2013 INDUSTRY AWARDS

APPRENTICES AT NZ FASHION WEEK

MANAGING YOUR FINANCES

INTERVIEW WITH SHARON BLAIN

THE AWARDS ISSUE

contactNATIONAL OFFICE

PO Box 11 764

Wellington 6142

Phone (04) 499 1180

NORTHERN

Phone (09) 579 4844

Mobile (027) 470 0169

AUCKLAND

Phone (09) 579 4844

Mobile (027) 443 2401

MIDLAND

Phone (09) 579 4844

Mobile (027) 480 6550

MID-CENTRAL

Phone (04) 499 5150

Mobile (027) 470 0170

CENTRAL

Phone (04) 499 5150

Mobile (027) 445 5758

NORTHERN SOUTH

Phone (03) 338 5376

Mobile (027) 483 2405

SOUTHERN SOUTH

Phone (03) 338 5376

Mobile (027) 470 0171

another successful year at the

industry awards

Auckland’s War Memorial Museum bustled with excitement on 20 October as we kicked off the annual Industry Awards. Hosted by HITO, Kitomba, and NZARH, the awards celebrate

excellence in the hairdressing industry.

01

Mana Dave, three time winner of NZ Hairdresser of the

Year and owner of BLAZE Salon in Auckland, hosted

the event. Former NZARH/Kitomba award winner

(and HITO Board member) Belinda Robb, 2012 Apprentice of

the Year Marianna Brown, and 2012 Jasmine McBeth Memorial

Scholarship recipient Kaleb Pritchard were the comperes for

the evening.

Erica Cumming, HITO CEO, said “It was wonderful to see the

support and enthusiasm for the awards and award winners

from all attendees. From new apprentices to experienced

industry professionals, the awards celebrated their successes

in business and training. This was truly an opportunity for the

best in our industry to shine”.

Tom Murphy, Kitomba CEO, agreed, saying “Tonight is unique

– it’s a time when we can all celebrate the hair industry’s leaders of

today, along with its leaders of tomorrow, at one glittering event”.

As always, the HITO Apprentice of the Year award saw some

fierce competition. This year the award was taken home by

Laura Williams from Jan Waite in Mount Eden, Auckland. Laura

is probably a familiar face to many people: she is an excellent

ambassador for HITO, and the face of our Make it Hair Campaign.

This is Laura’s third year entering the award, and after those

years of hard work and dedication, her efforts paid off. She

was overjoyed to win the award, thanking everyone who has

supported her and encouraging her fellow finalists to “never give

up” because it could be them winning the award next year.

Courtney Jackson from Be Ba Bo in New Plymouth was named

Runner-Up for the award.

HITO’s Training Salon of the Year, Tutor of the Year and

Trainer of the Year winners were also announced, along with

the recipient of the Jasmine McBeth Memorial Scholarship.

This year Julieanne Hartshorne from Hi-Tek Hair Studio in

Christchurch received the scholarship which was set up in

memory of Jasmine McBeth. Jasmine was a determined,

driven and passionate young apprentice (who previously won

Apprentice of the Year) who passed away from cancer in 2007.

This year was also a remarkable success for our Training

Salon of the Year, Reds Hairdressing in Wellington. This is the

second time Reds has won the award. Diana Beaufort, owner of

Reds, feels that they have certainly grown as a salon since last

winning and that receiving the award this year has validated all

their hard work over the last five years.

The Kitomba/NZARH award winners were also announced,

with H&B Hair Art and Beauty taking away the overall Kitomba/

NZARH New Zealand Salon of the Year Award.

We would like to congratulate each winner on their outstanding

commitment to training. It is exciting and encouraging to see

apprentices, trainers, salon owners, tutors and stylists being

recognised for the hard work and effort they continuously put

in. You can read more about each of these winners in this issue

of Forma.

The best in the industry turned up for the prestigious evening, from leading business owners, tutors and trainers to apprentices, stylists and supporters. Guests were entertained by ukulele players, Dee-licious dance group (a clear favourite with their humour-filled dance routines), and the Tall Poppies band. The Kiwiana theme was

enjoyed by all, with many guests dressing to match in New Zealand made and themed clothing.

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS FOR THE EVENT: A SHARPER BLADE, CHILLIEBIZ, DATELINE, DE LORENZO, GOLDWELL, KJ SCISSORS, SCHWARZKOPF, AND SHOCK CONSULT.

02

HITO APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

Winner: Laura Williams Jan Waite Hairdressing

Runner-up: Courtney Jackson Be Ba Bo

HITO REGIONAL APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

Northern Region: Kelly Clark Rodney Wayne Whangaparaoa

Auckland Region: Laura Williams Jan Waite Hairdressing

Midland Region: Amanda Pugh Hair Affair

Mid-Central Region: Courtney Jackson Be Ba Bo

Central Region: Renee Edgarton Promises Hair Design

Northern-South Region: Nadine Gratton Ursula Harris

Southern-South Region: Nicole Clark D’Or

JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Recipient: Julieanne Hartshorne Hi-Tek Hair Studio

Finalist: Lisa Gill Elise Hair Design

Finalist: Sydonie Lockwood Image Hair

OUR WINNERSHITO TUTOR OF THE YEAR

Winner: Donna Bowman Southern Institute of Technology

Finalist: Alta Koegelenberg Waikato School of Hairdressing

Finalist: Fiona Smith Western Institute of Technology

HITO TRAINER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Grant Bettjeman Bettjemans

Finalist: Yvonne Jenkinson Decadence of London

HITO TRAINING SALON OF THE YEAR

Winner: Reds Hairdressing

Finalist: Bettjemans

Finalist: Mane Salon

HITO HAIRDRESSER IN TRAINING PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION

Judges Choice: Zoe Loveridge The Hairdressing College

People’s Choice: Shannen Moffitt Allure Hair Studio

Facebook Choice: Abbie Harvey Charlotte Dawn

03

COURTNEY JACKSON AND LAURA WILLIAMS

THE INDUSTRY AWARDS

GUESTS DANCINGDEE LICIOUS PERFORMING DONNA BOWMAN AND ERICA CUMMING (HITO CEO)

GUESTS LOOKING AT PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION IMAGES

TABLE SETTINGS

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

04

LAURA WILLIAMS, APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

meet the winners

The HITO awards are given out each year to people who go above and beyond the norm in their area, whether that

is as a tutor, an apprentice, a trainer or a salon. Congratulations to the 2013 winners!

05

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

HITO APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

OVERALL WINNER: LAURA WILLIAMS

Jan Waite Hairdressing

Laura took home the title of 2013 HITO Apprentice of the Year

in October, and she could not be more thrilled with the win. In

the final year of her apprenticeship, Laura is excited to finish her

training on such a high note.

“HITO have given me an amazing opportunity to be looked

at by other apprentices current and new, and the ability to

show them you can achieve anything in this career even when

you’re just starting out. I know that I will have this title with me

forever and it is now ticked off my bucket list,” Laura says. “This

has been the icing on the cake for me this year, qualifying and

winning this award. I know I am becoming a great hairdresser

and I’m glad that I get to share my success with other people in

my industry and hopefully inspire them as well.”

Laura has entered Apprentice of the Year a number of times in

the past, and has been named the Auckland Regional Winner

for the last three years. For Laura, to finally win the overall

award is a dream come true.

“When they called out my name I felt a huge sense of relief.

I had an ‘oh my god, finally’ moment in my head and then

I felt happiness and excitement. It was amazing to have the

Jan Waite Hairdressing team around me supporting me as

well as my family”.

Laura’s passion for hairdressing began when she started an

after school job at a salon. She fell in love with the craft, and

soon decided to become an apprentice. She says it is difficult

to pick her favourite thing about hairdressing - she loves

everything.

Laura has some advice for apprentices wanting to win the

award themselves: “My advice would be: make sure you are

prepared. Spend time on your application answering the

questions and fully explain the answer. You have to believe

you’re good enough – make sure not to short change yourself

when you’re answering the questions. Also never give up: for

me this is the biggest piece of advice to give, this was my third

time being a regional winner and you just have to believe that

you are good enough and come back even more determined

next year - it will pay off. If you work hard and surround yourself

with inspiring people you can achieve anything!”

LAURA WILLAMS RECEIVING HER AWARD

06

WORK BY LAURA WILLIAMSWORK BY LAURA WILLIAMS

WORK BY LAURA WILLIAMS WORK BY COURTNEY JACKSON

07

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR REGIONAL WINNERS

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR RUNNER-UP AND MID-CENTRAL REGIONAL WINNER: COURTNEY JACKSON

Be Ba Bo

Courtney, a second year apprentice at Be Ba Bo Hair Studio

in New Plymouth, was tremendously excited to be both the

Mid-Central Regional Winner and Runner-up for the overall

Apprentice of the Year title.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” she says. “I feel like all my hard work

has paid off.”

Courtney loves to be creative, and it is this passion that led her

to begin training as a hairdresser. She enjoys expressing her

creativity through entering competitions.

Courtney believes it is her determined attitude, her passion,

her outgoing nature, and the hard work she has put in that has

helped her succeed in her hairdressing career so far.

NORTHERN REGIONAL WINNER: KELLY CLARK

Rodney Wayne Whangaparaoa

Kelly, who is in the second year of her apprenticeship at Rodney

Wayne in Whangaparaoa, says it is “amazing” to be named the

Northern Regional Winner for Apprentice of the Year.

“I never thought I’d get that call!”

Kelly works hard at her apprenticeship, always coming into

work with a positive attitude, ready to put 100% into everything

she does. She thinks this must have stood out to the judges.

She was inspired to start a career in hairdressing by her Aunt’s hair

and beauty work with the Royal London Shakespeare Company.

Kelly started off by doing Gateway through her high school, then

moved into an apprenticeship and has not looked back.

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

ERICA CUMMING (HITO CEO) AND COURTNEY JACKSONERICA CUMMING (HITO CEO) AND KELLY CLARK

08

MIDLAND REGIONAL WINNER: AMANDA PUGH

Hair Affair

In the final year of her apprenticeship at Hair Affair in Putaruru,

Amanda says it feels “fantastic” to be named the Midland

Regional Winner.

Amanda has wanted to be a hairdresser ever since she was

a child (she remembers always changing her hair, even at

nine years old) and she is enjoying everything about her

apprenticeship.

Amanda loves the idea of being able to talk to people in her job,

and she always “puts 120% effort into her apprenticeship”.

CENTRAL REGIONAL WINNER: RENEE EDGARTON

Promises Hair Design

Renee was stunned when she heard she was the Central

Regional Winner for Apprentice of the Year.

Halfway through her apprenticeship at Promises Hair Design

in Upper Hutt, Renee says she puts her “heart and soul” into

hairdressing. She loves absolutely everything about her career,

especially the fact that she can be creative.

Renee was inspired to enter the hairdressing industry by her

mother, who is also a hairdresser. She is determined to continue

succeeding and says she will “keep fighting until [she’s] on top”.

ERICA CUMMING (HITO CEO) AND RENEE EDGARTON

ERICA CUMMING (HITO CEO) AND AMANDA PUGH

09

NORTHERN-SOUTH REGIONAL WINNER: NADINE GRATTON

Ursula Harris

Nadine is a third year apprentice at Ursula Harris Hair Design in

Nelson. She was over the moon when she found out she was

the Northern-South Regional Apprentice of the Year winner.

“It’s fantastic to put in so much work and then find out it’s

gotten somewhere,” she says.

Having always been involved in the hairdressing industry,

Nadine says becoming an apprentice was the next logical step

for her career.

Her favourite part of hairdressing is interacting with clients and

making them feel valued, although, she says, she’s never come

across an aspect of hairdressing that she did not enjoy.

SOUTHERN-SOUTH REGIONAL WINNER: NICOLE CLARK

D’Or

Nicole is extremely excited to be the Southern-South Regional

Winner for Apprentice of the Year.

She says she has always wanted to be a hairdresser, even

though she was told by some to go to University instead. It was

after a bad experience at a salon that Nicole decided to pursue

her dream and go after a career in hair because she knew that

she could do better.

Now in the second year of her apprenticeship at D’Or Hair

Design in Arrowtown, Nicole says she loves absolutely

everything about her chosen career.

NICOLE CLARK AND ERICA CUMMING (HITO CEO)

NADINE GRATTON AND ERICA CUMMING (HITO CEO)

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

REGIONAL APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR WINNERS

10

JASMINE MCBETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

RECIPIENT: JULIEANNE HARTSHORNE

Hi-Tek Hair Studio

Julieanne, a recently qualified stylist at Hi-Tek Hair Studio in

Christchurch, is thrilled to be the 2013 recipient of the Jasmine

McBeth Memorial Scholarship.

“I couldn’t believe it; I think I went into a bit of shock! My legs

were like jelly and I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking.

I knew I was one of the three finalists but honestly I never

thought I would have won this great award with such a great

opportunity. It still doesn’t feel real to me. I am totally honoured

and so thankful to have this amazing award in remembrance of

such an inspirational, driven, courageous, beautiful young lady.

Thank you so much to the McBeth family for helping others to

achieve their dreams and goals in life.”

Although she had not planned on becoming a hairdresser, it

was after being given the opportunity to help out at a salon

that Julieanne fell in love with the trade. She really enjoys

working one-on-one with clients and seeing how happy she

can make them.

It has not been an easy path for Julieanne though, who took a

ten year hiatus from hairdressing to care for her parents and

have her own children. When she came back to the industry

she worked hard to complete all her remaining units in just

three months, which is no easy feat.

“It means so much to me to receive this very special award.

It shows me that my hard work is being noticed and sometimes

when you feel you’re working so hard and nobody notices just

how much effort you put in there`s always at least one person

that has noticed. This is what keeps you going and keeps your

spirit high to achieve the next goals in your life. Since winning

I have signed up to my business qualification with HITO – my

journey has only just begun”

She has completed her finals now and is looking into the next

steps to expand her skills and offer a wider range of services to

her clientele.

In the future, Julieanne sees herself supporting upcoming

apprentices to achieve their dreams too.

JULIEANNE HARTSHORNE AND ERICA CUMMING (HITO CEO)

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TRAINING SALON OF THE YEAR WINNER

TRAINER OF THE YEAR

WINNER: REDS HAIRDRESSING

Director Diana Beaufort and the team at Reds Hairdressing

were delighted to take home the prestigious title of HITO

Training Salon of the Year.

“It’s amazing, I’m still so excited,” says Diana.

This is the second time the Porirua based salon has won the

award. Diana says the team has grown a lot since their last

win and she’s thrilled to see their progress and hard work

recognised once again.

“We were up against two amazing salons that I really aspire to

be like, so I was not expecting to win,” she says.

Unfortunately Diana was unable to attend the awards evening

as she was in Australia, so her girls represented Reds and

accepted the award on her behalf.

“I was gutted I couldn’t be there, but it was so exciting getting the

text message that we had won. We broke out the champagne on

the South Bank of Melbourne! It was really good for the girls to be

part of it and experience the win themselves as well. Seeing first-

hand the validation of our work has helped them to be even more

engaged… they did me proud.”

WINNER: GRANT BETTJEMAN

Bettjemans

Grant Bettjeman, co-owner and trainer at Bettjemans in Auckland,

is thrilled to be the 2013 HITO Trainer of the Year.

“It’s always a thrill to be recognised for excellence in front of your

peers for something you do automatically. I was in good company

with my fellow finalist and the room was full of the best industry

trainers in NZ both past and present. I was pleased that three of

our apprentices were at the awards and saw the glamorous award

side of our industry first hand,” Grant says.

Apprenticeship training is extremely important at Bettjemans;

the team know that employees do not grow without training.

Clearly, the training that is being done is paying off! Bettjeman’s

apprentices have been doing well at the NZARH competitions, and

some were named Regional Finalists for HITO’s Apprentice of the

Year award.

Grant loves seeing his apprentices winning competitions,

becoming competent and confident in front of clients, and going

on to be accomplished young hairdressers.

“Winning the award was confirmation that we here at Bettjemans

are training well and are committed to turning out confident well

skilled qualified hairdressers. The five trainees we do have feel

encouraged that they are indeed in a good training environment.”

REDS HAIRDRESSING

GRANT BETTJEMAN (CENTRE) (TRAINER OF THE YEAR) WITH LORETTA THOMPSON (AUCKLAND SALES AND

LIAISON MANAGER) AND ERICA CUMMING (HITO CEO)

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

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DONNA BOWMAN (CENTRE) (TUTOR OF THE YEAR) WITH HITO STAFF FIONA T (LEFT) AND CATHY F (RIGHT)

TUTOR OF THE YEAR

WINNER: DONNA BOWMAN

Southern Institute of Technology

Southern Institute of Technology tutor Donna is the 2013 HITO

Tutor of the Year.

