Career change - TAFE Cert III Hairdressing - Australia

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michelle_113

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So as the title suggests I’m looking for a career change.. as well as wanting to do something I’ve really always imagined myself doing

Wondering if i can get advise of exactly what services I could offer from a home salon after doing a TAFE Course Cert III in Hairdressing?

Im working part time after returning To work from maternity leave two days a week and wanted to enroll to study at tafe 3 days a week. Eventually opening my own salon at home to do my own hours and fit in with my children’s schooling. Is it realistic to walk out of 1.5 years at tafe and be able to jump straight in the saddle ? Or would I be completely out of my depth?
 
I’ve amended your title to add Australia as most of the geeks on here are UK based, although we do have have members from all around the globe.
Hopefully, someone with experience of the Australian system will pop on and advise based on their experience.

As a comparison...In the U.K., you can study a Level 2 City & Guilds that gives you a hairdressing qualification and allows you to purchase insurance and work as a hairdresser. However, it’s a one year (9 month) course and is nowhere near enough training to enable you to be salon ready so most students continue and study the advanced Level 3 course, for the second year. Although you learn lots of theory, hairdressing is a hands on skill that takes lots of experience to master so even with the level 3 qualification, you’ll still be considered a Junior stylist and need another 2 - 3 years working before you’d be considered fully competent.

The students that do best are the ones who find work in a salon whilst doing the course. Even just watching other staff work helps them to improve their learning. Otherwise, you just need to practise as much as possible.

Also, the bigger hairdressing and beauty wholesalers run short courses which is a useful way of continuing your training. They might offer colour training with a specific brand such as Wella, technique training...advanced cutting, balayage, bridal hairstyling etc.

Hope this is of some help to you?
 
Thank you for updating my post title & certainly the information provided is helpful - I’m almost hoping to do it a little backwards - some basic cuts and colours I could do from home to earn a little income to be flexible with my young children. Once they were older to then expand and further my skill base. The tafe here in Oz does have a salon where at some point you work on real customers but I do realise that nothing would beat salon experience. I’m just trying to introduce myself to the industry now for the future or if it’s a waste of time and not liable that I would be able to earn money doing basic stuff in the meantime ?
 
@Reide is a hairdresser training in Australia. Hopefully, she can help advise you further.
 
I'm also Australian. Are you melbourne by chance? I know a lot of the schools here and what they offer.
Melbourne college of hair and beauty: 3 days a week, good school but it's hard to get a one on one with the teachers
Australian Education Academy: Teachers are hit and miss. If you getr a good teacher it can be great but I went 4 months without a teacher there due to our teacher also being the schools admin
Francapelli: Amazing school. Frank rides you hard however he does require you there 5-6 days including placement. Placements pay you if its after school hours. It's difficult however they place you in multiple salons so you get a feel for the industry and actual salon experience.
Victoria University: Good school. Same con as Melbourne college of hair and beauty. A lot of students per one teacher.
Answers to hair: Good school however if you are not hard working its easy to slack off.

Answers to Hair and Francapelli both have schollarship systems (Tyro and GOTAFE). Francapelli by far is the best one out of the bunch. But it doesn't fully fit your time. Melbourne College of hair and beauty is the second best.

I've still got some of my certificate 3 which I'm doing however I don't really want to say my public school. What I have learned is that you get what you put into into it. It can be a hard ride but if you love it you will do fine.

If it's a Government tafe rather then a private academy most schools will allow you to swap days.

Just to add a lot of the schools have salons. I've worked as a manager for salons and all and almost everytime I call a school they students have no phone etiquette. That seems to be the schools weekpoints. Francapelli doesn't have decent phone etiquette. You'll learn very quickly a lot of the girls who go to the school consider it a bludge job. If you go to a school act the part. If you get into a habbit of good customer service you will go miles. People do have a bias against schools in the feild but it's due to the lack enthusiasm and the lack of respect for clients.

I've interviewed both apprentices and students. It's all about how you approach the industry. Also document everything. Even your first blowwave. The progress will help you in the future. I hope this helps.

- from one ozzy tafe girl to another.
 

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