Hairdressers cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person’s image. This is achieved using a combination of hair colouring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques.
If you like people and get a buzz from helping them look and feel better about themselves, you’ve lots of physical stamina, and you’re creative with great attention to detail, you’d make a great hairdresser.
About you:
- Creativity and communication
- Technical skills – use a range of equipment and products
- Great teamworker
- Friendly and outgoing
- Continuous learning – new trends and techniques
- Attention to detail
- Cleanliness and good personal grooming
The job:
- Cut, colour, straighten, perm, treat and maintain your clients hair
- Offering advice on styling, colouring and maintenance
- Shampooing, conditioning and treatments
- Braiding, adding hair extensions, weaves and dreadlocks
- Cut or style weaves or hair pieces
- Shaving or trimming beards and/or moustaches
- Taking bookings, diary management and processing payments
- Keeping your tools and premises clean and sanitary
Lifestyle Impact: Moderate
- Part Time opportunities: High – around 49% of Hairdressers work part-time (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
- Average hours for full-time workers: 41 hours a week, which is average (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
- Hairdressers’ salary (median) $30,000* per year (source: ato.gov.au). *Salaries can vary depending on your skills and experience.
- Future career growth: Strong (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
- You will be doing almost all of your work indoors.
- You will likely need to do work outside of regular business hours, including on weekends and holidays.
- You need to be prepared to do a lot of work on your feet.
Hairdressers are most in demand in these locations:
Demand for Hairdressers is spread fairly evenly across both metropolitan and regional areas. Most Hairdressers work in the Retail Trade industry.
How to become a Hairdresser
To become a Hairdresser you will usually undertake an apprenticeship, combining practical experience with study.
Step 1 – Complete Year 10 with a focus on English and Maths.
Step 2 – Find an employer willing to take you on as an apprentice, and complete a Certificate III in Hairdressing.
Step 3 – Once you’ve finished your apprenticeship, you can work as a fully qualified Hairdresser.
Step 4 – There are lots of short courses and workshops you can take to hone your skills, including hair colouring, styling, and more.
Step 5 – Once you have lots of experience, consider doing a Diploma of Salon Management and starting your own business.
Find out more here –
https://hairstylistsaustralia.com.au/
Similar Careers to Hairdresser
Barber
Beauty Therapist
Makeup Artist
Fashion Stylist
Costume Designer
Massage Therapist
Fashion Designer
Find out more about alternative careers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What options are there for career progression?
You might start out as a junior Hairdresser in a salon, before building up your skills and becoming a colouring specialist or even salon manager. With enough skills and experience, you might even like to start your own business.
Do I need to go to university to become a Hairdresser?
No, you do not need to go to university to become a Hairdresser. However, you will need to complete a VET qualification, usually as part of an apprenticeship.
Where do Hairdressers work?
Hairdressers can work in salons, beauty clinics, retail stores, mobile by driving to a client’s home, or out of their own salon at home.
What are 3 things I can do right now to help me become a Hairdresser?
If you’re in high school and you’d like to find out if a career as a Hairdresser is right for you, here’s a few things you could do right now:
- Find workshops and short courses you can take to start building on your hair styling skills.
- See if you can find work experience in retail or hairdressing. This will help you see if you might enjoy the work, and can help you start building important contacts for the future.
- Talk to a Hairdresser to see what a day in their life is like. If you don’t know anyone, see if you can watch videos or documentaries about a career in hairdressing.
