Visions Learning Centre: Salon & Spa has helped 65 students learn the art of cosmetology since opening their doors in September of 2006.
Janice Hahn, Director of Education and Owner/Operator of the business, has lived on the North Island since 1981 when her family moved here from Vancouver.
She graduated from Port Hardy Secondary School in 1983, and then moved to Port McNeill around 1990.
"I moved here for work, my husband's a logger," said Hahn, who added she ended up buying a salon above the CAB (the building across from the ballpark).
Hahn has been running her own business ever since.
She expanded her business into teaching, because her goal as a hairstylist was always to "end up training students. My biggest thing is that it's really difficult to find hairdressers that are great hairdressers up here, and if young people go down island to go to school, they stay down there."
Hahn apprenticed many students on the North Island over the years, and she officially opened Visions Learning Centre in 2006.
"During that time, we've worked with NISS (North Island Secondary School) through our Ace-It program, which is a grade 11/grade 12 class," said Hahn, who added they usually have around three students enrolled in the program every year.
Visions Learning Centre's programs are designed to surprass the needs of the ever changing Beauty industry, providing each student with the knowledge needed to launch a rewarding career as an employee, a manager or an entrepreneur.
The learning centre is open Monday to Friday, nine a.m. to five p.m. and is located in the heart of downtown Port McNeill.
Hahn stated she finds it very exciting "watching the students grow, from the time they end up starting, to the time they are on the floor, to the time they get a job. I think our clients, the people of the North Island, also really enjoy having the students work on them. They've been very supportive."
Hahn is most proud of seeing her students achievements as the years pass on by.
"I've had some amazing apprenticeships who have gone on to do amazingly well," she said, adding one of her students actually ended up working for Much Music in Toronto, doing hair and makeup for celebrities like Nelly Furtado and Taylor Swift.
"People from the North Island can do amazing things if they want to, they really can," said Hahn, who added that because her school is on the smaller side, the students get lots of personalized attention, which helps them perfect their skills even more.
"Lots of students who have graduated have gone on to own their own businesses and done quite well," said Hahn.
"We always hear from down island that they want more of our students, which is a nice honour for me and the North Island."
With over 30 years of experience in cosmetology, and running her own business since 1990, Hahn stated she still loves what she does for a living.
"I love what I do. I love coming in here every morning. No regrets, it's not a drudgery. If I can show students the joy of being a cosmetologist here on the North Island, then that's great."
She added Vision's Learning Centre is the North Island's best kept secret, and she strongly believes students can pursue their cosmetology dreams right here on the North Island.
Check out their website at http://www.visionsschool.com, and their Facebook page at https://m.facebook.com/VisionsLearningCentre/.