something she loves, which is a bonus in any career. 'I used to help the home hairdresser that came round to do my mum's hair and then I worked in the salon as a Saturday girl. As soon as I left school I went full time and started training. I did my City & Guilds Apprenticeship before moving up to the advanced level.' The advanced course lasted two years. Mondays were for coursework with the rest of the week working on the job, gaining experience and getting paid.

'You're training while you're working,' she explains. 'So you get paid as you learn and the best way to learn is by doing. You start on apprentice wages, but as you complete each level, you get promoted and the money goes up.'

It's not a job for shrinking violets. 'You have to be happy, smiling, polite and cheerful,' Faye points out. 'But I'm always in a good mood. I'm with clients all day so if I wasn't nice, they wouldn't come back. You do get some moody people. I just shut up then, but I prefer to have a chat if I can.'

Now Faye's full time in the salon, she has to be good at timekeeping as clients don't like being kept waiting. But with every day being different 'cuts, blow-drys, colours, hair-up, everything really, plus helping out training the younger girls', she looks forward to coming to work each morning.

Ambitions? 'I'd like to have my own little salon, helping others train too,' she says. 'My qualifications have helped me so much, without them I wouldn't have all my clients.'