Multi-award-winning hairdresser Lee Stafford has inspired the next generation of hairdressing talent during a live masterclass with Level 2 Hairdressing students at NKC Tonbridge College.
Lee visited the College on 1 October as part of its partnership with Lee Stafford Education, delivering an interactive demonstration of his ‘Twisted Tong’ technique and sharing his experience of working in the hair industry.
The session gave students a first-hand insight into professional hairdressing, with Lee encouraging them to ask questions throughout the demonstration. Students called out questions as he worked on a model, with Lee answering them and handing out prizes to those who got involved.
For Lee, giving students the opportunity to learn directly from professionals is an important part of preparing them for their future careers. He also spoke about the importance of students being inspired by successful people in the industry and understanding where their own hard work could take them.
Opening students’ eyes to opportunities in hairdressing
Lee Stafford Education is a not-for-profit foundation working with colleges across the UK, including North Kent Colleges Group colleges at NKC Dartford College, NKC Gravesend College and NKC Tonbridge College, with the aim of improving the quality and accessibility of hairdressing education.
Lee established the organisation 13 years ago to help raise standards in further education hairdressing and give more young people access to high-quality, industry-led training.
Through the College partnership, Lee Stafford Education works with college trainers to deliver a programme of 26 hairdressing recipes covering the Level 2 and Level 3 government curriculum. The recipes are based on classic hairdressing principles and foundational techniques, while being modern, commercial and designed to be accessible for learners.
Lee and his team train college tutors and regularly return to work alongside them, helping them achieve what the organisation calls a 'Big 10' standard across the recipes, its benchmark for high-quality delivery.
“Our partnership is quite simple, really. My team and myself come in, we train the college trainers and all the hair recipes that we created, and then we come back into the salon on a regular basis, working with the college trainers and learners.
“I like to come in a couple of times a year and work with the students - at the beginning when they’re first starting off, and at the end when they’re finishing their course, to inspire them for the next chapter.”
For Lee, it's also about showing students that a career in hairdressing can take them in many different directions.
“A lot of them think that it’s just working in salons. But there are so many avenues they can go down and we try to open their minds to what they can achieve and what opportunities are out there.
“My advice is always -just throw yourself in it, become obsessed, become as passionate as you can about this business, and then opportunities and doors will open up for you.”
Students inspired by the masterclass
For NKC Tonbridge College students, the opportunity to learn directly from a successful professional gave them the chance to take away both practical inspiration and advice for their own careers.
Holly Stapleton, a Level 2 Hairdressing student, said:
“What I took away from Lee Stafford today is to really just have persistence in what you want to do and you should never give up.”
She also enjoyed hearing about Lee’s own career and learning what it takes to succeed.
“My favourite part of today’s session was learning about someone that's really successful in the business and taking away everything that I can do to get where he is.”
The masterclass is one of the opportunities available to students through the Lee Stafford Education partnership, combining their college studies with access to industry expertise and professional techniques.
Earlier this year, Frankie Clark, a North Kent Colleges Group student, was named Lee Stafford Education Student of the Year 2026. Frankie has since progressed to Level 3 Hairdressing, with opportunities to work with industry professionals helping her to build confidence and prepare for a career in the hair industry.
Lee Stafford Education was named Educator of the Year at the British Hairdressing Business Awards in March 2026 and is also shortlisted for the Creative HEAD Most Wanted Educator of the Year award this October.
For students at NKC Tonbridge College, the partnership provides a direct connection to the professional hair industry, helping them develop their practical skills, confidence and understanding of the opportunities available beyond college.
Find out more about Hairdressing courses at NKC Tonbridge College and discover where a career in the hair industry could lead.