It is not uncommon to see people of all ages and from all walks of life with piercings. Whether it is a lobe piercing, or ears adorned with intricate pieces of jewellery, we have all been exposed to them. It does, however, beg the question as to how someone becomes a piercer.

Chloe, a piercer at the shop Seven Sun, informed me of her journey to become a piercer. She first started out as an assistant within the same shop she now works at, and regularly observed and assisted with piercings, such as the nose and tongue. “I really enjoyed how getting piercings affects everyone differently”.

Since there is no specific qualification needed to become a piercer, Chloe was able to gain advice and knowledge from fellow co-workers before practising on friends and family. There are, however, courses offered all over the world to people who are fascinated or want to become piercers. The British School of Body Piercing is an example of this, since they provide training courses. These are alternatives to getting an apprenticeship within a shop.

Given that the journey to becoming a piercer is not heavily advertised in school settings, acquiring the right skill set can be daunting. Chloe suggested that getting work experience or a job in a body piercing studio would put someone in a better position to learn how to become a piercer. “Reaching out to established studios to see if they run an apprenticeship scheme or piercing course” will definitely allow you to expand your horizons on piercing.