National Certificate in Hairdressing

Your hairdressing apprenticeship will include learning hairdressing skills, as well as skills such as giving change, marking up the stock, calculating GST, doing the banking, taking bookings over the phone, reading and understanding manufacturer's instructions, talking with clients and product representatives, and understanding the effects of chemicals and heat on the hair and scalp.

What is the qualification?

To become a qualified hairdresser you will need to gain National Certificate in Hairdressing (Practice). This is registered on the National Qualification Framework (NQF). It consists of 46 unit standards with a total credit value of 334 credits.

Compulsory

Number	Title	Level	Credit
56	Attend to customer enquiries	1	2
57	Provide customer service	2	2
406	Maintain and take care of stock	2	4
497	Protect health and safety in the workplace	1	1
1277	Communicate information in a specified workplace	2	3
2756	Remove colouring and/or decolouring product from the hair & scalp	2	3
2758	Demonstrate knowledge of hairdressing products	2	5
2866	Shampoo the hair and scalp	2	4
2868	Neutralise a permanent wave	2	6
2869	Apply treatments to the hair and scalp	2	2
2871	Set the hair for elementary styles	2	10
2872	Mould and fingerwave the hair	2	10
2873	Demonstrate knowledge of hairdressing trichology	2	8
2874	Select and apply temporary hair colour	2	3
2876	Dress long hair into elementary styles	2	8
2877	Remove unwanted additives from hair	4	8
2878	Analyse and select corrective treatments for the hair and scalp	3	2
2879	Blow dry the hair into complex styles	3	10
2880	Set the hair for complex styles	3	10
2881	Dress long hair into complex styles	3	8
2882	Demonstrate knowledge of conditions of the hair & scalp	3	4
2884	Cut the hair with scissors and clippers	3	35
2885	Cut the hair with a razor	3	20
2887	Demonstrate knowledge of relaxing a permanent wave	3	1
2888	Correct unwanted colour reflects in the hair	4	4
2889	Bleach and tone the hair	4	20
2890	Straighten the hair permanently	4	12
2891	Demonstrate knowledge of the history of hair design	2	2
2892	Permanently wave the hair	3	12
3501	Apply listening techniques	1	4
6402	Provide resuscitation	1	1
11949	Create displays using supplied materials in a retail or distribution environment	2	2
11955	Count and prepare takings for banking in a retail or distribution environment	2	2
12008	Sell goods and/or services in a retail or distribution enviornment	2	6
12313	Highlight the hair using a weaving technique	4	3
12349	Demonstrate time management	2	3
17469	Demonstrate knowledge of the selection & application of semi-permanent hair colour	2	3
19791	Select and apply midway colour	3	6
19792	Select and apply permanent colour	4	8
19793	Hightlight and / or lowlight using elementary techniques	2	5
20929	Demonstrate safe and professional practice in the salon environment	3	5
TOTAL 267 credits

Elective

Credit must be gained for the standards listed in either Elective A or Elective B

Elective A (Hairdressing Practice)

Number	Title	Level	Credit
2755	Consult with a client for hairdressing services and analyse hair and scalp conditions	4	20
2757	Apply hairdressing services under workplace conditions	5	20
2759	Perform hairdressing services in a commercial salon	5	15
2867	Select and maintain hairdressing tools and equipment	2	2
2870	Blow dry hair into elementary styles	2	10
Total 334 credits

Elective B (Barbering Practice)

Number	Title	Level	Credit
2886	Design and shape beards and moustaches	3	5
10645	Describe the development of barbering	2	3
10646	Apply initial barbering techniques	2	20
10647	Wet shave facial hair with a cutthroat razor	3	15
10648	Complete a haircut using barbering techniques	3	30
10649	Apply barbering services under workplace conditions	5	20
10650	Perform barbering services in a commercial salon	5	10
19805	Blow dry hair using barbering techniques	2	4
19806	Consult with client for barbering services and analyse hair and scalp conditions	3	20
19807	Describe the fundamentals of wet shaving	3	4
19808	Select and maintain barbering tools and equipment	2	4
TOTAL 402 credits

When you have completed all these units you will receive your National Certificate in Hairdressing or Barbering (Practice). This is awarded by NZQA.

Hairdressing Training/Achievement Guide

Click here to find out which unit standards are achieved during each year of an apprenticeship. This guide can be used in the salon to monitor your achievement as you progress.

Choices for Becoming a Qualified Hairdresser

Follow this link to find out the different paths you can take in becoming a qualified hairdresser

How do I learn?

You will learn both on and off the job. How quickly you get through your apprenticeship is up to you and your employer, but the average apprenticeship takes around three years.

You will be trained in the salon in all of the hairdressing skills, by a qualified and experienced hairdresser.
You will spend time at off-job-training during the term of your apprenticeship. Year One 19 days, Year Two 19 days and Year Three 10 days.
The HITO pays approx 75% of the cost of off-job training while you are an apprentice. Off-job training is undertaken at a training provider where you will gain additional knowledge to be assessed in the units you have been learning and practicing in the salon.

Assessments

Assessments confirm the skills and knowledge you have gained on the job. You will need to collect evidence while on the job that proves you can perform the same skill on different heads of hair.

43 of the unit standards will be assessed by your off-job training provider.

At the end of your off-job-training you will be ready to do the last two units to complete your qualification. These are the Level 5 units:

Unit Standard 2759 - Perform hairdressing services in a commercial salon
Unit Standard 2759 involves collecting evidence of the clients you are servicing in the salon over a four-week period and then a one hour observation of your daily work in the salon. An Industry Assessor visits you by appointment to watch you at work with your clients.

Unit Standard 2757 - Apply Hairdressing Services Under Workplace Conditions
Unit Standard 2757 is a six hour demonstration of your hairdressing skills in a salon environment. The unit requires you to perform three hairdressing services. They are the sorts of things you will be doing every day in the salon.

Apprentice Responsibilities

Your responsibilities to your employer are:

To be committed to hairdressing as a career.
To learn and collect evidence.
To be punctual.
To be well groomed.
To be self motivated.
To have a commitment to team work.

Employer Responsibilities

The employer’s responsibilities are:

To provide a good working environment.
To encourage regular training for the apprentice.
To supply positive feedback and constructive criticism on performance and training progress.
To instill professionalism.
To set a good example as a member of the hairdressing industry.
To maintain skills and knowledge of current hairdressing trends and industry standards.

What does the HITO Sales & Liaison Manager do?

Once an apprentice has signed a training agreement with their employer and the HITO, it is the Sales & Liaison Manager's job to offer information and advice to the apprentice and employer throughout the time of the apprenticeship.

The HITO Sales & Liaison Manager will visit you in the salon at least twice a year, and more often if required. If you are having any problems in your apprenticeship you can call your Sales & Liaison Manager. Anything you tell them will be in confidence.