Donna is blown away by her win, having been extremely proud

and humbled to just be named among the award’s finalists.

“It is great to be recognised for doing well at educating our

future hairdressers. I have been overwhelmed with emails,

cards, Facebook messages and phone calls from students,

apprentices, tutors, local hairdressing industry, family and friends and colleagues throughout New Zealand and even

three of my former students who are now living in Australia.”

Donna loves the hairdressing industry and has been passionate

about education ever since she first started training apprentices

in a salon.

“What could be better than to have a whole classroom of

students to nurture, and pass on my knowledge and skills to?”

she says.

Donna hopes that winning the award will give her the

opportunity to help other educators. She also hopes to

continue her own education, learning from others in the

industry and giving back to them in turn.

For those who plan to enter next year, Donna has some advice,

“Put your name forward, and give it a go! Start thinking of filling

in the application early next year. I wasn’t looking forward to

filling in the application, but when I made a start and broke up

the questions and started a draft it gave me a chance to reflect

on my teaching practices and results. I got letters of support

from apprentices, students, salon owners, colleagues and when

I received them I felt very humble and no matter what happened

with my application I was so happy that people thought I was

doing a sterling job and I will treasure these letters always!”

“What could be better than to have a whole classroom of students to nurture, and pass on my knowledge and skills to?"

13

Every year, companies such as De Lorenzo, Schwarzkopf,

Dateline and many more generously agree to sponsor

the Industry Awards.

Each of our sponsors provides products, tools, and business

advice to our Award winners. Their names will no doubt be

familiar to past awards winners, who were extremely grateful

for the products and support provided.

HITO would like to thank our sponsors for 2013. They are a key

part of the awards, and we hope to maintain their support well

into the future.

A SHARPER BLADE

A Sharper Blade are the sponsors for the HITO Hairdresser

in Training Photographic Competition. They sponsor all three

awards given as part of this competition, with a total value

of $970.00.

CHILLIEBIZ

Chilliebiz are sponsors for the HITO Training Salon of the Year.

Chilliebiz provide one year’s Red membership on the Chilliebiz

website for the winning salon. This includes an extensive profile

and a variety of other marketing and support features.

DATELINE

Dateline are sponsors for the National Apprentice of the Year.

Dateline provide a prize pack (valued at $500) all packed into

a great Hipster Trolley Bag.

DE LORENZO

De Lorenzo are sponsors for the HITO Trainer of the Year.

They provide the winning trainer with a De Lorenzo product

basket, including a wide range of top quality products.

GOLDWELL

Goldwell are the sponsors for the Regional Apprentice of the Year.

They provide a Goldwell product basket for every Regional

Apprentice of the Year. Each Goldwell product basket is valued

at $500.

KJ SCISSORS

KJ Scissors are the sponsor for the Jasmine McBeth Memorial

Scholarship.

KJ Scissors provide a pair of their scissors to the recipient of

the Jasmine McBeth Memorial Scholarship.

SCHWARZKOPF

Schwarzkopf are the sponsors for the HITO Tutor of the

Year Award.

They provide the winning tutor with a Schwarzkopf gift basket.

SHOCK CONSULT

Shock Consult are sponsors for the HITO Training Salon of

the Year.

Shock Consult provide a training package to the value of $1900

including high performance salon coaching sessions and help

to establish a 6 month business plan.

2013 INDUSTRY AWARDS SPONSORS

HITO would like to thank our sponsors for 2013. They are a key part of the awards, and we hope to maintain their support well into the future.

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

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HITO’s Regional Apprentice of the Year winners are off to Boot Camp.

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In February 2014, seven people are getting the chance of a

lifetime: a boot camp hosted by Mana Dave and other key

industry people.

Kelly Clark, Laura Williams, Amanda Pugh, Courtney Jackson,

Renee Edgarton, Nadine Gratton, and Nicole Clark will head to

Auckland on 8 February 2013. They will be spending two nights

together in an apartment, getting to know and learn from

each other.

These young people all have one thing in common: in 2013,

each won HITO Regional Apprentice of the Year for their region.

Laura Williams also won the overall Apprentice of the Year

award, with Courtney Jackson as runner-up.

To win this award, these apprentices had to demonstrate “all

round achievement”. Each had to submit an application detailing

their achievements, their goals, and their skills and qualities as

an apprentice and a person. From over 50 applications, these

seven were selected by the judges as the top apprentices in

their regions.

They will hold their titles for one year. Each apprentice also

received prize packs from sponsors Goldwell and Dateline

(Dateline sponsored Laura’s win as the overall Apprentice

of the Year), and, of course, the opportunity to attend Boot

Camp with renowned stylist Mana Dave.

At Boot Camp, the apprentices will experience a variety

of activities. They will learn from experienced stylists and

professionals about how to achieve their career goals, how

to develop their ‘brand’, and they will learn about the

opportunities they have as a hairdresser – successful stylist,

salon owner, platform artist, tutor, editorial stylist and more.

They will look at setting their own career goals, and how they

can reach them, whatever they may be.

HITO is organising the Boot Camp with the help of some high

profile industry people including Mana Dave, three time winner

of New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year, who will lead the Boot

Camp. The L’Oreal team will support him and the event will

take place at the L’Oreal Academy in Auckland. L’Oreal will also

present on social media and the importance of technology to

the modern hairdresser. Other key industry people will also be

involved, helping the attendees become the best they can be.

The winners are excited to attend Boot Camp. All seven eagerly

agreed to attend, and are impatiently awaiting the event. They

had no idea that they would have this opportunity when they

entered for the Apprentice of the Year awards. They have

worked with HITO over the last few months to make sure this

event can happen for them.

Keep an eye out in February for updates from the Boot Camp

– the attendees will be posting to Instagram during the event.

We’ll also keep Facebook and other social media updated.

HITO looks forward to offering this opportunity to the future

hairdressing stars. We aim to offer this fantastic opportunity

again next year. So, if you want it to be you, make sure to apply

for our Apprentice of the Year award for 2014.

Take a look at the next issue of Forma for updates on how it went, profiles of the attendees, and more.

NICOLE CLARK AOTY SOUTHERN-SOUTH

REGIONAL WINNER

NADINE GRATTON AOTY NORTHERN-SOUTH

REGIONAL WINNER

MANA DAVE

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the art of education

We talk to Sharon Blain about her hairdressing and education success.

WORK BY SHARON BLAIN

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Sharon Blain always knew she wanted to be a hairdresser.

Her dedication to this dream was so strong that she

left school early, taking up her apprenticeship at the

age of fourteen. It has been 47 years since then, and she has

not once looked back. And no wonder: in her years in the

industry, Sharon has collected many hairdressing titles, had

photographic work in publications across the world, and started

an internationally renowned education business.

But her journey was not always easy. Sharon started her career

when TAFE (the Australian version of a Polytechnic) training

was not available to apprentices – instead, all training was

done in the salon by the senior staff members. Unfortunately,

Sharon’s boss did not provide any training, so it was up to

Sharon to educate herself.

Undeterred, Sharon set about organising her own training.

She has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in herself

and others and says this investment has made her and her

company so incredibly successful.

Since the beginning of her apprenticeship Sharon has trained

with top trainers across the world. For many years at a time,

Sharon travelled to Vidal Sassoon in London, studying there for

a month each time she visited. Sharon has continued to follow

Vidal Sassoon’s work and admires what they continue to do in

the industry.

“I believe the technical brilliance behind the Sassoon style

of cutting is what everyone needs to be successful today,”

Sharon says.

Sharon also had the opportunity to train with Vidal Sassoon

colourist Annie Humphreys (currently International Director

of Colour and Technical Research at Vidal Sassoon) – a week

of learning Sharon says she will never forget.

“I did a week of intensive creative colouring with Annie

Humphreys,” Sharon says. “This was essential at the time

because I was on the floor as a colourist/stylist with a huge

team of staff to train”.

And this training, with her other experiences at Vidal Sassoon,

still helps her today. Although she no longer does colour work,

Sharon’s time with Annie Humphreys allows Sharon to give

brilliant direction on what colour work she wants on her models

If you're a hairdresser, there’s an excellent chance you've heard of Sharon Blain. With 47 years’ experience in the industry, Sharon is a leading authority on all things hairdressing and all things education. We asked her about her journey as a

hairdresser, her education tips, and her advice for other hairdressers looking to succeed in the industry.

SHARON BLAIN TEACHING

19

today. Her cutting training (something Vidal Sassoon specialises

in) also taught her to be precise, to blow dry to a high standard,

and to take face shapes and suitability of hairstyle into account.

These are skills Sharon (and indeed any hairdresser) can

employ throughout their career. Sharon says it is the clean

parting, and the precise and technical nature of the Sassoon

style in particular that have stayed with her today.

Sharon also had the opportunity to train with Ann and

Gary Bray, two of the top competition trainers in the world.

Ann and Gary have a long history of competition wins, Ann

herself having won more than 200 competition titles. They

were also key members of the Pivot Point team, working

closely with Pivot Point founder Leo Passage for many years.

The skills Sharon learned from Ann and Gary kick-started her

successful competition career in the 1990’s.

“The skills I learned from [Ann and Gary] have inspired my

success,” Sharon says. “I always say the skills taught in my

classes today come from my competition experience”.

And that experience is vast, including coaching the Australian

team for the World Cup in Tokyo (at which they won Oceanic

Region of the World) and representing Australia five times

internationally. Sharon also won IHS National Hairdresser

of the Year and placed 7th in the European Hairdressing

Championships. In 1995, Sharon was admitted to the Hair

Expo Hall of Fame, acknowledging her many achievements

in, and contributions to, the industry. She has also won a series

of education and business awards over the last ten years,

including Hair Expo Educator of the Year 2009-2011, the

Global Salon Business Award in 2006, and many, many more.

This competition experience has influenced her career to this day.

It taught her how to make a hair style sleek, clean, and polished

– presentation being key in competition work. It also helped her

develop an eye for balance and design. Both are skills that have

enhanced Sharon’s success and that of her students.

The success of her trainees is of paramount importance.

Sharon spends hundreds of hours and dollars on providing the

best training for her employees, her trainees, and, of course,

herself. She allows a minimum of five hours on top of her

already hectic schedule to develop her ideas and perfect her

techniques. She puts her employees through a weekly training

programme.

“Growing is vital, and training boosts motivation and confidence,”

Sharon says. “I believe it is my duty to continue to grow the best

hairdressers in the industry. It is my name and reputation that my

apprentices have, and I want to produce the best I can”.

And Sharon is more than able to do this, providing training classes

all over the world with her company, Sharon Blain Education. She

provides her famous Boot Camp worldwide, teaching leading

platform educators, top Hollywood stylists, and many more of the

best in the business. She also offers educational resources – books,

DVDs, and more – that allow trainees everywhere to benefit from

her knowledge and experience.

Sharon’s dedication to training has been lifelong, but it was

her work as a platform educator that eventually inspired her

to start her own company. Although Sharon loved working as

an educator for various product companies, she realised that

a product company limited her when it came to delivering

her own content. Sharon wanted to teach internationally and

develop her own courses, but this was not easy to do with a

product company. So Sharon started her own company, and

it’s been going strong since then.

One of Sharon’s goals was to offer training around long hair work.

She noticed there was a gap in the market – educators were

delivering cutting and colouring classes, but no one was delivering

client based long hair classes. What long hair education there was

available was session focused, not client focused.

For Sharon, practical, client focused skills are extremely

important. Although Sharon teaches many of the world’s top

industry people, she also teaches trainees at many other skill

levels. Sharon knows these trainees need skills that are widely

applicable, and she aims to teach these skills in all her classes.

She wants them to learn styles they can apply throughout

their career, much the same way Sharon has learned widely

applicable and long-lasting skills from those who trained her.

It is this that makes her job so rewarding, Sharon says.

And Sharon hopes to see these successes continue far into

the future. In 2014, Sharon plans to develop two new DVDs,

continuing to provide easily accessible education to trainees

around the world. She also plans to continue her focus on long

hair, developing new products and accessories to help simplify

dressing long hair for all hairdressers. Finally, Sharon plans to

continue to develop the Sharon Blain Art of Education brand,

eventually becoming recognised as the leader in long hair

education across the globe.

For Sharon, patience and empathy have been key to her success,

and she says developing these skills is vital in gaining respect as

an educator. It is also vital to be approachable and down-to-earth

– this makes it easier for your trainees to approach you. And for

those of you who want the same success in your career, Sharon

has some advice.

“Practice, practice, practice – you must be a master of your

craft before you can educate another,” Sharon says. “Invest

in yourself and enter awards to gain credibility within in the

industry. And never stop learning. Be prepared to reinvent

yourself and continue to change”.

“Seeing the most unskilled student create fantastic looks, observing their growth and seeing their confidence grow makes me feel I have done a good job.”

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

20

THIS PAGE: WORK BY SHARON BLAIN

21

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

"I believe it is my duty to continue to grow the best hairdressers in the industry. It is my name and reputation that my apprentices have, and I want to produce the best I can”.

SHARON’S TOP TIPS FOR SUCCESSBE THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS

Continue to develop your personal skills and platform

presentation skills and those of your trainees.

Never stop learning, continue to learn new skills and be current

with everything you teach. If you want to be a top educator

seek out courses in public speaking and self-development

classes to boost your confidence. Seek out qualifications in

the area you specialise in.

UNDER PROMISE BUT ALWAYS OVER DELIVER

I love it when my students say my course was even better than

expected. It is all the little ideas, tips and tricks that make the

course outstanding.

I always set out to challenge myself to make sure every student

is motivated, confident and excited by their learning. I want

them to tell others how great the class was and that they want

to rebook. Education classes are no different from our salon

clients - we want them to come back, so you do whatever it

takes to do this.

MAKE SURE YOU TEACH LOOKS THAT ARE USABLE BACK IN THE SALONS

Students want to attend a class where they can learn new

techniques that allow them to grow their skills. Students have

a small budget to use on skill development. As an educator you

are responsible for delivering a programme that is capable of

doing this. No one wants to pay good money to see crazy mad

styles that are useless and unsuitable for their client base.

KEEP AHEAD OF THE FASHION AND STAY CURRENT

Allow ten hours each week to research current hair and fashion

looks. I like to have a tripod and head ready to practice new

ideas and work on new looks. I follow Pinterest for new ideas

and look at the latest runway hair to help me observe trends

and new directions.

Sharon Blain is coming to New Zealand!

GET THE CHANCE TO TRAIN WITH SHARON HERSELF AT HER 2014 NEW ZEALAND MASTERCLASS.

COURSE : 2 DAY MASTERCLASS NZ

DESCRIPTION JOIN SHARON BLAIN FOR TWO ACTION PACKED DAYS STYLING LONG HAIR. FEATURING A MIX OF GLAMOUR AND RETRO, YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT THE MOST CURRENT TRENDS, INCLUDE BRAIDING, WAVES, TEXTURE SETTING, SEWING, STUNNING CURLS, UP AND DOWN HAIR AND MUCH MORE. THIS EXCITING INTENSIVE HANDS-ON WORKSHOP WILL GIVE YOU A HOST OF CREATIVE IDEAS TO TAKE YOUR LONG HAIRDRESSING IN NEW DIRECTIONS.

DATE: SUNDAY 30 - MONDAY 31 MARCH 2014 | LOCATION: GOLDWELL STUDIOS, AUCKLAND | COST: $880 INC. GST BOOKINGS: WWW.SHARONBLAIN.COM

22

SHARON’S TOP TIPS FOR SUCCESS

always be down-to-earth

& have integrityDo not develop a ‘diva' attitude. This does not endear you to others.

Always be believable and approachable.

THIS PAGE: WORK BY SHARON BLAIN

23

PHONE 04 499 1180

EMAIL ENQUIRIES@HITO.ORG.NZ

WEB WWW.HITO.ORG.NZ

FIND OUT WHY A CAREER IN

HAIRDRESSING STARTS WITH A HITO

APPRENTICESHIP

24

keeping your top performers

engagedAs an employer, who should get your attention?

25

Often it’s the problem staff members that employers spend the most time dealing with. Trying to manage poor attendance or productivity, dealing with complaints etc. all take time away from those who are your business best resources – your top performers

The lifeblood of every business is its employees. Given

this critical fact, you may assume every business has

a detailed plan, and solid processes in place to ensure

employees are engaged. Unfortunately, this is generally not the

case. Many companies continue to assume that if they offer a

good service and if customers continue to buy those products

or services, then employees should be happy.

