If you're wondering what's next after the military, Maria Ferns and Michael Shea both have a simple suggestion: cut hair. Or learn to be a cosmetologist.

At the Olympia Barber School in Olympia and at the Summit Salon Academy in Tacoma, there's an open door for military veterans looking for a new lifelong career.

No matter where you go, there will be jobs.

"Everywhere you go in the world, people have hair," said Ferns, owner of the Olympia Barber School. "It's a guaranteed job."

Likewise, Shea, who with his wife founded the Summit Salon Academy in Tacoma 10 years ago, said the cosmetology career is portable.

"You can move with it," he said. "A lot of military families end up moving. We have tons who are either military or military wives. They stay in touch with us from around the world."

At the Olympia Barber School, it takes six months to become a licensed barber, eight months to become a licensed cosmetologist, and three months to be an instructor. It costs $3,500 for the instructor classes and $12,500 for barbering.

The cost at both schools is covered by the military's education benefits.

"(There are) no out-of-the-pocket costs if they have that," Ferns said.

For the Summit Salon Academy, it takes 13 months attending full time to earn a cosmetology license.

"We are a full-time school because cosmetology is such a long program," Shea explained. "We did a part-time program when we were very young. It took two-and-a-half years to finish. That was just too long. Right now, we have a full-time program only."

To help graduates find work, Summit Salon Academy hosts a career fair three times a year, which provides opportunities for graduates to connect with salon owners looking to hire.

Graduates of the Olympia Barber School can begin a career as a barber working for a corporate or a private shop. The school also offers classes in cosmetology.

"You can be an owner-operator, (or) you can work for private or corporate stores," Ferns said. "We do offer instructor programs, so you can go on and open your own school or be an educator. We do offer a cosmetology program as well. So if they're interested in chemical services, you can do that."  

Taking in about 20 students a year, the Olympia Barber School has a 100 percent graduation rate.

But learning how to do all the different hairstyles is only part of the challenge: A good barber also must know how to communicate.

"It's one hundred percent personality, to be honest," Ferns said.

Shea said being a cosmetologist is also about being interactive with people.

"People skills (are) hugely important," he said. "It's one of the great challenges we have as we talk to potential students."

It's one reason the academy interviews new students.

"We know a student who can't have a conversation with a stranger is probably really going to be challenged (if) they go into this industry," Shea said.

Olympia Barber School, 2747 Pacific Ave., Olympia, takes in 20 students a year. For more information, visit olympiabarberschool.com.

Summit Salon Academy, 3702 S. Fife St., Suite B102, Tacoma. For more information, visit summitsalonacademy.edu.