Internships

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pivot Point student internship program?

The internship program was approved by the Illinois State Legislators in 1997 in response to salon owners, schools, and professionals looking for a better prepared student or junior stylist to enter the work force upon completion of his/her training from a licensed school in the state of Illinois.

This program allows our students to experience, firsthand, the salon atmosphere, perform salon services, be evaluated by prospective employers, and most important to learn and understand the expectations of future employers. In turn, the salons will have the opportunity to qualify potential employees, and enhance the educational experience of tomorrow’s industry leaders.

How do I qualify for the internship program?

Pivot Point International Academy requires the student to complete 1000 hours for Cosmetology, 500 hours for Esthetics or 235 hours for Nail Technology before internship eligibility will be evaluated.

Students must also establish and maintain a cumulative academic grade point average of at least 90% and an attendance rate of at least 90% in order to qualify for the internship program. In addition, students must be up to date with all financial payments.

How does a salon qualify for the Pivot Point Internship Program?

The state requires that the salon be licensed and registered with the Department of Professional Regulation and requires proof of said registration is supplied to the school prior to signing an agreement. Information required will include the name and license number of the licensed mentor or supervisor for each respective intern.

The salon must sign an agreement (Pivot Point International Academy Internship Agreement) with the school that will outline the program’s criteria and expectations. As stated above, the salon should be ready to assign a licensed supervisor for each student.

The internship agreement, business license and mentor license must be completed and submitted to the Student Advisor before the student may begin the internship.

*Please note that students are allowed to perform any service that they would normally provide in the clinic at school. However, it is important that the salon check its salon insurance policy for liability coverage of the student performing chemical services.

Once qualified, how many hours can I intern?

Intern hours can account for no more than 10% of a student’s training toward his/her license; Cosmetology - 150 hours; Esthetics - 75 hours; Nail Technology - 35 hours.

• Full-time students may intern up to three times a week for no more than eight hours a day, not to exceed more than 24 hours per week.

• Part-time students may intern up to three times a week for no more than four hours a day, not to exceed more than 12 hours per week.

The student may not intern and attend school on the same day, and may intern only during his/her regularly scheduled hours or at the discretion of Academy Management. The Academy Manager has final approval over the student’s internship schedule.

Once accepted into the internship program, what will be expected of me?

Pivot Point interns are expected to conduct themselves in the same professional manner as required of them at school. They are expected to establish hours with their host salon and not to stray from that set schedule. Interns are also expected to learn and adhere to the policies and procedures of the salon per the direction of their mentor. The privilege to intern may be revoked at the school’s discretion

How will I be evaluated?

There will be weekly evaluations during your internship to appraise your skills from attitude and communication to productivity and grasp of technical work. You will be graded on a scale from one (unsatisfactory) to six (outstanding) in all areas.

If for any reason the intern does not perform to salon expectations, this program can be interrupted at any time and a new intern can act as a replacement

How will my hours be tracked?

In order to track the intern’s progress and verify hours interned each week, the student will supply the mentor with an Internship Evaluation form at the beginning of each week. The mentor must complete the form, indicating days and hours interned and suggestions for improvement, and hand the completed form back to the student at the end of each week.

The student intern is responsible for submitting the weekly evaluation form to the Student Services Advisor at the end of each week in order to receive hours. Failure to submit this form on a weekly basis may result in a loss of hours.

Will I get paid for my internship?

No. Students are not allowed to receive compensation for the services performed during their tenure as an intern. They may, however, accept tips or gratuities from salon clients.