Employers typically do just enough to ensure the majority

of employees don’t leave; they train just enough, they offer

just enough benefits, and they give just enough positive

reinforcement. Is this the right way to approach employee loyalty?

Consider these two startling facts:

• Eachyeartheaveragecompanyloses20-50%ofits

employee base – Bain & Company

• Replacingalostemployeecosts150%ofthatperson’s

annual salary – Columbia University

Because the cost of replacing employees is so high, and the

fact that so many continue to leave, businesses who effectively

manage employee engagement can turn these facts around,

making these burdens a strength. They can generate increased

productivity, happier employees who willingly promote the

business, and eventually, greater profits and other positive

business outcomes.

As an employer, you need to understand why your employees

are emotionally connected to your business – and it’s generally

much more than salaries, training, or benefits. Research shows

that emotionally connected employees are the best employees

because they are engaged and productive, and they feel validated

and appreciated.

Ultimately, with engaged employees, everyone wins.

ENGAGED EMPLOYEES ARE THE BEST EMPLOYEES

An engaged employee is a person who is enthusiastic about

their work. Improving employee engagement directly impacts

measurable business outcomes. Employees who are committed

to success, emotionally attached, and socially involved with a

company demonstrate qualities that business managers' thirst

to have. Engaged employees are more productive at work, take

less sick days and exhibit other favourable behaviour, promote

the business to others and show their happiness to customers.

In short, engaged employees are the best employees.

YOU CAN MANAGE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Employee engagement can be improved by aligning the goals of

the business with the goals of the individual. Employee motivation

should be associated with traditional rewards, such as pay and

compensation, but also with emotional rewards such as personal

growth, working for a common cause, being part of a high-

performance team, and being recognized for achievements.

You can make dramatic improvements in your employee

engagement

Through management of engagement, you can increase the

loyalty of employees.

But how? You need to know what drives engagement. Why are employees emotionally connected to you?

There are four main areas of emphasis which are critical to

understanding why employees are emotionally connected to a

business. They are:

1. being helpful

2. feeling competent and improved

3. feeling accepted and

4. feeling respected.

So what specific techniques can you use to improve them?

BENEFITS OF ENGAGED EMPLOYEES:

1. Improved productivity

2. More customer-focused

3. Improved safety

4. Reduced voluntary separations

5. Improved morale/attitude

6. Reduced sick days

7. Reduced involuntary separations

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

26

PRINCIPLE: START BY MEASURING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENTThe process of measuring employee engagement can range

from extremely simple to highly complex. Measuring your

employee’s passion about work and the work environment

can be as simple as issuing a survey with a few questions

around the ideas of:

• Jobsatisfaction

• Productivity

• Qualityofpeers

• Likelihoodtochangejobs

• Likelihoodtorecommendsalon/spaproductsorservices

• Likelihoodtorecommendasagreatplacetowork

• Satisfactionwithpay&benefits

ACTION 1. USE A LIKERT SCALE

Using a scale of agreement (or Likert Scale), your survey

can measure your employee engagement. Collecting other

open-ended comments along with the raw numbers can help

identify inexpensive opportunities to make employees happy.

ACTION 2. GATHER COMPLIMENTS

Gathering compliments, as well as concerns, will help you

find out if your actions are beneficial and offer a lasting benefit

to your employees. Consider the following anonymous

compliment and complaint printed word for word from a

Banking employee survey:

“My manager is very proactive in discussing my

abilities and goals with me and we arrive at a goal

together; one that is realistic and achievable.”

THE LIKERT SCALE

A Likert scale (pronounced 'lick-urt') is a type of

psychometric response scale often used in questionnaires,

and is the most widely used scale in survey research.

I will look for another job in the next 12 months

1. Strongly disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neither agree nor disagree

4. Agree

5. Strongly agree

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ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

“It bothers me that our customers get better

benefits with their accounts than we do as

employees. Everybody makes a mistake once in a

while with their accounts; it’s unbelievable that an

employee gets two overdraft reversals in a lifetime.”

These two feedback items helped a business confirm the

effectiveness of its management programme and work on

morale boosters for its employees.

PRINCIPLE: PROMOTE AND MANAGE “BEING HELPFUL”Employees want to feel that they are making a positive

contribution. An apathetic employee just works for pay,

but an engaged employee perceives their job as important.

Being helpful means that employees feel like they are making

a difference, no matter what role they play in the business.

‘Being helpful’ means that employees can take pride in

delivering outstanding quality, service, and value to clients.

It means that employees feel empowered to solve client

problems. To increase ‘being helpful’ in your business, try

these two actions:

ACTION 3. HELP EMPLOYEES SEE THE BIG PICTURE

Help your employees to see the big picture, how they

contribute to a functioning whole.

A ‘chain of clients’ exists from the bottom of the business

up to the top. Where receptionists welcome a client, stylists

must service the client, supervisors/trainers/managers must

serve and empower, and so on up to the business owner or

governance board.

ACTION 4. USE SECRET SHOPPERS

Use secret shoppers not just to grade the client’s service but

also to measure frontline processes. Is the client’s experience

a simple and well supported one? Chances are your secret

shoppers can find process gaps that your employees know

how to solve. By empowering employees to provide first-class

service they feel like they are being helpful.

PRINCIPLE: YOUR EMPLOYEES MUST FEEL CONFIDENT AND IMPROVEDEmployees want to feel like they can do their assigned job

confidently. They want a secure future and to feel that they

are progressing in their own personal life goals. It is surprising

that often businesses slash training budgets to save costs, not

realising that both the client’s service and staff morale suffer

from inadequate training.

By investing in career advancement and opportunities to

improve skills through training, employers can improve their

employee engagement. An employee who is feeling confident

and improved by the business actively promotes the business

to clients and other potential employees.

ACTION 5. CLOSE THE TRAINING GAPS

Make sure there are no major training gaps in your organisation.

Training should be up-to-date. Make sure employees know

about training opportunities. Some larger or more sophisticated

organisations have a Learning Management System in place to

measure training and results.

ACTION 6. MENTORING PROGRAM

Train and encourage experienced employees to be mentors.

A mentoring program can facilitate dynamic skill growth

throughout your business. Informal learning can be as

influential as formal learning programs.

PRINCIPLE: HELP EMPLOYEES FEEL ACCEPTEDEmployees must be accepted as contributors by their

peers at work. Teams may encourage a challenging but

supportive environment. Organisational behaviourists of the

past recommended that reducing stress at work improves

engagement.

New research says that stressful environments can be healthy,

provided that employees are passionate about what they do.

Strong, loyal teams provide one level of acceptance. Adequate

benefits programmes enable employees to feel accepted, not

expendable. Employees who become more engaged through

increased acceptance tend to share common bonds and

beliefs about your business goals.

ACTION 7. PROMOTE TEAM BUILDING

Encourage team building activities in your employees.

Some managers/employers see the team building as a pointless

waste of time. However, there are benefits to creating trust and

acceptance among colleagues. Team building activities don’t have

to be expensive. Inexpensive ideas for trust building activities are

available through a simple web search.

ACTION 8. BUILD A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT BEFORE ADDRESSING PAY COMPLAINTS

Sometimes dissatisfaction with wages merits investigation.

But often, dissatisfaction with wages and benefits masks

problems that relate back to acceptance by a team or manager/

employer. Often employees voice any problem in terms of

a pay issue. Employees may need appropriate coping skills,

problem-solving skills, knowledge or technical skill gaps, tactics

for handling difficult situations, or help expressing their own

personal feelings.

28

PRINCIPLE: EMPLOYEES WANT TO FEEL RESPECTED“Employees don’t leave their job, they leave their manager”

is the mantra heard for many years in Human Resources

circles. To feel respected, employees should feel like the

company regards them as an important asset. Employees

should feel like their manager has realistic expectations about

what they can achieve. And, managers must be fair and even-

handed.

Nothing makes employees angrier than seeing a peer receive

special treatment when they have broken the rules or have not

been performing. Managers have the unique role of enforcing

rules or policies while at the same time removing barriers and

excuses for employee performance.

ACTION 9. DON’T BE AFRAID TO TELL THEM THE TRUTH

Respect your employees through degrees of transparency.

Communicate how your business is actually doing monthly,

quarterly or semi-annually. Give your employees confidence

in the future and information to understand shifts in rules

or policies.

ACTION 10. RETRAIN OR GET RID OF BAD MANAGERS

A bad manager can pollute your business. Your most talented

employees will be the first ones to leave in the face of poor

management. Poor managers bring down the morale of

employees, which in turn spills over to the engagement level

of customers and ultimately reflects poorly in your profits.

ACTION 11. RECOGNISE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS

Recognition from a supervisor, manager or employer makes

a meaningful, engaging difference in employee morale,

especially when that recognition comes from someone

one or two levels “above” the employee.

LET TECHNOLOGY HELP YOU MANAGE ENGAGEMENTUse technology to help you understand the heart and mind

of your employees.

Don’t try to figure it all out in a single annual survey, or through a

feedback email link you send out once in a blue moon. You need

to collect feedback often, and in all possible collection points, both

solicited and unsolicited. Then you need to genuinely listen and

respond to what is submitted. This creates a win-win relationship.

A word of caution: most employees are sceptical of any feed-

back system that is offered by their business. They fear their

submissions will not be confidential, so they don’t submit truthful

information, or they don’t submit anything at all. Anonymity is

vital in any formal feedback process to get a straight answer.

Sometimes anonymity is just not feasible when there are only

29

two employees – in that case, be aware that you may not get the

whole or even part of the whole truth. Use a mixture of feedback

over time.

UNDERSTAND THE ‘HEART AND MIND’ OF EMPLOYEESTo know the heart and mind of employees, you should ask

them questions that draw out truthful answers to the four

topics we just discussed: being helpful, feeling confident and

improved, feeling accepted and feeling respected. You should

ask these questions regularly, and you will bring to life the

employee engagement level at your business.

You will truly know what makes them emotionally connected

to your business, spot trends, and become empowered to

be proactive instead of reactive. Happy clients will follow,

which will then lead to increased profits and other positive

business outcomes.

Start working right away because what is crucial is that

you start!

Having highly engaged employees is one of the most

worthy goals any business can seek.

KEEPING YOUR TOP PERFORMERS LOYALHigh-performing employees are your most important asset.

Here's how to keep them around for the long term.

It's no secret that some employees perform better than

others. And while it takes all kinds of people to make the

world go 'round, high performers are every company's most

valuable resource. These are the employees who bring the

greatest value to your business and to your customers. It pays

to do whatever you can to keep them happy, engaged and

with your company for the long run.

Here are five steps that will keep your high performers from

looking elsewhere.

1. KEEP THEM ENTERTAINED

One reason these employees excel is that they are smart, active

and curious. They are always looking for something new and

entertaining to do. Satisfy that need by providing them with

a constant stream of interesting assignments and projects.

Need some new ideas on how to cut costs in your shipping

operation while making it greener? Or looking for new ways

to promote your services via social media? Offer your high

performers the assignment.

2. GIVE THEM VISIBILITY

Everyone wants to be recognised when they do something good

for their organisations, and your best employees are no different.

Provide them the visibility they crave by inviting them to give

presentations, lead meetings or take part in training. Encourage

them to make connections with other high performers in your

industry and to work on projects/campaigns together--and then

invite them to present the results to your team.

3. PROVIDE THEM WITH MENTORS

Your top employees will benefit (and be further engaged in

their organisation and in their work) from being assigned to

a mentor who can help provide advice, career guidance and

connections to others in their network. But it shouldn't be just

any mentor--find senior employees who have a real knack for

engaging with younger people, while giving them the advice

and support they need.

4. MAKE THEM RESPONSIBLE AND THEN REWARD THEM

The stronger the employee, the more they will thrive on being

challenged by work. While they may occasionally make mistakes-

-or even fail--don't hesitate to delegate prestigious tasks to your

high performers. Put them in charge of a marketing campaign,

assign them to a leadership roles, or have them start a new

venture in an entirely new area of your business. And, when they

perform well, don't forget to reward them for their hard work.

5. CREATE CLEAR PATHWAYS FOR GROWTH

It's essential to make it clear to your top employees that they will

have opportunities for advancement. If they don't see a future

with your organisation, or if they think that they will have to wait

too long to advance, then they will look for opportunities outside

your company. Set aside time to chart out a career plan, with clear

milestones, training and assessments along the way. Expose them

to a broad and varied range of assignments so they will have the

exposure they need to become effective executives.

It's never a good time to lose a great employee. Make a point of

identifying your high-performing employees, and then actively

take steps to ensure you retain them.

TURNOVER IN TOUGH TIMESWhen the economy is slow and unemployment rates are high,

it’s easy to think your employees will happily stay put in their

current jobs. But that is a dangerous assumption. Research

shows that voluntary turnover rates increase as consumer

confidence builds. This means, as a manager, you need to

figure out ways to retain your top performers, even if your

company is still in a slump.

There is no doubt that as a manager, the pressure is on.

The largest predictor of whether someone will stay with a

business is their satisfaction with their immediate boss. Your

employees are likely looking to you for inspiration and guidance

during these tough times, and you may have little, or nothing,

to offer them in terms of advancement or compensation.

Fortunately you have many other levers available to you that

can motivate your stars and keep them happy. Relying on

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

30

those other levers may cost you and your business nothing,

but often they have huge value to your stars.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

As a manager, your role is to figure out which of those benefits

matter most to your people. Making use of low-cost levers is a

great way to show your stars that you appreciate them, value

their work, and are invested in their careers. Find the levers

where the value to the individual is greater than the cost to

the company. Here are some of the tools you might rely on

when budgets are tight.

1. Praise for quality work. This is one of the most inexpensive,

and unfortunately, underused levers available to managers.

Conger says, “There is a praise deficit in almost all companies.”

Yet praise can go a long way in demonstrating to your top

performers how much you value them. Be sure to express

gratitude for work that is above and beyond normal standards.

Be specific and be sure that your praise is tied to a legitimate

accomplishment.

2. Challenging projects and assignments. To keep your top

performer engaged, provide her with the opportunity to

work on a new project or tasks that builds skills and gives

the employee a chance to shine. This might be a team

project that brings your star together with other stars from

different salons or businesses or this might be a solo project

that demonstrates your confidence in their ability.

Be careful when assigning these kinds of projects.

No one wants to hear that in lieu better pay they are

receiving more work – that is not going to go down well!

Ensure they understand that this is a vote of confidence

and an opportunity for them to build additional skills, not

a way to overburden them.

3. Development opportunities. Many managers neglect to

use this lever because learning and development budgets

are being cut or non-existent. However, there are many

inexpensive or free ways to develop skills. You can also find

your star a mentor that is more senior in the business or

in your industry and perhaps shares a similar background.

You can also contribute to the development of others by

asking your star to teach a skill that they are particularly

adept at. If they are known for closing sales on products or

negotiating favourable deals with product companies, ask

them to design and lead a negotiation session for other

sales people. This will allow them to serve as a role model

while deepening their expertise in the area.

4. Non-monetary perks. There are also a whole host of perks

that cost little or nothing for you to provide, such as flexibility,

better work/life balance, or more autonomy. Businesses tend

to become more controlling in tough times, and it’s vital to

counter that tendency. Ask your stars what matters most to

them. If your star has a young family, find ways to be more

flexible with working hours. If they want to take additional

training, give them time off to do so. More often than not

these perks leads to the right set of behaviours.

MANAGE ANXIETIES AND FRUSTRATION

When salaries are frozen or profits are down it is inevitable

that some top performers will become frustrated and anxious

over their future. Your role as a manager is to respond to these

frustrations. When faced with a discouraged star, consider

using yourself as a role model. Share your reasons why you

are staying around. If possible, create more of those types of

opportunities for your star.

OVER-COMMUNICATE

Open communication with your stars is critical. In fact, in tough

times, managers/employers should over-communicate to help

alleviate fear and anxiety. Be transparent about the business

situation and outlook for the future. The more you share

information, the more buy-in you have.

But be careful not to make promises you cannot keep.

People have extremely long memories. Be specific and explicit

about why the star is needed at the organisation. Describe the

pathway to the future in a realistic way and be candid about

the challenges ahead.

CULTURE MATTERS MORE THAN EVER

A strong culture is instrumental in retaining stars. Businesses

should focus on building a strong culture so that top performers

feel compelled to stay even if the business is struggling. Consider

programmes that reduce stress and engage employees to focus

on work. Everything from a free coffee to ensuring that work

content is interesting and challenging. Open communication

with all employees helps eliminate the “fear factor”.

