THE last man standing in TV hairdressing contest Hair is leading a campaign at Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College to encourage people to train for their dream career.

Phil Hunt, who now studies hairdressing at the college, was working successfully as a retail brand manager when he decided last year at the age of 32 to follow his passion instead.

After quitting his job and enrolling on a hairdressing course, he landed a role in the BBC2 series, which has seen thousands of amateur hairdressers whittled down to just 10.

The hopefuls compete in tasks to show judges Denise McAdam and Alain Pichon their versatility, technical skill and creativity.

Mr Hunt said: “I hit 32 and realised that I didn’t want to spend my life doing something that didn’t inspire me.

“The advice I would give for anyone frustrated, bored or unfulfilled by their current job, would be to come into the college at Ealing, Hammersmith, Acton or Southall and get a feel for the environment here.

“I gave up a career that was set for me and went back to basics and I’ve not stopped since. Ever since September, I’ve been on a constant high.

“If you have a passion for something you have to live and breathe it, everything else comes naturally with it.”

Mr Hunt is now spearheading Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College’s #makeithappen recruitment campaign.

Clare Caccavone, head of student engagement and experience at the college, said: “Phil sets a great example to people who are considering changing career or going that step further in their current role.

“As part of the #makeithappen campaign, our students of all ages are sharing their inspirational story in the hope of inspiring others to tap in to their true ambitions and make them a reality.

“There is a wealth of support available to mature students, ranging from initial careers advice, to government loans available for those aged 24 and above enrolling on a wide range of advanced courses in subjects such as accounting, business, social media, engineering, motor vehicle, hairdressing and many more.”

Full course information can be found at www.wlc.ac.uk