Key Takeaways:
As Atlanta’s beauty industry continues to grow, serving as a driving force for Georgia’s economy with a statewide hair and nail salon market valued at $2.7 billion, the city’s demand for skilled professionals is growing right along with it. For Ogle School, an accredited beauty school focused on cosmetology and aesthetics training in Texas and Georgia, expanding its footprint with a new campus in Tucker was a deliberate decision.
Set to open in September, the 16,000-square-foot campus marks Ogle School’s second Atlanta-area location and its eleventh campus overall. The new site will accommodate approximately 300 students and create 30 local jobs for teachers and staff.
Ogle’s approach is centered on hands-on learning. Students begin with classroom lessons before advancing to practice on mannequins and eventually working with real clients in the school’s clinic, conducting consultations, performing treatments, and interacting with guests in a modern salon environment.
What sets the experience apart, according to CEO John Blair, is how closely the school works with the industry. The Tucker campus will partner with local salon owners and franchises to not only understand what employers are looking for and adapt training accordingly, but also to expose students to future opportunities.
With that, many students also begin building a client base before they finish school by bringing in models and repeat guests, giving them practical experience and, at times, a loyal clientele before even entering the workforce.
The expansion in Tucker comes at a time when Ogle’s existing Atlanta campus has experienced ongoing waitlists, while the closure of several competing beauty schools in the region, including Paul Mitchell Schools, has left students seeking more opportunities for professional training.
“Atlanta is a growing, diverse market with a strong salon community, and we thought we could come in and provide real career opportunities for people in the community who will get to experience our training and stay and become part of the workforce,” Blair told BeautyMatter.
But the Tucker campus is about more than creating additional classroom space. Blair sees it as an opportunity to help students build sustainable, long-term careers.
“You’re not just coming in to learn the basic craft,” he said. “You’re coming in to learn, apply it, and then have the business skills and personal skills that you need to be successful.”
That mindset has shaped Ogle’s curriculum in recent years, setting it apart from other schools.
While students still receive the technical training needed to become licensed cosmetologists or aestheticians, the school has expanded its curriculum to help them understand the realities of building a career in today’s beauty industry.
Students receive instruction in areas like financial literacy, business development, personal branding, and social media marketing. These skills weren’t always part of traditional beauty education but are becoming necessary to enter the field and maintain a steady career.
“We’ve got a curriculum where students will learn how to build their client base and how to build their business,” Blair said. “A lot of students want to be entrepreneurs. They want to start their own salon or work in a salon suite, or they want the flexibility to make this a second career.”
The school also offers career support through resume-building assistance, employer connections, online learning resources, and a job board that helps connect graduates with local salons and spas. The Tucker campus is also expected to offer flexible scheduling options, including fast-track, part-time, evening, and daytime programs, as Ogle continues its commitment to providing accessible programs to students regardless of personal or financial circumstances.
The approach has produced strong results across Ogle’s existing campuses. The school reports an 87% graduation rate, a 99% licensure rate, and an 80% graduate employment rate. Once fully operational, the Tucker campus is expected to graduate at least 100 students each year.
“It’s a passion program,” Blair said. “Our students don’t want to be in the classroom or reading a textbook. They want to learn a hands-on craft that they can complete in a short period of time and then get into the industry and begin to work.”
Ahead of the September opening, Blair sees the new campus as an investment in future professionals and in Atlanta itself.
“We’re excited to create career opportunities and support the local beauty ecosystem in Atlanta,” he said. “We’re excited to go to the next stage.”