In a small business, you can influence or direct your culture.

Your actions and interactions with your top performers

contribute to that culture.

PRINCIPLES TO REMEMBERDO:

1. Find out what benefits matter most to your employees

2. Communicate more than you think you need to

3. Be realistic about people’s anxieties and frustrations

DON’T:

1. Forget that satisfaction with an immediate boss factors

heavily into people’s decisions to stay with a company

2. Assume that a bad economy guarantees that your star

employees will not leave

3. Think that money is your only tool to motivate your

employees.

31

JOCELYN VAN BEYERE, SASSY HAIR

see your work in print

MODEL: ASHLEIGH VERMAAK

MODEL: GEORGIE MALCOLM

MODEL: BRITTANY ARTHUR

32

Name: Jocelyn van Beyere

Salon: Sassy Hair

Name of models: Ashleigh Vermaak, Georgie Malcolm and Brittany Arthur

Name of photographer: Jonny Knopp

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO FOLLOW A HAIRDRESSING APPRENTICESHIP PATHWAY?

Being a creative person who loves working one-on-one with

people, I decided to combine the two and get the best out

of both. I wanted every day of my life to be different, and

hairdressing gives me just that.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF BEING AN APPRENTICE?

Constantly learning and discovering new techniques and

perfecting different styles. I enjoy growing with my clientele,

and constantly being able to offer them more. I find hands-on

practical work, combined with theory, is a well-balanced way to

learn for a practical person.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF DOING FASHION OR PHOTOGRAPHIC WORK?

My favourite part would be stretching my creativity to its full

potential without meeting anyone’s expectations except my

own. To see all your hard work in print is like seeing the creative

side of your personality displayed on paper.

WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS FOR YOUR CAREER IN HAIRDRESSING?

To build a strong, faithful clientele. One where I not only meet

their hairdressing needs, but their needs of a more personal

nature. Where I can journey with them and offer my support

and a gentle listening ear.

WHO INSPIRES YOU IN YOUR HAIRDRESSING CAREER, AND WHY DO THEY INSPIRE YOU?

Patrick Cameron is a great inspiration. The way he portrays

his passion for long hair and the ease with which he works are

things I aspire to. Megan Jamieson, one of my off-job training

tutors, is also an inspiration as she has shown me how to relax

in my work, and let your natural ability take over.

WHAT WAS THIS PHOTOGRAPHIC WORK FOR?

To see what I could accomplish, what my ideas could come

together as, and just how much I have grown over the time I

have been hairdressing.

WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION?

I researched Grecian hairstyles, and that played a part in the

inspiration for my work, tied in with the theme of my styles

being natural and organic and letting simplicity be a key factor.

HOW DID YOU ACHIEVE THIS LOOK?

My styles involved a great deal of back-combing, braiding,

bobby pins and, most importantly, hairspray.

WHAT PRODUCTS DID YOU USE?

I enjoy working with Schwarzkopf products, so I worked mainly

with Silhouette ‘Flexible Hold’ Hairspray, Osis ‘Dust It’ and Osis

‘Thrill’ Fibre Gum.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

• Supportthroughoutmytraining–DorothyEmmerson

• Photographer–JonnyKnopp

• Make-upArtist–KarenShepard

SEE YOUR WORK IN PRINT

MODEL: GEORGIE MALCOLM

33

Are you a HITO apprentice?

This is your chance to have your work published in an issue of Forma Magazine.

If you have photographic work that you are proud of, we want to know.

Give HITO a call on (04) 499 1180 or email enquiries@hito.org.nz to find out how to send your photographs in and have the opportunity to be published in Forma.

SEE YOUR WORK IN PRINT

34

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME – MOST OF THE TIME!

Malcolm Gibbons, owner of Shock Consult and experienced business consultant, shares his top business advice on making the most of your time

REDS HAIRDRESSING AND THEIR SPONSORS RENEE FROM CHILLIEBIZ (IN PINK) AND MALCOLM GIBBONS FROM SHOCK CONSULT

Your salon needs your time, and so do your spouse,

partner, children, friends, clients, team, and just about

anyone else you can think of. And of course you also

need some time for you to relax, rejuvenate and enjoy. But you,

like all of us, have only 24 hours a day and have limited time

for everyone. So how do you manage this? You cannot change

time - the only thing you can change is you and your way of

managing time.

Here are some ideas and smart ways to manage your time

more efficiently. Using these ideas will mean you can dedicate

some quality time to your salon business to make it more

successful. Every aspect of running your salon needs your

time and attention, and not managing your time properly will

and probably does cost you a lot of money. Every day you lose

time, you get further and further behind – resulting in more lost

opportunity and profit.

When was the last time you just sat down and figured out

exactly what you want to achieve for your salon and you?

Try setting your alarm half an hour earlier in the morning:

this allows you to take some ‘you’ time to think with an

open and fresh mind about your business.

So get up early, make yourself your favourite morning drink

(mine’s a really nice quality cup of percolated coffee) and sit

somewhere quiet with a notepad and reflect on your wants

and needs. Then make some notes on how you will change

what you are doing to bring you closer to achieving your

wants and needs. The next morning you should reflect on

yesterday and look at how you could have arranged and done

things differently to free up some of your time. This morning

time should be time when people around you bother you less,

(they are still in bed) and you get some time alone to think and

create ideas.

TIME MANAGEMENT QUALITIES TO DEVELOP:SET PRIORITIES

Create some time to think about your business and which areas,

in your opinion, need more attention. You can also discuss it with

a mentor or coach to help you set these priorities. Ideally write

them down in your diary or make a list and put it somewhere

where you can see and access it conveniently. Whenever

you look at it, you will be reminded of your priorities.

35

PREPARE A “TO DO” LIST

In the morning quiet time, always prepare a “to do” list and try to

keep it in front of you all the time. On your desk or even on your

Smartphone is a good place for this. Make it a habit to complete

the entire list. You can do this by organising yourself and not

wasting your time. Remember to make it achievable, however -

there is nothing worse than piling your “to do” list high with tasks

that you know you won’t complete in a day. My favourite thing to

do on a Monday morning is to set 3 tasks to achieve this week. I

write them down and then plan when and how I’ll do them (these

are tasks over and above normal ‘work stuff’ and should

be directly taking you closer to your goals).

ORGANISE YOURSELF

Use reminders or work plans to remember things you have to

do any particular day – and do them when they’re scheduled.

Do the unsavoury ones first… then they’re out of the way,

leaving the more pleasant ones to be done later. (The first

thing to do is to read the book Eat That Frog - 21 ways to stop

procrastinating and get more done in less time by Brian Tracy

– it contains some excellent advice on this subject).

SET GOALS AND STAY FOCUSSED

Set goals tied in with your vision. If you are focused, organised

and determined, you will be able to meet (or exceed) your goals.

IDENTIFY THE OBSTACLES IN YOUR TIME MANAGEMENT

Keep your team or friends out of your way when it is time for

business. Keep all the time thieves (you know who they are!)

away from you during the hours you have allocated for completing

the task list - you and your salon will benefit from doing this.

MAKE YOUR TIME PRODUCTIVE

Learning new ways to make your time productive is crucial.

For example, when chit chatting with your clients you can

always, between your conversations, introduce a new product

or service. In the same way, while meeting with the company

reps you can discuss the talk of the town or what the market

is up to. Just see how you can utilise your time gaining and

sharing important information.

You can only do all this when you manage your time. If you have

problems and cannot handle or organise yourself, there is no

harm in discussing it with a professional. This will always help you,

because without a proper time management process, you won’t

be able to reach the high level of success you may desire.

A salon business needs the owners’ time in several areas including:

Customers: Allocate time when you always interact with your

clients and take their feedback on the team, décor, services

and products.

Team: Interact with them and keep an open door policy or

maybe an open email policy. It is possible that, in their spare

time, your team members may come and start discussing

general topics, which can waste your time: be careful with this

as this is a common time thief practice. I am not saying that

you should ignore them, but set rules in place that allow you

to be free to work uninterrupted and then discuss their ideas

in your allocated time.

Market updates: Assign time to keep yourself updated with

what is happening in the market: What new trends are coming

and which are leaving the market? Also keep yourself posted

with new products.

Social networks: Connect with market specialists – Facebook is

awesome for this. Assign a time, at least once or maybe twice a

week, to socialise with industry peers, specialists, suppliers and

experts to know what is happening around the industry and

what the upcoming developments are.

Answer complaints efficiently: As a daily routine, allow time to

listen and review any client’s complaints that may have been

made during their visits.

Many salon owners are time poor, and that’s because they

struggle with managing the time available. Remember to plan,

focus and also delegate so you can get the important things

done quickly and efficiently, allowing yourself time to enjoy

your salon and life outside it.

Malcolm Gibbons helps Hair & Beauty Salon Owners have

better businesses every day - and says: "My Passion is people,

my Enthusiasm is Business and my Mission is to assist salon

owners in achieving the dream they had when first going

into business".

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

36

As the day flies by, do you often feel as if you haven't

paid enough attention to each task because other

things keep landing on your desk, staff or clients

interrupt you with questions or you can't get it all organised?

You probably know that managing your time effectively will

help you get more done each day. But it has important

health benefits, too. As an employer and business owner,

managing your time wisely can minimise stress and improve

your quality of life.

But how do you get back on track when organisational skills

don't come naturally? To get started, choose one of these

strategies, try it for two to four weeks and see if it helps. If it

does, consider adding another one. If not, try a different one.

CHECK OUT HIS FREE REPORT '7 MISTAKES SALON OWNERS MAKE THAT CHOP AWAY AT PROFITS (AND SLEEK TECHNIQUES TO SOLVING THEM)' AT WWW.SHOCKCONSULT.CO.NZ

TIME MANAGEMENT: TIPS TO REDUCE STRESS AND IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY

Do you find yourself as a business owner, manager, trainer, employer, superwoman overwhelmed by the number and complexity of things that you need to do each day?

1. PLAN EACH DAY. Planning your day can help you

accomplish more and feel more in control of your life.

Write a to-do list, putting the most important tasks at the

top. Keep a schedule of your daily activities to minimize

conflicts and last-minute rushes.

2. PRIORITISE YOUR TASKS. Time-consuming but relatively

unimportant tasks can consume a lot of your day.

Prioritising tasks will ensure that you spend your time

and energy on those that are truly important to you.

3. SAY NO TO NONESSENTIAL TASKS. Consider your goals

and schedule before agreeing to take on additional work

or tasks.

4. DELEGATE. Take a look at your to-do list and consider

what you can pass on to someone else.

5. TAKETHETIMEYOUNEEDTODOAQUALITYJOB.

Doing work right the first time may take more time

upfront, but errors usually result in time spent making

corrections, which takes more time overall.

6. BREAK LARGE, TIME-CONSUMING TASKS INTO

SMALLER TASKS. Work on them a few minutes at a

time until you get them all done.

7. PRACTICE THE 10-MINUTE RULE. Work on a dreaded

task for 10 minutes each day. Once you get started,

you may find you can finish it.

8. EVALUATE HOW YOU'RE SPENDING YOUR TIME.

Keep a diary of everything you do for three days to

figure out how you're spending your time. Look for time

that can be used more wisely. For example, could you

take a bus or train to work and use the commute to

catch up on reading? If so, you could free up some

time to exercise or spend with family or friends.

9. LIMIT DISTRACTIONS. Block out time on your calendar

for big projects. During that time, close your door and

turn off your phone and email (if you can).

10. GET PLENTY OF SLEEP, EAT A HEALTHY DIET AND

EXERCISE REGULARLY. A healthy lifestyle can improve

your focus and concentration, which will help improve

your efficiency so that you can complete your work in

less time.

11. TAKE A TIME MANAGEMENT COURSE. Find out if a

local community college, university or community

education program runs one.

12. TAKE A BREAK WHEN NEEDED. Too much stress can

derail your attempts at getting organised. When you

need a break, take one. Take a walk. Do some quick

stretches. Everyone needs to rest.

37

38

Dorien’s Kapiti Coast salon Jomp Hair Design won

Fudge Boutique Salon of the Year recently at the

HITO/Kitomba/NZARH Industry Awards, and she

was also a finalist for JustBookMe Best New Entrant.

“I was completely overwhelmed!” Dorien says of the win.

“I’m extremely excited and so grateful to receive this award.

I have only been in business for just over two years, and I have

put so much time and energy into building Jomp into what it is

now. It feels amazing to gain recognition for all the hard work.”

The Fudge Boutique Salon of the Year award is results driven.

Judges weighed up performance figures relating to chemical

services, profitability, rebooking, retail sales and more when

deciding on the winner. Dorien says one-way she keeps these

figures up is by setting individual targets for each of her stylists.

“This is called benchmarking,” she explains. “Each team

member has a target in place for them to meet and each

week their results are placed on the back room board. I set

incentives and reward them for hitting targets.”

Dorien also organises regular staff meetings and individual

performance reviews to go over the results and provide

feedback. This way all her staff know what she expects of them.

The constructive feedback helps them learn and grow.

“All my staff are focused, and I encourage them to take

ownership of their roles within the team, so they are engaged

in the salon and our culture,” she explains.

With such efficient systems in place, it is hard to believe that

Dorien only took over the salon two years ago. She began

working at what is now Jomp Hair Design shortly after

completing her apprenticeship. She quickly made it clear

to the then owner that she was committed to standing by

her and helping see the salon grow. In return, Dorien’s boss

invested in her, sending her on managerial courses and giving

Dorien is taking the hairdressing world by storm. Just five years ago she was HITO Central Apprentice of the Year; now, at the age of 25, she is a successful salon owner and Kitomba/NZARH Business Award winner.

DORIEN VAN DEN BERG

“If you strive to be the best and do everything possible to become that, then you will be successful.”

39

“A qualification is so important…It shows you are serious about your

chosen career, that you are proud of it and have taken the time and effort to

achieve it.”

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: SARAH MILNE, SAMANTHA BELL, DORIEN VAN DEN BERG, JANELLE HARLEN, HOPE HOWCHOW

DORIEN AT WORK

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

40

her some fantastic opportunities. Eventually, she asked Dorien

if she would like to buy the business.

“I jumped at the chance!” she says. “I felt ready for it since I

had spent a lot of time and energy invested in the salon already

– now it could be mine!”

“If you strive to be the best and do everything possible to

become that, then you will be successful.”

Feeling lucky to have the opportunity to own her own salon

so early in her career, Dorien is determined to do everything

to make the business a success.

“I would do anything for my salon. Honestly it is the most

worthwhile investment in every way,” she says.

This inherent passion for her career and business is what drives

Dorien to run Jomp with excellence every day.

“Passion, inspiration and ambition are my three favourite words!

I am passionate about hairdressing, and I live for this industry.

I intend to be the best and work hard, remain consistent and

not become complacent. If you are the best at what you do,

clients will come to you over anyone else. If you strive to be the

best and do everything possible to become that, then you will

be successful.”

Dorien is also passionate about apprenticeship training

and qualifications in the hairdressing industry. She knows

from experience that it is training that leads to success and

qualifications keep the industry professional.

“A qualification is so important…It shows you are serious about

your chosen career, that you are proud of it and have taken

the time and effort to achieve it.”

When she was looking to start her own apprenticeship,

Dorien sought out a salon that would be as passionate about

training as she is. She handed her CV out to over 60 salons

and even turned down job offers when there was no suitable

training available. Her persistence paid off and finally she got

an apprenticeship at a salon well known for their training. She

worked hard, achieved her National Certificate and took every

opportunity to learn and grow.

“In my apprenticeship I learned the tools I needed to become

a great hairdresser and I took ownership of my future in this

industry. It is not just hairdressing; this is a career and a passion

based job. If you put everything into it, you will receive amazing

and rewarding results.”

Now the employer and trainer, Dorien loves using her

knowledge and passion to train her own apprentices and

give them the same inspiring experience she had. She enjoys

“growing her own” team and has seen this create consistency

in the salon, ensuring that all the staff at Jomp carry the salon’s

reputation for excellence.

“I care a lot about my apprentices. I strive to cherish them and

nurture their journey to become extraordinary hairdressers!

Watching them grow is so rewarding and I am proud of their

achievements.”

If you want to have a rewarding career in hairdressing, Dorien

says the most important thing you can do is to keep your

passion for the industry.

“Make sure you are excited and passionate about hairdressing.

That ‘fire’ is essential in becoming great. Without it, you will

never become amazing, no matter where you are trained.”

“At the end of the day you are responsible for your own

success,” says Dorien, “so make the most of the opportunities

you have – and don’t forget to have fun!”

