How do I become a hairdresser?

Gaining a hairdressing qualification is called a Certificate 3 in hairdressing. The level of pay for a qualified hairdresser is Level 3 in the Hair & Beauty Award.

Many salons pay a combination of Award wage plus a commission, based on productivity of services and turnover plus retail sales.

Hairdressing can be achieved via an apprenticeship, which is a training contract with the apprentice, the employer, the training college and State Training.

Apprenticeships are generally 3 - 4 years depending on each individual. An apprentice attends college during their apprenticeship and the salon is also responsible to train the apprentice to a qualified standard. Apprenticeships are full time or part time and the rate of pay is dependent on which year you are in.

Another option is a full time or part time course. These courses are when the student pays to do a 'fast track' program and attends a college. This is not paid for by the employer. Work experience is necessary to complete this course, generally up to 252 hours. Some may be paid and some may be unpaid. If working at the same time in a salon as doing the fast track course, the rate of pay is TRAINEE.

by Jenny Burns