The teachers at Ogle School are what make up the incredible experience we’re able to offer students. Many of our teachers actually got their cosmetology license at Ogle School before becoming a teacher, which is exactly the case for Randall Woods. Keep reading to discover how Randall was able to learn at Ogle School and eventually transition into being a teacher.

Randall Woods’ Education Journey

What made you decide to pursue cosmetology?

Before Ogle, I actually was a pre-K teacher, and I loved it. My main reason for going to a hair school was I wanted to do something different. I literally woke up one day and said, “What can I do different?” I said, “Let me go to hair school.”

What was your support network like?

Oh, my gosh. When I was in school, my family didn’t support me really, or my friends. When I enrolled to hair school, everybody was like, “Oh, here you go again. You’re just doing something. You’re not even going to finish.” And it was just like, “Okay.” I just said, “Okay.”

What is your favorite part of cosmetology?

I like to see people change. I like to see changes in hair, and makeup. I really am into fashion. So, the aspect of hair and makeup, I just love seeing it all tied together.

What impact have you had on your students?

I’m real stern when it comes to certain things. And one of the things is for the students to pass their written exam. So, I really stay on students about the written exams. Study, study, study. Open your book. Go online. Whatever type of studying, whatever is best for you to study. And I stay on them. And sometimes they get, “Oh, oh, here comes Mr. Willis,” “Oh, Mr. Willis this,” “Oh, Mr. Willis that.” But I can say, after graduation, I’ll always get Facebook posts, and messages, thanking me for how I helped. “Mr. Willis, thank you for staying on me. Thank you for pushing me.”

I mean, students to this day, still text me. Still Facebook me. I’ll have a student come up here at least once a week, and they’ll always bring me something. It’s important for me to stay on them, for them to pass their test because, I guess, they feel we don’t care but we actually do. So I stay on my students a lot about certain things. And that’s one of them, to pass their written exam, pass their practical, so you can get your license. And at the end of the day, they always thank me and love me. But at the time, they kind of don’t like me.

Why did you decide to go to Ogle School?

I typed in Ogle, and it popped up, I mean hair schools, and Ogle popped up. And then I did a little inquiry online. Literally, five minutes later, Vivian called me. I’m like, “I just pushed send.” But Vivian called me and said, “You want to come in?” I came in, and they took me on a tour. And I went to the Phase 1 classroom. And all the students made me feel welcome. I was also able to go in as a night student so I could still work.

What advice would you give to an incoming student?

What I would tell a student is to gain all the knowledge you can. Take every advanced class you can take, extra classes. Go to hair shows. Just get all the knowledge you can. Get all the knowledge out there, instructors that you can. I hear a lot of times students say, “Oh, I paid $20,000.” Well, you need to come here and get $20,000 worth of education, don’t just sit around and not do anything.

So, I would tell them to get all the knowledge they can while they’re here. Don’t let a beat pass. If there’s something you can do, just do it. If it’s something that you have trouble with, ask an instructor. Go on YouTube. Go to hair shows. Take extra classes. Get all the knowledge you can. That’s what I would tell them.

Do you enjoy working at Ogle School?

I’ve been working here for three and a half years. I’m an instructor and I’m a salon manager, and it’s great. It’s great every day coming here and just working with the students. Some days, of course, there are challenges, yet at the end of the day, it’s rewarding to me.

Discover Your Own Beautiful Story

Whether or not you eventually decide to become an educator, Ogle School wants to support you in whatever you do in the beauty industry. With the cosmetology program and the esthetics program, you can learn the necessary skills to thrive in your own way. Request more information from Ogle School to find out how you can become an expert.