“This is a really fun industry; remember that when you are

sweeping floors and making coffees! We have all been there! Set

goals and achieve them - no one else is to blame but you for how

your career turns out. Age and experience don’t matter because if

you train and learn and push yourself, you will succeed.”

“I care a lot about my apprentices. I strive to cherish them and nurture their journey to become extraordinary hairdressers! Watching them grow is so

rewarding and I am proud of their achievements.”

41

In hairdressing, like many other industries, it's not uncommon for employees to take a break from work. Many return to work, but this can be a challenge for employers and employees alike. We spoke with three apprentices who have returned

to training after a break and asked them for their advice.

Hayley Martin, Melissa Teller, and Julieanne Hartshorne

are fully committed to the hairdressing industry. When

we asked about their training, none of them could

contain their enthusiasm, happily discussing their successes

and their excitement. You would never know that all three had

taken breaks as long as ten years, or that returning to work

hasn’t always been easy.

Hayley worked in the industry for some time before leaving to

have a family. She first worked part-time, but decided to leave to

focus on raising her children. But Hayley missed her work, and

so she decided to return and complete her National Certificate.

Returning to training was not without its challenges, of

course. For Hayley, the biggest challenge was “getting back

into study mode”.

“Young apprentices have often gone straight from school into

studying, so it's easier for them,” Hayley says. “I hadn’t been in

school for fifteen years, so re-training my brain on how to

retain information was a challenge”.

Hayley also finds being paid a training wage is challenging

financially, especially with a family to support. However, she

says completing her qualification will be worth it.

For Julieanne Hartshorne, money was also a concern in

returning to hairdressing. Julieanne started her apprenticeship

in 2002, but had to leave the industry to look after her parents

when her father was in a serious crash. During her break, she

also gave birth to two children, giving her added responsibilities

outside the workplace.

Julieanne decided to return to training in 2013. At first she

struggled with finding a job that would give her and her family

the support they needed. Julieanne eventually found her

current job at Hi-Tek Hair Studio. Hi-Tek provided the financial

and personal support she needed. Julieanne also received the

Jasmine McBeth Memorial Scholarship for 2013, giving her

$3000 to put towards future training in the industry.

Under New Zealand law, apprentices are entitled to no less than

80% of the minimum wage while they are training. This can be

a struggle for an apprentice with a family to support. Budgeting

is essential, as is seeking help wherever you can.

Support in other areas is also essential for returning to work.

For Melissa, having training support has been the most valuable

thing. At first, she struggled a little with a lack of support from her

classmates at Off Job Training, who were not welcoming. However,

Melissa’s trainer in salon, Claire, provided more than enough

support. Claire used to be a tutor at Premier, and Melissa says this

has helped her understand the assessments.

“Claire is an awesome trainer,” Melissa says. “She makes it easy

to learn, and she has trained me to a high standard, which

makes assessments easier”.

Other challenges when returning to work can include adjusting

to the structure of a workplace and preserving a work-life balance.

RETURNING TO WORK AS AN APPRENTICE

JASMINE MCBETH RECIPIENTS PAST AND PRESENT - MOANA RIDDELL, JULIEANNE HARTSHORNE, KALEB PRITCHARD, MARIANNA BROWN HAYLEY MARTIN

42

Adjusting to the work environment can be difficult, and getting

back into good habits can be difficult. But it isn’t impossible.

Knowing she would return to the industry eventually, Hayley

made sure to keep up with her hairdressing knowledge and

practice while she was at home. This has left her far better

prepared to return to work than she otherwise might have been.

Keeping a work-life balance was a serious concern for our

apprentices, but they all agree that returning to work is worth

it. For Melissa, it was important to think in the long term, and

to gain a qualification that would mean she could support

her family and make her children proud. The 30-hour a week

requirement of an apprenticeship can also make adjusting work

to fit family commitments easier. Working less than 40 hours is

also recommended by Careers NZ as an excellent way to ease

back into the workforce.

Making sure employees maintain a healthy work-life balance is

valuable to employers, too. Employees who have a good work-

life balance are healthier and happier, and more fulfilled in all

areas of their lives, according to Careers NZ. They are also more

productive and more likely to stick with the business, according

to the Department of Labour.

There are other advantages to older apprentices, both for the

apprentice and for the business they work for. For Hayley, being

older and more experienced makes her feel more confident in her

abilities as she trains. She also enjoys the diversity of working with

older and young apprentices and staff and says it's helpful to get

different perspectives.

Hayley also loves the opportunities she has to take part in

fashion work, which she says were few and far between when

she first joined the industry. Having access to various top

quality products and far more advanced training is also an

advantage of training now, Hayley says.

Melissa Teller also feels more confident about her training.

She says she is much more relaxed, and she also feels older

and wiser. Some of our apprentices are paid more than the

training wage, which is an advantage. Their employers agreed

to provide this additional financial support, knowing the

apprentices had families to look after and other commitments

that younger apprentices might not necessarily have.

Although paying an apprentice more than average may put

a strain on the salon at first, it often pays off. Older apprentices

often finish their qualifications faster than the younger ones,

allowing the salon to have a fully qualified stylist at a much

faster rate. Julieanne Hartshorne, for example, completed

her qualification within three months of returning to training.

As she had some of Year 2, all of Year 3, and her finals to

complete, this was an impressive feat.

Despite the challenges, none of our apprentices regret the

decision to return to the industry. All three encourage other

people that are thinking about returning to the industry to

“just go for it”. Hayley and Melissa are eager to complete their

qualifications, and Julieanne has started her National Certificate

in Business – she plans to run her own salon one day.

“Coming back was the best decision I’ve made for me and my

family in a long time, and I don’t regret it one bit,” Julieanne

says. “Shop around with your interviews and find the place

that feels right for you. It's so essential to feel comfortable and

happy in the workplace - not many of us can say that we love

our place of work”.

And Melissa couldn’t agree more. She advises anyone who

wants to return to training to give it a go. “Just do it!” She says,

“Who cares what anyone else thinks?”

WORK BY HAYLEY MARTINHAYLEY MARTIN IN THE SALON

MELISSA TELLER

43

DENBY EDWARDS - NZARH REGIONAL COMPETITION – DAY STYLE EVENT (NEWCOMER), THIRD PLACE

HQ apprentices shine at

hairdressing competitions

2013 has been a year of exciting success for apprentices at New Plymouth’s HQ Hairdressing Group, made up of three salons: HQ hair by Design, HQ Design Space, and HQ Studio.

44

DENBY EDWARDS - NZARH REGIONAL COMPETITION – NIGHT STYLE EVENT (NEWCOMER), SECOND PLACE

“The whole journey of preparing for a competition pushes

people right out of their comfort zone,” says Cheryl Findlay,

ownerofHQHairbyDesign.“Itgivesthemaplatformtodo

something new, learn cutting and colouring techniques, and

most of all learn how to dress hair. We see our apprentices'

skill bases grow tremendously with competing.”

Denby Edwards recently completed the second year of her

apprenticeshipatHQHairbyDesignandshehasenjoyed

taking part in competitions this year. She says competing has

helped her gain confidence in herself and her work.

In the Taranaki Regional NZARH Competition, Denby won

second place in the Night Style event (Newcomer) and third in

the Day Style event (Newcomer). She also took out first place in

the blow wave category of the Jessie Roebuck competition and

was placed at a local Session Hair/ Fashion Show competition.

“AtHQ,competitionsarecompulsoryforapprentices,andat

first it can be a little intimidating, but overall it’s a thrill,” Denby

says. “I would definitely recommend to all apprentices to

consider entering competitions because of what you learn.

You have to learn good time management skills, how to think

outside the box and how to let go of the stress and embrace

your mistakes.”

ChiaraWhitmoreisanapprenticefromHQDesignSpace

(owned by Tanya Patene). She has also done exceptionally well

in competitions this year. At the Regional NZARH Competition,

Chiara placed first in the Junior Urban Day Style event, second in

the Urban Colour event, and was named Taranaki Newcomer of

the Year. She also entered the Jessie Roebuck competition and

placed second in both the Fashion Set and Hair Up sections.

Chiara has thoroughly enjoyed competing this year, mainly

because she is able to express herself creatively. She can try

things she would not normally do in the salon.

“I would definitely recommend to all apprentices to consider

entering competitions because of what you learn.”

“I think that competition work pushes you out of your comfort

zone,” she says. “It allows you to create work that you wouldn't

normally do day to day. Competitions challenge you to think

outside the box and put your own twist on work that inspire

you. There’s no limit to the creativity you can express!”

Chiara says that doing competitions has helped develop her

skill base, and she thinks all apprentices should get involved

in this work.

For salon owners Cheryl and Tanya, seeing their apprentices

succeed in competitions is rewarding.

“At the end of the day nothing beats the smiles from the team when

they come off the floor at a competition and say, “yes, I did it!””

“Regardlessofplacing,theyareallwinnerstoushereatHQ.”

“I think that competition work pushes you out of your comfort zone."

45

TOP TRAINERS, TOP TIPSSome of New Zealand’s top trainers give their best suggestions for trainers and trainees.

As we head into the New Year, many of you may be

thinking about organising training for your team in 2014.

We asked four top trainers for their advice on training,

why training is so vital to them, and the successes they’ve seen

because of training.

“Training is the backbone of what we do,” says Janine Simons

of Mane Salon. “It is the future of our industry”. And Jan Waite

(of Jan Waite Hairdressing) agrees, saying “Training is the future

of our industry. Without training, we don’t have a profession”.

For our four top trainers, quality training starts with them.

All four trainers have achieved their National Certificate

(or equivalent), and they have all continued to undertake

professional development throughout their careers. Some

of these courses include Train the Trainer and Cutting Clean

by Go Coaching, which allowed them to better train others.

They also collectively have experience all across the industry

(fashion work, platform work, experience as assessors), giving

them insight in all areas of hairdressing. To provide appropriate

training, a trainer must have a solid training base to work from.

There are plenty of advanced courses available to trainers,

including HITO’s National Certificate in Advanced Cutting and

National Certificate in Business. Our trainers would recommend

taking advantage of them all. They would also recommend

connecting with a stylist or trainer you admire, and asking if

they would be happy to mentor you.

Janine Simons also advises that teaching others what you’ve

learned will help reinforce it, benefiting yourself and your

trainee. Equally, they advise, trainees benefit from practising

what they have learned. This reinforces the trainees’ knowledge,

and it also allows the trainer to oversee the progress of the

trainee, making corrections as needed. It is a cliché, but all four

trainers stress the importance of practice. It is also, as Julie

Depree (of Man Up Hair and Body) says, helpful to follow-up on

your training, and evaluate its effectiveness. That way, trainees

have the opportunity to contribute to their own training, and

trainers can evaluate what is working and what they need to

do differently.

Maintaining excellent health is also beneficial, both for trainers

and trainees. As Julie Depree advises, a healthy trainer will find

it easier to teach and a healthy trainee will be more receptive to

the lessons being given.

Hairdressers and barbers are on their feet all day, so it is

essential that trainers teach proper posture, correct use of

equipment, and other methods of avoiding strain. Failing to do

so will mean long-term health issues for staff, including back

problems and strained joints.

Another important piece of advice for both trainers and

trainees is: keep a respectful attitude. For Aimee Packer of

VIVO Hair Salon, maintaining a respectful attitude is necessary

when training. This is important for all employees, from owner

MANE SALON TEAM

46

JAN WAITE AND LAURA WILLIAMS

to apprentice. It is easier to teach by example. If the trainer is

enthusiastic about training, then the apprentice will reflect that

attitude. If trainers are having problems with trainee attitudes, it

can be best to sit down with the trainee and discuss any issues.

These problem-solving sessions can also be used to follow

another key training point – setting goals.

SETTING GOALS

All four of our top trainers recommend creating a long-term

plan for both trainers and trainees as this helps keep everyone

motivated and to “keep their eyes on the prize”. These goals

should also be followed up on and reassessed to make sure

every trainee is on track with their training and is learning at the

right pace. However, Jan Waite also advises the trainer should

keep an eye on the “big picture”, making sure that any goals

set are in line with the overall goals of the business. The goals

should also fit the long-term plan of the trainee for their career.

It is clear that following this advice gets results. Our four trainers

have seen all their trainees succeed in the industry, whether that

be as successful stylists in New Zealand or overseas. “They are all

successful, as they are now contributing to our industry in more

ways than they could've imagined,” Julie Depree says.

Top training in their salons has meant personal success for the

stylists and a sense of pride for the trainers. All four trainers

say that seeing trainees’ eyes “light up” when they achieve

something is a reward on its own.

And there are definite benefits for the business too. For Aimee

Packer, successful training gives her staff she can rely on. One of

Aimee’s trainees now works alongside her as a stylist, one that

Aimee can depend on for education and guidance. Properly

trained trainees can provide support to senior members, and in

turn help junior members of the team. This allows the salon to

run smoothly and efficiently.

For Janine at Mane, seeing her team succeed is the best thing

about training. She has been able to convince one of her team

memberstogetherQbyEqualification,andshealsoloves

watching her other team members gain competitive success.

As a new and different training salon, Janine also enjoys seeing

Mane’s methods recognised within the wider industry.

The benefits of training are clear. Setting up a strong training

plan leads to success for trainers, trainees, and salon alike. It can

be a large investment at first, but it will pay off, leading to long-

term success for all involved.

Want more information? Take a look at our summary of why

training is crucial and what you can do develop it in your salon.

We have also got articles on communication and creating 2014

training plans, which you can find in this issue of Forma.

“Training is the future of our industry. Without training, we don’t have

a profession.”

47

WHY IS TRAINING NECESSARY?

Training is essential in any work environment. It keeps employees

happy and engaged, and keeps your business up-to-date.

A. Staff who undergo training are more likely to stick with the

business. To retain the best staff members, you need to provide

training. This keeps staff members engaged in the business.

If you value your employees, they will value your business.

B. You will attract the best employees from the beginning.

As Janine Simons says, “Our current generation are hungry

for training and want to be accomplished fast, and we have

to address that”. Providing training will attract the staff you

want and encourage them to stay.

C. You will retain staff for longer. This benefits the business

because it means less time spent finding and training new

staff. Productivity is increased.

D. Reduced costs. Less money is lost because of inefficiency or

accident. Staff are also better able to increase profits through

upselling products and services if they are properly trained.

E. Having a strong training programme/plan/strategy means

you can afford to focus on hiring those with the attitudes

you want, even if they don’t have the skills. You can then put

them through your training programme, giving you all-round

top quality staff.

F. Training sets the quality standard, both in your salon and in

the industry as a whole. As Julie Depree says “As a trainer it is

my responsibility to ensure others aspire to, and uphold the

highest of standards. This trade is still in its infancy despite

being one of the oldest professions and we need to keep it

relevant in the modern world.”

G. Ensure employee safety and health. Hairdressers are on

their feet all day, so they need to be taught correct posture

and other tips to make sure they don’t strain themselves too

much. Hairdressing also involves work with chemicals and

sharp objects and close contact with other people. Handling

this correctly (by training your staff in how to do so) will mean

everything flows smoothly for your staff and your customers.

H. You can address any weak points employees have. This will

make your business perform better overall, and it will also give

you the ability to recruit based on attitude and commitment.

You can train your employees in particular skills later.

I. Training allows employees to be more independent, giving trainers and managers time to focus on more urgent or necessary tasks.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO IMPROVE TRAINING FOR YOU AND YOUR TRAINEES?

1. Make sure you provide quality training for all your employees. This may mean spending more time and money, but it will be worth it. Investing in quality training at the beginning means less money lost over the long-term.

2. Provide the appropriate training for your employees. There is no point in training an employee if it won’t support the business, or that isn’t relevant to their job or the direction their career is headed.

3. Focus on a wide range of skills. Team members need the practical skills needed to perform their jobs, but they also need training in communication, sales, and other areas relevant to the salon.

4. Make sure everyone is committed to training. Trainers should always continue to educate themselves, and have an extensive experience in training. The employee is much more likely to be invested if the employer is invested.

5. Ask your employees what they want out of training. This will make your staff feel more engaged in the business, and make sure they are getting what they need. You can help their goals and needs align with those of the business. This is also a convenient way to solve any problems your staff have with their current training.

6. Make sure your salon is a pleasant environment to train in. This can mean investing money in equipment, in improving yourself as a trainer, or even dealing with any health and safety issues. Good health is essential as healthy people are more engaged and comfortable in their environment.

7. Set goals and offer rewards. This can be motivating for trainers and trainees, and can also promote a healthy attitude towards training.

