Work-Based Learning Feature: Groom Curriculum Grows with Registered Apprenticeship

Dog grooming is a growing industry, and no one knows that better than Sierra Elbert, president and founder of Groom Curriculum. Elbert credits her mother with starting the pet salon where she grew up and learned the trade before she opened her own salon in Emmetsburg at age 17. Eventually, that work planted the seed of a bigger dream: to take high-standard grooming education nationwide. In 2022, Elbert and two partners launched an online platform that delivers their professional curriculum paired with hands on practice, preparing students to pass the American Kennel Club (AKC) Professional Grooming Credential exam.

Today, Groom Curriculum has licensing agreements with community colleges – including institutions in Iowa, Arizona, Kansas, Maryland and many more – that enroll aspiring and working dog groomers who want to earn AKC-aligned certificates typically in 10 to 15 weeks, Elbert said.

Groom Curriculum also appeals to salons that seek to enhance their staffs’ skills. In early 2025, the company started a Registered Apprenticeship (RA) program utilizing employer and industry-defined dog-grooming competencies. This also became a winning approach, Elbert said, because RA’s earn-and-learn structure is highly regarded and helps legitimize a trade that still struggles for proper recognition. Groom Curriculum serves as administrator of the program, combining its online curriculum with hands-on training under the supervision of an experienced mentor. By late 2025, the program had three apprentices working for two businesses in the Des Moines area. Elbert expanded on her vision, saying that the company hopes to develop a national RA network, starting with employer partners in California, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Texas.

Elbert said her dream of having a national – and even global – impact is closer to reality thanks to a recent alliance with the World Pet Association, a nonprofit U.S. pet industry trade group that provides financial backing and an extensive network. In 2025, the Iowa Small Business Development Center recognized Elbert’s success, naming her the Deb Dalziel Entrepreneur of the Year. But her vision – “transforming grooming through college-based training, continuing education, and nationally recognized programs” – is about more than generating a profit.  “It’s definitely not just revenue-driven,” Elbert said. “I’m really addicted to students’ success stories, and I want to keep flipping over rocks to help more people change their lives the way dog grooming changed my mom’s life and our lives.”

For Anna Friedrichsen, a 2024 Buena Vista University graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture with a concentration in animal science, apprenticeship is the key to launching a career after college. Growing up on a farm near Sutherland, Friedrichsen loved dogs and cats, although grooming for the dogs, if any, consisted of a shave at the start of summer. Now, as she nears completion of her apprenticeship at Shaggy to Chic Boutique, Friedrichsen values this in-depth approach that prepares her to provide professional pet care. The busy salon, with locations in Grimes and West Des Moines, offers full-body haircuts, mini-grooms, and add-ons like hair dye. “I’d recommend [apprenticeship] to anyone who has a love for animals and is not sure what they want to do,” she said.

Natasha Arritt, owner of Shaggy to Chic Boutique, said the partnership with Groom Curriculum ensures a consistent, high-quality team. “I was having trouble finding staff who were professional,” she said. “I thought ‘There has to be a better way.’” Apprenticeship gives aspiring groomers the tools they need to be successful, Arritt said.

Meanwhile, the demand for animal-care jobs continues to rise alongside the popularity of pet grooming. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the employment of animal care and related service workers will grow 11 percent from 2024 to 2034. While the BLS reports a median annual wage of $33,470 for animal caretakers as of May 2024, Groom Curriculum-tracked student outcomes show graduates commonly earning $24 to $26 per hour, reflecting strong wage potential in grooming-specific roles, Elbert said.

Now Elbert, after having two children and closing her pet salon, wants to focus on growing Groom Curriculum and helping others understand that a dog grooming career can be a game-changer in many ways. “It’s about having a mission,” she said. “If we can train one dog groomer to safely groom 1,000 dogs, imagine if we train 1,000 dog groomers. Think of all the dogs affected because we are using best practices. And beyond the skills to be a dog groomer, we are teaching individuals how to be employable.”

Registered Apprenticeship (RA) is a proven earn-and-learn workforce training model built on rigorous industry standards. It combines paid on-the-job training with related classroom instruction to prepare apprentices for successful careers while helping employers develop a highly skilled workforce.

Apprentices earn wages that increase as their skills progress and must demonstrate mastery of defined competencies under the supervision of experienced mentors. Apprenticeship programs last at least one year, though many extend longer depending on the occupation. Individuals who complete an apprenticeship earn a nationally recognized, portable credential. Employers often retain apprentices after they complete.

To learn more about Registered Apprenticeship opportunities in Iowa, please visit the Iowa Office of Apprenticeship website (apprenticeship.iowa.gov).