New hairdressing course to address industry shortage
The Southern Institute of Technology has launched a new hairdressing course to address the worker shortage in the industry.
Titled the New Zealand Certificate in Hairdressing (Level 3), the course will be taught by tutors Megan Currie, Donna Bowman and Trish Dowling from July. The course was aimed at school leavers and adult learners
“It is a huge change, which should open the door to more new hairdressers entering the workforce,” Currie said.
Secondary school students could access hairdressing courses through Star and Murihiku Tertiary Academy partnership programmes between schools and SIT.
The new programme was being offered alongside the apprenticeship pathway, which took three years to complete.
It would reduce the length of time to become a qualified hairdresser, and included training for skills such as shampooing, treatments, wet and dry styling techniques, blow-drying with a variety of brushes, hairups, braiding, hair cutting, colouring and foiling.
For each of the eight papers, students would also have to create a portfolio of their best work.
According to Bowman, there was a shortage of qualified hairdressers not only in New Zealand but around the world.
“There’s a departure from working in unit standards for us at SIT, and there’s less theory assessment, but that’s what the industry wants, which is more emphasis on learning practical, hands-on skills,” Bowman said.
The training would take place for 23 hours every week and be practised on client days scheduled throughout the programme during the two years.
The programme would also be rolled out across the Te Pūkenga Business Divisions in New Zealand, which delivered the Level 3 hairdressing programmes.
“Hairdressing tutors across the network are essentially teaching the same course,” Dowling said. “We can put in our own individual flavour, which suits our region’s needs.”
The tutors said the new programme was a step towards consistency, moderation and sharing ideas and resources. Its level 4 programme was being developed by tutors from the business division network, and would be ready for use in 2025.
It would include fashion work such as cutting, colouring, foiling, hair-ups, styling, lightening and toning, colour correction, perming and straightening.
On completing the level 3 and 4 programmes, students gained the New Zealand Certificate in Hairdressing, Professional Stylist (Level 4) qualification.