8. Celebrate training achievements.

9. Ask others for help. As our trainers recommend, asking a stylist you admire to teach you will improve your skills. They can also provide training tips, which you can then pass on to your trainees.

AIMEE PACKER JULIE DEPREE

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

48

TOP TIPS FOR NEW MANAGERS AND LEADERSHere are a few tips to avoid those common first time manager mistakes.

You have been working hard. You are an expert, and

everyone knows how skilled you are at your job. Now

that historic day has come that the boss invites you into

the office. You get the promotion you have been working for.

Great news - right? You are now a boss/supervisor. You now have

people reporting to you and your entire working life is now about

to change forever.

1. YOU ARE NOW BOTTOM OF A NEW LADDER

Leadership needs an entirely different set of skills to the one

you have now. Never think that promotion is the end of your

learning journey it's only just beginning.

2. REMEMBER IT'S NEVER ABOUT YOU

The old attitude of believing that a team works to support the

boss is outdated. The leader exists to ensure that his or her

team has everything they need, direction, a shared vision,

skills and resources.

3. ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES.

Nobody has ever started a new job and never made any

mistakes – that includes you. The big difference is that this time

your mistakes are going to affect your team. Don't beat your-

self up, just front up, apologise, learn from your mistakes and

become a better leader.

4. HIDE YOUR FRUSTRATIONS

The days of moaning about the boss, or even worse moaning

about colleagues, are over. You now represent the business

so everything you say will be seen as a business statement

regardless of its original purpose.

5. TALK TO YOUR BOSS

Talk to him or her and find out their expectations of you. How they

want to be updated? What their priorities are for the business?

If you’re in a new business then you will have a new boss.

Take time to build a strong relationship with them.

6. TALK TO YOUR TEAM

Every person on your team will have a slightly different idea of

what your role should be and what you should be doing. Talk to

your team and find out what they expect from you and explain

what you want from them.

7. LEAD BY EXAMPLE

Whatever is in the company's code of conduct rules or policies,

people will always learn what conduct is acceptable by your

actions. You have to demonstrate the behaviour you want from

your team. If you don't you will never be seen as a leader.

8. UNDERSTAND THE ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE

Every business has its own culture. It's essential to understand

what it is. Each company has policies of varying severity.

Get to grips with the feel of them so you don't accidentally

come across as too tough or too soft.

9. BE PREPARED TO BE UNPOPULAR

There will be times the needs of the business will conflict with

the needs of some individuals. Always explain your reasons,

people may not agree, but they will respect you. Remember

you can lead a team if people don't like you, but you cannot

lead if they don't respect you.

10. DON'T CHANGE WHO YOU ARE

The most common mistake that new managers make is trying

to be someone else. Or trying to be the kind of person they

think a manager should be. One of the reasons you got this job

is because you are you. By all means, aim to be a better person

but don't stray too far from who you genuinely are.

49

As well as celebrating the best trainers, tutors, training salons, and apprentices, the 2013 Industry Awards also

gave HITO the opportunity to celebrate the winners of our 2013 HITO Hairdresser in Training Photographic Competition.

THE HITO HAIRDRESSER IN TRAINING PHOTOGRAPHIC

COMPETITION 2013 WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Every entrant was given a photograph of a hairstyle which

they had to imitate to the best of their ability. Apprentices

and full-time students from across the country entered

the competition, and we had many high quality entries.

There were three awards up for grabs: Facebook People’s

Choice, Awards People’s Choice, and Judges Choice.

The Facebook People’s Choice Award was won by Abbie

Harvey of Charlotte Dawn. Abbie was chosen by fans of our

Facebook page, who were asked to look at all the entries and

then ‘like’ the one they thought was the best. Abbie was the

clear winner, with nearly 200 more votes than the photograph

in second place. “It feels great to win, knowing that I have so

much support from work colleges, friends & family. It all means

so much to me,” Abbie says. Her advice to anyone looking to

enter next year would be “Make sure you have a plan. Practice

your cut on another dolly first. Do not be afraid to think outside

the box and add your own personal touch.”

The Awards People’s choice was judged by guests at the 2013

Industry Awards. This year, this award went to Shannen Moffitt

from Allure Hair Studio. This was the first competition Shannen

had ever entered, and she was over the moon when she

won. Shannen says the key to her win was lots of research

(in hairdressing magazines and looking at last year’s images)

and lots of planning.

The Judges Choice Award went to Zoe Loveridge from the

Hairdressing College. Zoe’s photograph was selected by a

panel of industry judges as the image that best reproduced the

original haircut. Zoe was thrilled, as she had only being cutting

for six weeks before entering the competition. Her advice to

anyone who wants to enter would be to think outside the box.

Thank you to our sponsor, A Sharper Blade, who provided

fantastic prizes for our winners. An enormous thank you also

to everyone that entered and congratulations to the winners.

ORIGINALMANNEQUIN

ZOE LOVERIDGE – JUDGES CHOICE WINNER

SHANNEN MOFFITT – AWARDS PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNER

ABBIE HARVEY – FACEBOOK PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNER

national certificate in

business Level 3

50

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES NEED QUALIFIED PEOPLEDo you want to run a successful business? Do you want to avoid the common pitfalls that many small businesses

have encountered? Then HITO’s new business qualification is for you.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO SIGN UP FOR THIS EXCITING NEW PROGRAMME, TALK TO YOUR HITO SALES AND LIAISON MANAGER.

We have teamed up with the Open Polytechnic to

offer the National Certificate in Business (Level 3),

the perfect programme for anyone who wants to

become a successful business person in barbering, beauty,

hairdressing and beyond.

This qualification begins the learning journey to improve your

understanding of how to run a business. Communication is a

central focus of the programme. You will look at how to make

sure your communication is right and will get you the best

results. It also deals with the critical decisions that need to

be made in the areas of finance, location and ownership.

People who complete this programme will be able to choose an

effective communication style that suits them and the people

they deal with to make the business run smoothly. They will also

be able to examine the best options for setting up a business

and ensuring its long term future.

Along with the required communication component, you can

choose one of two strands:

1. TEAMS AND LEADERSHIP

In this strand, you will examine the concepts of teams and

leadership in the workplace. You'll do activities that are designed to

help you integrate leadership theory and practices into your daily

personal and working life.

2. SMALL BUSINESS

In this strand, you will examine the concepts of setting up a

small business, identify opportunities and manage the financial

aspects to help bring your dreams of owning and running an

effective business to life.

HOW IT WORKS

The National Certificate in Business (Level 3) is done through

the Open Polytechnic. It has been specifically designed to be

delivered by distance learning, which means that you can fit the

study around your life. You will have access to tutors and other

students doing the same course.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

• Improveyourcommunicationstyleinyourpersonaland

business life.

• Gainabetterunderstandingofwhatmakesasmall

business tick.

• Growstrongerrelationshipswithyouremployeesandclients.

• Buildandmaintainapositiveworkingenvironmenttohelp

your business run smoothly.

• Buildyourconfidenceinbeingunderstoodfully.

MORE DETAILS

The programme of study costs $995 (incl. GST) and you need

to complete the 42 credits over a period of no greater than

8 months. If you are already a qualified hairdresser or have

had a recent period of study, you may already have some

of those credits.

51

GOOD COMMUNICATION MEANS SUCCESSClear and consistent communication is essential for making sure a business runs the best it possibly can. We spoke to three trainers about why excellent communication is vital to them, how it works in their business, and their advice for

other trainers and business owners looking to improve their communication skills and techniques.

ROSEMARY CHALMERS, D’OR HAIRSTYLISTS“Communication in the salon is vital to its success and is one

of the core values of the D’Or brand,” says Rosemary Chalmers,

owner of D’Or Hairstylists in Arrowtown. “It is essential each

of us understands where every team member is, and the

work they are doing to ensure clients are receiving excellent

customer service”.

D’Or first realised the importance of communication when their

team grew in size. In a busy salon, Rosemary says, it’s vital that

team members know what they should be doing and where

they should be. That way, the service the customers receive is

top notch, and the salon runs smoothly.

“Apprentices come to work ready to learn, to be inspired and

empowered as creative young people”

At D’Or, training focuses on both verbal and non-verbal

communication. They hold team training every week (in which

every staff member participates). They play games and role-

play understanding body language. They walk through various

scenarios that have happened/may happen and discuss how

they will communicate in various situations in the future to

get excellent results.

“This has been valuable in highlighting to apprentices the

ways that different clients and personality types communicate,”

Rosemary says. “We want ensure that all clients receive helpful,

timely, and professional service and the stylists’ day is organised

and structured”.

Communication is essential to every team member at D’Or,

but it is especially valuable for the new members of the team

(particularly apprentices). They need to understand how to

communicate with the other members of the team quickly

and efficiently, and how they can work seamlessly to provide

support to the senior members of the team, Rosemary says.

The results of quality communication are clear. At D’Or, their

apprentices come to work ready to learn, to be “inspired and

empowered as creative young people”. They have ownership of

their role, and they understand what needs to be done, how to

do it, and where they need to be, says Rosemary. This avoids the

need for micromanaging, giving everyone the space to do their

jobs and do them well.

52

Results of this training can be seen in the apprentices’ everyday

lives. Their ability to communicate serves them well in their

dealings with everyone, both at work and outside it. This is

useful for the staff, and it gives their trainers a sense of pride,

too. As Rosemary says, “The best part of D’Or is being a part of

developing young girls into women”.

And for other salons who want to improve their communication,

Rosemary has some advice. “Make time for your team,” she says.

“Meet and talk, look at what you’re doing well, and look at what

you want to improve. Listen [to your team] – your team can be

the best or worst part of coming to work, so take the time to

understand one another and what you need and expect from

coming to work. And celebrate all wins!”

“I think you can get a sense of [great communication] from

the moment you walk in or even call on the phone,” Rosemary

says. “There is an ease, a grace that comes with excellent salon

communication. You know when it’s working because it all

looks seamless, but there is a lot of practise to achieve that

result. Good communication helps the salon run efficiently;

Great communication keeps our team culture and values at

the core of why we come to work”.

GILLIAN TIPPETT, ZEALOUS HAIRDRESSING AND BEAUTY THERAPY“Communication is the hub of a salon environment and done

badly can affect everyone’s day – the staff and the clients’,” Gillian

Tippett, trainer at Zealous Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy in

Hastings, says. “The correct timing for appointments and accurate

communication with clients is essential”.

At Zealous, they quickly learned the importance of in-salon

communication. This includes both verbal and non-verbal

communication, says Gillian. Learning to read body language

and people’s attitudes and feelings is just as valuable as

being able to talk to a client. When working with the public,

Gillian says, the team at Zealous learned quickly that proper

communication ensures the correct result.

Zealous has a particular focus on making sure their young staff

members are up to scratch on their communication skills.

They also watch communication between senior staff and any

issues are dealt with in a staff meeting or a one-on-one meeting.

“Apprentices come to work ready to learn, to be inspired and empowered as creative young people.”

53

Communication training at Zealous involves a few different

activities. Gillian works with the younger members of staff on

their listening and speaking skills, and on their ability to read

body language. She uses an active listening activity from

HITO, training on how to read body language, how to stand

and speak to the public (and when to speak to the public).

This ensures they are not mumbling on the phone or chatting

throughout a scalp massage. She also teaches them how to

greet clients when they arrive – first impressions are crucial,

after all.

And the results of these activities?

“The salon runs like a well-oiled machine,” Gillian says. “Clients

are happy and well taken care of. The seniors don’t run behind

on appointments, and the clients don’t ever need re-do’s

because their consultations are thorough and effective”.

Everyone’s aware of what is happening and where they need

to be, from the senior stylists to the receptionist. This means

the receptionist can also act as a more effective time-keeper,

reminding stylists when they need to move faster on an

appointment.

Like D’Or, the training the Zealous staff receive helps them in

other areas of their lives. From everything to finding a flat to

sitting their licence, the Zealous employees are more confident

and able to perform. They can represent Zealous positively and

promote themselves and their careers.

“There’s no such thing as too much education,” Gillian says.

“Learn everything you can and try everything you can. Take on

the experiences you have when you’re outside the salon and

look to others for any skills you can use”

AMY SMITH, SYNERGY HAIRDRESSING“Communication is the key in any salon,” Amy Smith, Salon

Manager at Synergy Hairdressing in Lower Hutt, says. “It’s what

makes the difference between a successful salon and a salon

that struggles”.

At Synergy, Amy says, no staff member is left to realise the

importance of communication on their own. Rather, it's

something that is drilled into staff from day one, and it's

something Amy says great employers or trainers should

drill into their staff, too.

“It's one of the foundations of hairdressing,” Amy says. “Without

it, you wouldn’t keep any clients, or any staff for that matter”.

From day one, all apprentices at Synergy are taught the basics of

good communication. They start with how to communicate with

clients in reception and while shampooing a client’s hair. Then

they move on to discussing colour work between apprentices and

stylists. This training continues throughout their time there, with all

staff taking part in communication training.

There is one activity that Amy finds particularly effective.

Every week at their staff meeting, one staff member is chosen

to research a product brand and communicate what they have

learned back to the other staff members. This helps the staff

member improve their speaking and communication skills,

helps them gain confidence in the product and in selling it, and

helps other members of the salon learn about the product too.

This, along with the other communication training at Synergy,

ensures the salon “just flows better,” says Amy. “It makes for a

happier and easier environment – if communication is clear

between staff and stylists then there are no surprises or mishaps”.

“If communication is easy and open in a salon environment,

there is always room for discussion,” Amy says. “In our salon,

we always look to our apprentices for new and interesting ideas

about colouring. Having open communication allows them to

grow their creative skills – they blow me away with their ideas

sometimes!”

Amy agrees with Gillian and Rosemary: communication training

serves apprentices and other staff well in all areas of their lives.

“I think it's a great tool to have in all aspects of your life, not just

your career,” Amy says. “It's such a basic but necessary skill

to have”.

Her advice for salons wanting to improve their communication?

“Make sure you are always open to communicate with

– sometimes, without realising it, people can be hard to

approach,” Amy says. “If we can’t communicate, we can’t teach,

which means no learning. And the day you stop learning,

or wanting to learn, is the day to put the tools down!”

“If communication is clear between staff and stylists then there are no surprises or mishaps.”

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

54

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION IN YOUR WORKPLACE?

As our three trainers have said, strong communication is essential to running any business. If you’d like to improve your skills, here are some tips and advice for you.

BE REGULAR AND CONSISTENT:

Have regular meetings and

training sessions with all staff.

As our trainers have said,

regular meetings are an excellent

opportunity to discuss ideas,

conduct training exercises (like

Synergy’s presentation exercise),

and resolve any communication

problems.

BE APPROACHABLE:

Make sure that, as an owner or

a trainer, you are available and

easy to talk to. This can be as

simple as letting your employees

know that they can meet with you

privately or discuss things at a

weekly team meeting.

IT’S A 2 WAY STREET:

Ask your employees for

suggestions. The act of explaining

what you need help with improves

your communication skills.

It also gives your employees the

opportunity to discuss areas they

think need improving. If they see

their suggestions carried out, they

may be more open with their

suggestions next time around.

START EARLY:

Start communication training from

the moment a new staff member

joins the salon. Basic salon skills

(like reception duties) often need

strong communication skills,

so teach those skills as you

teach the tasks.

SORT IT OUT FAST:

If there are communication

issues, address them as soon as

possible. One-on-one meetings or

team meetings are ideal for this,

depending on what the problem is.

This is also an opportunity for you

to improve your communication

skills as you communicate about

the issue with your staff members.

BRING IT TO LIFE:

Practise! There is plenty of

opportunity for this in the

salon, where communication is

vital. Watch your staff as they

communicate and give them

feedback on what they did well

and what they could improve on.

This will also give you some idea of

what areas you should focus on in

any training sessions you hold.

SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS:

Train staff thoroughly in what is

expected of them. This means

everyone understands what

is expected of them, which

makes the salon run much

more smoothly.

PRACTICE EXERCISES:

Practice active listening exercises.

You can use the HITO Aquarius

Literacy and Numeracy Tool for

this. This is available from the HITO

website www.hito.org.nz/aquarius-

online/ or on a USB stick that you

can plug into a computer. To get

the USB stick from free, speak to

your regional HITO manager.

IT’S NOT JUST WHAT YOU SAY:

Focus on all areas of

communication. Both verbal

and non-verbal communication

are critical, so come up with

exercises to practise these.

55

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SUICIDE IN NEW ZEALAND, YOU CAN VISIT THE WEBSITE FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION INFORMATION NEW ZEALAND AT WWW.SPINZ.ORG.NZ

OSCAR AND CO. WORK WITH CASPER Communication is not only important in everyday business, it could save a life.

OSCAR AND CO WORK WITH CASPEROSCAR AND CO RAISING MONEY FOR CASPER

Every year Oscar and Co. in Takapuna hold a ‘Charity

Day’ in the salon. They book a full day of clients, and all

the proceeds from these clients go to a charity chosen

by Oscar and Co. This year, Oscar and Co chose to work with

CASPER (short for Community Action on Suicide Prevention

Education and Research).

CASPER is a charity organisation that works to reduce the high

rates of suicide in New Zealand. One way they do this is by

training people in industries like hairdressing on how to help

clients who have had an encounter with suicide.

For Gene Cooksley, owner of Oscar and Co, communication

(particularly on the issue of suicide) is extremely powerful.

Oscar and Co had their own insight into suicide, when a former

employee took his life.

“It took me completely by surprise,” Gene says, “I had no idea he

was struggling. I always thought I would catch-up with him in

New York one day, he was so talented”.

“Communicating with youth about this issue is especially

important for our industry simply because of the large number

of young people involved. Making sure these people are

comfortable enough to discuss their issues, and that they

know where to go for help, is vital,” Gene says.

“And hairdressers are perfect for this. Communication is already

a vital part of working in the industry, and on top of that research

coming out in recent years has identified hairdressers as “natural

helpers”. As someone who a client sees regularly and who they

trust, hairdressers are the ideal people to give advice. In fact,

studies have suggested that people will trust their hairdresser

over their doctor.”

“I’ve always been surprised that other companies don’t have

closer associations with hairdressers,” Gene says, “we spend all

day talking to people and recommending things – restaurants,

products, and clothes”.

But CASPER did realise this and started approaching hairdressers

(and people like them). CASPER taught the team at Oscar and Co

what to say when a client broaches the subject of suicide, whether

the conversation is about the client themselves or someone

they’ve lost. Equally importantly, CASPER also taught the team

what not to say. They also suggested organisations to refer clients

to for further advice and support.

“Working with CASPER has been amazing,” Gene says, “we

had never had conversations about suicide before, and never

thought about what we’d want to say. The way that people

have responded has been amazing”.

Oscar and Co. have noticed a vast difference in their

communication skills. They can communicate much better with

their clients on a range of issues, and repay the trust their clients

have in them with valuable advice. They recommend that other

salons get involved with similar organisations in their region.

“It was lovely to raise money and awareness,” Gene says,

“CASPER is a charity organisation, so if people can help them

and give donate money, I would absolutely recommend that

they should”.

56

starting 2014 with a training

strategy in your salon

What is it and why is it important?

If there’s one thing every salon needs, it’s a training strategy.

Training helps grow your business, keep up with the industry,

and keep your staff happy and engaged. A training strategy

helps organise these elements, and helps you decide which

direction your salon is headed in next.

SO WHAT IS A TRAINING STRATEGY?

A training strategy is a document that identifies your salon

team members’ ‘training needs’ over the coming year. It should

also identify how you think you will meet these training needs.

Your strategy should be clearly posted on your calendar and

delivered on schedule over the time period indicated.

You should create your training strategy for the following year

in the last quarter of the previous year. You might well ask ‘why

so far in advance?’ This is because your training calendar is a

necessary component of your appointment book, and needs

to be scheduled as such.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you

can use to change the world.” – NELSON MANDELA

SCHEDULING YOUR TRAINING STRATEGY

The first step should be scheduling all important events in your

calendar. This will make scheduling training much easier.

Key information you need to compile in your salon

appointment book:

• Daysopen

• StatutoryDays(salonclosed)

• OffJobTrainingdays

• Yourpreferredsupplierstrainingschedule

• Annualleavepre-booked

• Schoolholidays(youdecideiftrainingoccursinthistime

or not)

• Otheractivitiesthatrequireindividualstobebookedout

Now you can schedule your training calendar more effectively.

Certainly nothing is 100% set in concrete, but if you prioritise

your training and book it then it can and will happen!

57

CREATING YOUR TRAINING STRATEGY

Divide your team into:

STYLISTS

• Senior

• Young/Junior

COLOURISTS

NON HAIRDRESSING PERSONNEL

APPRENTICES

• Year1

• Year2

• Year3

GATEWAY/WORK EXPERIENCE

THE SALON OWNER/EMPLOYER/STYLIST

Here is an idea; involve a mix of your team in the planning

process and together look at your needs:

“Build a dream and the dream will build you.”

– ROBERT H SCHULLER

ESTABLISH THE ROLE OF THE TRAINER CO-ORDINATOR AND THE TRAINERS

The Trainer Co-ordinator will have responsibility for co-ordinating

all training that happens in the salon. They will organise when

this training happens, and who does the training. This is often

the salon owner, but it doesn’t have to be.

The all-important question then is ‘who will take the role of

Trainer?’ You can have more than one Trainer: remember, bite-

size delegation means training need not be an onerous task,

rather one to be enjoyed.

You should assign one trainer per group of people. Use the list

above (of your staff members) to determine who is on your

team that needs training and divide them into groups.

THE ROLE OF THE TRAINER

Give each trainer a week to put together an overview of the

training for the next year that their group will need.

• Whendotheyseethishappening?

• Howdoyouseeitworking?

• Isitinpaidworktime?

• Whatofthetrainer,aretheypaid?Aretheirtargetfigures

reduced as they might not be able to work the hours planned?

“Do more than belong: participate.

Do more than care: help.

Do more than believe: practice.

Do more than be fair: be kind.

Do more than forgive: forget.

Do more than dream: work.”

– WILLIAM ARTHUR WARD

LYNDSAY LOVERIDGE

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58

WHY IS TRAINING IMPORTANT?

Everyone benefits from training, if the training is designed with

them in mind.

T – Teaching ensures you are current.

R – Regular training sessions breed good habits.

A – Attitude is infectious.

I – Initiative is a fabulous character trait to be fostered.

N – Never say never’- always give things a go.

I – In sync with the world around you keeps you fresh and

hungry for more.

N – Negativity is a sign of insecurity; breed a positive

learning environment in which people feel safe.

G – Grow your skills and grow your client base.

Training keeps you motivated for more, it puts the spice into your working day.

“Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to

ask questions, and never know too much to learn

something new.” – OG MANDINO

SO WHAT MIGHT YOU NEED TO TEACH? (USE THIS AS A CHECK LIST)

• PoliciesandProcedures

• Howtodothingsourway

• Lifeskills

• Mentoring

• Buddyeverytrainee

• Nichetraining:receptionskills,dispensaryskills,basin

skills, retail skills, client relations skills, apprentice year 1,2,3

hairdressing skills in support of their off job training

• Creativetrainingwithyourclientsinmind

• Colouring

• Hairup/WeddingandBallwork

Whatever you and your team decide is appropriate for your salon

and your team is what you develop into your Training Plan.

SOME TIPS AND GUIDELINES WHEN DEVELOPING YOUR PLAN:

• What’sinitforme?-‘Thecatchphraseofthecurrent

generation’. Answer this and you will get their buy-in.

Think about this when creating your plan.

• Trainingapprenticesistheresponsibilityofboththe

Employer and the Off Job Trainer. Make sure the training

your apprentice needs is fully covered by both.

• Noonejoinsyourorganisationwithafullskillsetofyour

‘Salons Expectations’. This explains the importance of a clear

initiation session to your salon.

• Trainingkeepsstaffontheboil:itismostdefinitely,an

important part of keeping staff happy.

• Oursisa‘Fashion’Industry:everevolving.Ifyouwanttobe

sure that your salon has longevity then keep up with trends.

• Smarttraining:whatcanyourchemicalsupplycompany

offer you? Supply them with both your training schedule

and the units of learning on the frame work: it is absolutely

possible to work as one when providing training.

The secret in education lies in respecting the student and the

student respecting the trainer.

“The more that you read, the more things you will

know. The more that you learn, the more places

you'll go.” – DR. SEUSS, I CAN READ WITH MY EYES SHUT!

TRAINING GUIDELINES

• Apprentices: weekly with a mix of training, practise

opportunities and COE’s (collection of evidence – the standard

which ensures the trainee is unit assessment ready).

• Senior Stylists: Practical Sessions every 6 to 8 weeks;

nominate how many of these they must attend per year.

• Specialty sessions: up to 3 per year schedule March to

November.

• Competitions: Training needs to occur outside your trading

hours; be there for your competitors so that every hour in

training adds value.

• Invest in your people: an Education budget should be at

least 2% of the individual’s salary.

Just as you keep an Annual leave log and a Sickness log for

each employee add a Training log; then when the budget is

used up consider asking your employee to contribute to the

training costs as well.

CONCLUSION

Creating a training strategy is simple but worth it, and every

salon can benefit from having one.

From years both in the industry and being involved in external

training, Lyndsay believes that salons who offer the right mix of

training programs for all staff tend to both attract and keep their

people for a considerably longer period of time. Also with the

training comes a strong sense of salon culture. These teams

display pride and a high degree of professionalism: definitely

valuable keys to success.

Make sure your training strategy works for you and your staff, and

that it is achievable. Once your training strategy does this, you’ll

be able to keep your staff happy and your salon current, and your

business will continue to grow and evolve well into the future.

“We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong

process of keeping abreast of change. And the most

pressing task is to teach people how to learn.”

– PETER DRUCKER

59

TO BE HELD ON MONDAY 17 MARCH 2014

Notice is given to the New Zealand Hairdressing Industry Training Organisation Incorporated (“HITO”) Board and Members, that the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of HITO will be held on Monday 17 March 2014.

The meeting will take place at MACs Brewery

(Cable Room), Corner of Taranaki and Cable Street,

in Wellington commencing at 10.00am. Tea and coffee

will be available at 9.30am.

The Key Tasks/Deadlines for the AGM are:

1. Board Members: One Elected Board Member position

(currently held by Anne Millar) and one Appointed Board

Member position (currently held by Sharon van Gulick)

are up for election/appointment at the AGM. Any person

who wishes to apply for a position on the HITO Board

must complete the HITO Application Form – Vacant Board

Member Positions (attached) and return it to Erica Cumming

(HITO CEO) by no later than 5pm, Friday 17 January 2014.

2. Items of AGM Business: If the Board or any Employer

Member wishes to submit any proposed motions (including

alterations to the HITO Constitution) or other items of

business for consideration at the AGM these must be

received in writing by Erica Cumming no later than

10am, Monday 17 February 2014.

3. Delegates: Employer Members that wish to appoint a

Delegate to represent it at the AGM must forward in writing

the name of their Delegate to the HITO CEO by 10am,

Friday 21 February 2014.

4. Representatives: Association Members, Education

Members and Corporate Members that wish to appoint a

Representative to represent them at the AGM must forward

in writing the name of their Representative, and who they

represent, to HITO CEO by 10am, Friday 21 February 2014.

5. Attendees: Any other Members that wish to attend the AGM

must notify HITO CEO by 10am, Friday 21 February 2014.

6. Proxy & Electronic Votes: The deadline for submitting Postal

and Electronic Voting Forms is 5pm Thursday 13 March 2014.

The Postal and Electronic Voting Forms will be supplied with

the AGM Agenda.

7. Proxy Forms: The deadline for submitting Proxy Forms is

9.00am, Monday 17 March 2014. The Proxy Form will be

supplied with the AGM Agenda.

The Returning Officer for the AGM is to be confirmed on the AGM

Agenda. The AGM Agenda will be sent to the Board and Employer

Members no later than Friday 21 February 2014.

Address: HITO, PO Box 11 764, Manners Street, Wellington

Email: ceo@hito.org.nz

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGOF THE

NEW ZEALAND HAIRDRESSING INDUSTRY TRAINING ORGANISATION INCORPORATED

60

HITO AGM TIMELINE 2013-2014DATE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WHO IS THE TASK FOR

Completed Convene the Board Appointments Panel (BAP) Board Chairperson

Monday 16 December 2013

Call for applications for the vacant Appointed Board Members

position and Elected Board Member position (at least 90 days

prior to the AGM)

Board Appointments Panel

Friday 17 January 2014Closing date for applications for Board Member positions due

(at least 60 days prior to the AGM)Members / Public

Friday 7 February 2014

BAP to notify the CEO of the Appointed Board Member to

assume office and its recommendations for the vacant Elected

Board Member position (at least 30 days prior to the AGM)

Board Appointments Panel

Monday 17 February 2014

Board and/or Employer Members to notify the CEO of any

items of business to be considered at the AGM, including any

proposed amendments to the Constitution (at least 28 days

prior to the AGM)

Board / Employer Members

Friday 21 February 2014

The AGM Agenda to be sent to the Board and Members

(no later than 21 days prior to the AGM)

Agenda to include notification of the Appointed Board Member

and Board Appointment Panel recommendations for the vacant

Elected Board Member position.

CEO

Friday 21 February 2014Deadline for delegates, representatives and attendees to advised

the HITO CEO of their AGM attendance.Members

Thursday 13 March 2014Deadline for all electronic and proxy voting forms to be returned

to the HITO CEOMembers

Monday 17 March 2014 AGM (election of Elected Board Member) Members

www.hito.org.nz/agm

61

APPRENTICES AT NEW ZEALAND FASHION WEEK

Four apprentices share their experiences at New Zealand Fashion Week

A MODEL FOR NOM*D PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLIVER ROSE

62

A MODEL FOR NOM*D PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLIVER ROSE

A MODEL FOR NOM*D PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLIVER ROSE

SOPHY PHILLIPS

63

Fashion work has always been a major part of Sophy’s

career. Starting out as a make-up artist, Sophy worked for

several years on shoots and shows before starting her

hairdressing training in 2010. Her work in make-up gave her

an advantage: she already knew how shoots and sets worked,

which made helping with hair work much easier. Her make-up

skills have also been an advantage in other ways as, of the fifty

shoots she has done this year, Sophy did both hair and make-

up for about half.

Despite being new to the hairdressing industry in 2010, Sophy

began working on fashion shows and shoots from day one.

Sophy started her apprenticeship at Bettjemans, who have

a strong Fashion Week presence (as you can see from our

interview with Trent and Mitch, current Bettjemans apprentices),

and then moved to Stephen Marr. Stephen Marr maintains

several long-term relationships with designers, giving Sophy

plenty of opportunity to get involved in fashion work.

By 2013, Sophy was a regular at Fashion Week. This year

she worked on Coop by Trelise Cooper, the Underground

Collaboration Show, and Salasai, helping create looks designed

by the Stephen Marr creative team. For Sophy, being able to

work closely with her team was one of the best parts of

Fashion Week.

As well as working on Fashion Week, Stephen Marr also

run The Marr Factory, a weeks’ worth of shows with various

designers that runs the week before New Zealand Fashion

Week. One of these designers is Nom*D.

Sophy had worked with Nom*D previously, designing the hair

for one of their campaigns. For Marr Factory, however, Sophy

had the opportunity to lead the hair design for their live show,

something she had never done before. Sophy worked closely with

Margi Robertson (owner of Nom*D) on every aspect of the show,

spending a lot of time researching the looks she wanted to create.

“I wanted something that felt quintessentially part of the brand

look and feel,” Sophy says, “the hair needed to fit with the

themes of the collection and the fit of the clothes. I also wanted

it to move as the models walked”.

Nom*D’s show this year was Japan-themed. This meant

researching Japan itself, as well as the fabrics and shapes of

the collection. Sophy’s final look was a geisha-esque messy bun.

She created it by rough-drying the look with a lot of mousse,

back-brushing and piling the hair into loose buns at the pivot

points before integrating the front sections.

Both Marr Factory and NZ Fashion Week were a unique

learning experience. Sophy has learned hundreds of different

tips and tricks from every show she has worked on and says

every show is a different experience.

“Working with different team leaders and stylists, you’ll always

pick up different tips and tricks,” Sophy says, “even a basic

ponytail can be done in a hundred different ways”.

For those of you who want a career creating hair for the fashion

industry, Sophy has some advice. “Go in with an open mind,

and listen and learn the whole time you’re there. It’s a different

skill set to the one you use every day in the salon, and bringing

those skills back into the salon can give your clients that

something extra. It’s a great talking point and creates plenty

of buzz around you and your salon”.

So what is next for Sophy? Well, more fashion shows and shoots

are certainly on the menu. Sophy and Stephen Marr have already

done three more shows since Fashion Week and they have got

many more planned. There’s also plenty of planning to do for

Fashion Week next year.

Sophy is also focussed on furthering her skills as a hairdresser.

At Stephen Marr, intensive training is strongly encouraged, and

Sophy intends to take full advantage of this to build “tangible,

relevant skills that are applicable as a growing stylist in the

salon”. Because of this intensive training, Sophy has been

considered a stylist since the beginning of the year.

She still plans to continue developing her clientele in-salon

and improving her skills as a stylist, as well as completing

her National Certificate. She also plans to gain more beauty

qualifications in the future, all the while furthering her career

as a key member of the Stephen Marr Creative Team.

Sophy Phillips is no stranger to fashion shows. As an apprentice at Stephen Marr in Auckland, Sophy works on upwards of ten shows a year, including New Zealand Fashion Week. She also works on many fashion shoots

– more than fifty this year so far.

“Working with different team leaders and stylists, you’ll always pick up different tips and tricks. Even a basic ponytail can be done in a hundred different ways”.

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64

SOPHY PHILLIPS CREATING THE HAIR FOR THE NOM*D SHOW AT MARR FACTORY PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLIVER ROSE

A MODEL FOR NOM*D PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLIVER ROSE

"The hair needed to fit with the themes of the collection

and the fit of the clothes. I also wanted it to move as the models walked.”

65

MITCH WILSON AT FASHION WEEK

TRENT FLEET AT FASHION WEEK

TRENT

FLEET

& MI

TCH W

ILSON

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66

For many years, Bettjemans has worked with designer

Trelise Cooper at NZ Fashion Week. This year was no

different, with the Bettjemans team creating the hair for

Trelise Cooper’s two shows.

“Everyone gets to be a part of it,” Trent says, “everyone helps out,

working in teams made up of a stylist and several apprentices. It’s

a great atmosphere and everything flows so well”.

This is a process that starts well before Fashion Week. First,

Trelise Cooper sends through her ideas and designs for her

collection. The team at Bettjemans then work with Trelise to

make sure the look fits with the designs she will be showing at

Fashion Week.

From the beginning, the whole team is involved. Once they have

settled on the look, the team undertakes a series of training

sessions, making sure they know the look inside and out.

“Everyone bands together and works well as a team, but if you

aren’t a strong team you will crumble”.

For Mitch, Fashion Week wasn’t something he had ever thought

about doing. But Fashion Week is a significant part of working

at Bettjemans, and so he “just fell into it”. As Fashion Week

approached, Mitch saw the enthusiasm and felt the energy in

the salon. Now, he says it was a “great experience”, and he will

be back next year.

Of course, Fashion Week is not without challenges. For Trent,

the biggest challenge was never giving up on making the

planned hairstyle work. “You had to follow the plan and make

the hairstyle work no matter what,” Trent says.

And this turned out to be a challenge indeed. The Trelise

Cooper show involved two different hairstyles, and each team

of stylist and apprentices had just five minutes to change the

style over. At one point, some of the apprentices had to do a

changeover on their own, as there were no stylists available

to supervise.

However, when asked, Mitch ranks this moment as one of

the best at Fashion Week. It was chaotic, but it was also “the

pinnacle of Fashion Week, seeing the drive and energy of the

people around you”.

Both Trent and Mitch thrived in this chaotic atmosphere. Mitch

said it was “very exciting out back [of the shows]”, and Trent

says “It was so awesome, seeing the different atmospheres at

Fashion Week. It was crazy, and all go. It almost felt unreal. The

adrenaline was amazing”.

Fashion Week was also an opportunity to hone their practical skills.

Both Trent and Mitch say they rapidly improved their long hair-up

skills, particularly those involving GHD curls and braids. Mitch says

it was helpful to imagine how the final style would look.

They also got to hone other skills. Mitch learned how valuable it

is to keep moving and keep calm (good advice in general), and,

above all, to keep breathing. Being able to think on the spot and

take surprises well was also an asset.

But out of all the things they learned, there is one key piece of

advice they would give apprentices about Fashion Week.

“Just get involved and get in there,” Trent says, “it's so easy to

feel like you can’t do it and you’re not ready, but just dive in”.

And Mitch agrees. “Do whatever you can to get involved,” he

says. “Working for free and even observing is such a thrilling

experience. It’s a fantastic opportunity to see New Zealand

Fashion, and you never know where it might lead”.

Every year, Bettjemans send a team to New Zealand Fashion Week. This year, Trent Fleet and Mitch Wilson were part of that team. They shared with us what it takes to keep up at Fashion Week, and the greatest and most challenging

parts of being there.

“It was crazy, and all go. It almost felt unreal. The adrenaline was amazing.”

67

DANIEL MATENE AT FASHION WEEK PHOTOGRAHY BY JULIE COOPER PHOTOGRAPHY

DANIEL MATENE PHOTOGRAHY BY JULIE COOPER PHOTOGRAPHY

DANIE

L MATE

NE

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68

Daniel Matene has been in the industry for four years,

working at Villa Hairdressing in Whangarei. He had

never been involved in Fashion Week before, so Daniel

jumped at the chance to support Goldwell/KMS at New Zealand

Fashion Week 2013.

“At Villa, we use Goldwell/KMS products in the salon. They are

also a big supporter of Fashion Week, and every year they send

around an email asking for enthusiastic hairdressers to help

out on several shows. I put my hand up without any questions,”

Daniel says.

Daniel had the opportunity to work on a series of shows with

the Goldwell team, including NYNE and The New Generation.

He also worked at the Goldwell/KMS stand, promoting the

company and performing hair demonstrations. It was a frantic

week, with the team (selected from salons across New Zealand)

constantly on their toes.

“Time management was so important at Fashion Week.

Every second counts, so you have to be really organised”.

This was especially important for Daniel and the Goldwell team.

Unlike Sophy Phillips from Stephen Marr and the team from

Bettjemans, the Goldwell team had no chance to work together

before showing up at Fashion Week. They had their hairdressing

training to fall back on, but it was very much “show up and away

you go,” says Daniel.

In this environment, communication and listening skills

were crucial. The Goldwell design team would show their

hairdressers the looks, after which they would complete the

looks on a live model. Listening and paying attention was vital.

"Being adaptable was also important," says Daniel, “you had

to be prepared to start again from scratch if your work wasn’t

going the way the design team had planned.”

“Fashion Week was a real learning experience”

Daniel learned how to be adaptable, have terrific time

management, and communicate well. His practical skills were

also tested.

“Most of the looks I did were very clean and sharp so being

able to use a straightener was a big help. They give body,

texture, shape, flatness, smoothness and curl. They are very

cleverly designed contraptions.”

“Back combing will never go out of use so knowing how to back

comb will surely save your behind, but the most important thing is

knowing your products! This will make or break any look”.

Daniel also had some other advice for his fellow apprentices.

Knowing your products and knowing your tools were his

top two tips, but he also had a third tip. Daniel advised other

apprentices to “have faith in yourself and your skills, and put

yourself in the limelight.”

So what was the best part of Fashion Week? “Just being around

such amazing people,” Daniel says, “you learn a lot without

realising it. I was so inspired by everyone at Fashion Week –

everywhere you look there are people with stunning hair, make-

up, and clothes. These people are me all over!”

And the most challenging part of Fashion Week? “Leaving,”

says Daniel, “I can’t wait until next year, and I hope the team

at Goldwell will ask me back!”

Daniel Matene from Villa Hairdressing talks about his work with the Goldwell/KMS team at New Zealand Fashion Week.

“Time management was so important at Fashion Week. Every second counts, so you have to be really organised.”

69

PETRA MILDON

She worked on five shows in New York, the first of which

was for designer Lorry Newhouse. Newhouse’s spring

collection was “elegant and sophisticated”, and the hair

was styled in a natural, soft, low pony.

“It was made to look like the model could have done it herself,”

Petra explains.

Soft, minimal-effort looks like this one were a key hair trend

seen on the New York runways this year.

Another show Petra worked on was LOVE by Diego Beinniti,

an Argentinian designer. This time the hair was styled in a

structured, messy, braided “avatar” look.

“This was our time to get creative,” Petra says. “We could do

our own spin on the look while keeping within the style.”

One of Petra’s favourite looks to work on was for designer

Sophie Theallet. The look for this show was a low, messy, wet

look bun. The team used lots of product to create the wet, “just-

out-of-the-shower” look, and pieces of fabric were twisted into

the bun for a colourful edge.

“This was another chance to get creative with the fabric and

choose our colours,” says Petra. “The look was beautiful.”

Petra was thrilled to find that images of her working on this show

were published in the New York Times, both online and in print.

“This was a highlight!” she says.

Working on Indian-American designer Bibhu Mohapatra’s show

at the Lincoln Centre was another high point for Petra. While

working in one of New York’s most iconic venues, she suddenly

realised that she was in the middle of one of the biggest fashion

weeks in the world.

“People were going at 100 miles an hour. Paparazzi was coming

in and out. There’s nothing like it,” she says. “It’s on another

spectrum to New Zealand.”

Bibhu Mohapatra’s spring collection was inspired by ballet, and

the hair was styled to look like a dancer in motion. Starting with

a tight bun on top of the head, lots of hairspray was used to lift

soft pieces into the air - creating the look of dancing in mid-air.

“This look was one of my favourites, it was so beautiful,” Petra says.

Although this was Petra’s first international fashion week, she

has worked on Air New Zealand Fashion Week, Wellington

Fashion Week and Fashion in the Capital here at home, which

she says helped prepare her for heading overseas. She is also

part of the Industry team who travel around New Zealand and

Australia doing shows.

“Working at New Zealand Fashion Week and at other shows

has definitely helped mould me, helped me to get creative and

to spread my wings,” she says.

She also attributes her apprenticeship at Buoy with helping her

to grow as a stylist.

“Being in the salon keeps me grounded,” she explains, “and it

has helped shape me into who I am today.”

It would be a dream come true for Petra to continue working

the international fashion week circuit, and she hopes the

contacts she made in New York will help her get there.

“The Americans we met love New Zealanders,” she says. “We met

some really great people and did lots of networking.”

If you are an apprentice who wants to work in fashion too,

Petra says the key is to be driven.

“If that’s what you want to do, put yourself out there.

Enter competitions because that is how you will get known.

You need to be extremely driven and go after the dream.”

Wellington apprentice Petra Mildon had the opportunity of a lifetime recently to work behind the scenes at one of the biggest fashion events in the world: New York Fashion Week. Petra went to the city of dreams in September as part of

a team put together by Industry’s Sara Allsop.

“It was an amazing experience, and a dream come true.”

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70

PETRA'S WORK ON LOVE BY DIEGO BINETTI, HAIR LEAD PHILLIP BARWICK

71

MEL AND THE STAFF AT CHAIRS

MEL WOODMASS' ADVICE FOR MAORI & PASIFIKA PEOPLES

For Mel Woodmass, owner of Chairs salon and tutor at The Hairdressing College, her 25 years in the hairdressing industry have been the most stimulating of her life. She shared with us her experiences as a Maori woman in the industry and her

advice for other Maori and Pasifika people looking to pursue a career in hairdressing.

Today Mel is the successful owner of Chairs Hair Design,

hairdressing industry assessor, and tutor at The Hair-

dressing College. Her journey to success has been a

long one, starting when Mel was only 9 years old. The auntie

she was living with at the time, tired of Mel chewing on her hair

as well as her food, grabbed her hair into a ponytail and cut it

short. Mel walked into a local salon to get it fixed, and as she

says “walked into her career”.

“The look of the salon, the stylists, the constant talking, the

changes the customers underwent all inspired me,” Mel says.

“Hairdressing was calling my name”.

Mel was brought up in the small of town Foxton, in the

Horowhenua region. Sidney Gilroy owned three salons in the

area, and it was her who gave Mel the “key to the hairdressing

world”. Mel cites Sidney as her main source of inspiration

– she took Mel on as an apprentice, and “expected nothing

less than hard work, dedication, and outstanding achievements

from her apprentices”.

Mel completed her qualification and then, at 21 years old,

bought Sidney’s salon from her. Twenty-one years later, Mel

still owns that salon, and Chairs (the salon) is still going strong.

At Chairs, apprentices are an essential part of the salon’s

culture. “Apprentices are the backbone of my business, and

they’ve come from different backgrounds and are all different

ages,” Mel says. “So far, 15 apprentices have completed their

qualification, and three of the stylists went on to buy their

own salons”.

“Training quality hairdressers is important to our industry.

Trainees who are trained and qualified to a high standard

ensure growth and consistency in hairdressing. I wanted to

contribute to this growth and enable hairdressing to continue

developing in the future.”

72

MEL WOODMASS AND HER STUDENTS

As well as taking on apprentices at her salon, Mel also supports

trainees in other ways. In 2000, after seeing the support she

gained from HITO for her apprentices, Mel became an industry

assessor. This was a fantastic opportunity for Mel, allowing her

to understand the hairdressing unit standards better.

This experience allowed her to develop her teaching career,

and Mel took up a tutoring position at The Hairdressing

College in 2007. Mel worked part-time at the College and part-

time at Chairs, allowing her to focus on training a variety of

hairdressing trainees.

“I’m honoured to witness so many of these amazing people

achieve the best hairdressing certificate in the world,” Mel says.

“To be part of their training, even only a small part, has given

me a sense of purpose in my career”.

In 2013, Mel was able to expand her teaching career yet again.

She was given the opportunity to teach a government funded

scheme for youth (under 18) and young people over 18 through

The Hairdressing College. This has been a challenge, Mel says,

but it has also been greatly rewarding.

Mel’s focus has been on helping apprentices of all backgrounds

perform to their full potential. Within the past two years, however,

Mel began to consider the importance of targeted education for

Maori and Pasifika students. As someone who was supported

throughout her early life and training, this was never an issue for

Mel. But she began to realise the importance of this when she saw

that Maori and Pasifika students were not “embracing the potential

they have to become great hairdressers”.

“I wanted to encourage them by being a role model and also

being someone they can relate to and understand,” Mel says.

“This is very important in training as students need to feel

supported, and sometimes guidance from a like-minded tutor

is essential.”

Since this realisation, Mel has been involved in several targeted

education initiatives for Maori and Pasifika. There are several that

she has considered highly effective. One is a government funded

programme run by The Hairdressing College for youth (under

18) and young people over 18. The programme has an 80%

success rate for getting graduates into further training. Mel also

supports the literacy and numeracy programmes available (like

HITO’s Aquarius programme). They help fill the gaps in students’

knowledge that often hold them back from succeeding.

Mel also hopes that her personal support of her students is

helpful. She believes that sharing her unique experience and

successes with them and advising them to “stand up and get

over it” has helped with their growth. She hopes to provide

continuing support well into the future. Mel would like to see

more focus on continuing professional development.

“This path may be hard, but rewarding once completed,” Mel

says. “It gives the student a strong sense of confidence and

purpose as they move through their careers.”

Mel has advice for trainees and trainers, Maori, Pasifika, Pakeha,

and everyone else in the industry. For Maori and Pasifika

trainees, Mel says: “Get past the shyness, embrace the advice

you receive, and believe in yourself. Bring out the goodness

within you, share what you know and can do and take your

ability to the world”.

For trainers, Mel advises them to do their best to bring out

these qualities in their trainees. She also advises them to share

all their experience, give them options, and evaluate their

understanding and progress regularly. And when they reach

their goals, Mel says, make sure to reward their progress.

And for trainees everywhere, Mel has this to say. “Listen to

advice, practice, and watch, ask questions, practice again, listen

and achieve.”

Mel feels that she is “the luckiest person in the world” to have had

such a successful career in hairdressing. She hopes to continue

surrounding herself with the best hairstylists, trainers, and

mentors, and continue to support all trainees far into the future.

"Apprentices are the backbone of my business."

73

JAMES ROONEY FROM PREMIER HAIRDRESSING ACADEMY

If you're a HITO apprentice in the Wellington region, chances

are you are familiar with Premier Hairdressing Academy.

As well as offering full-time courses, Premier also handles

much of the Off Job Training for apprentices in the region.

48% of trainees at their Lower Hutt site are Maori.

Premier is also heavily invested in Maori and Pasifika

achievement in the industry, which is where James Rooney

comes in. James is the Cultural Manager for Premier as well

as being Site Manager in Lower Hutt. James’ role at Premier is

to “develop authentic and meaningful teaching and learning

resources by including Māori & Pasifika values and ideas in

their existing training programmes.”

This means creating programmes that actively engage with

Maori and Pasifika students and their values. It also means

encouraging participation in events such as Maori Language

Week, which is a big part of studying at Premier. James

designed Māori Language Week, as well as other events and

programmes at Premier, to show that Maori and Pasifika can

achieve within the existing education system.

“Premier realised there was a shift in thinking and behaviour,

the result of which is higher participation in high quality and

culturally relevant vocational training. By including Māori

values and kaupapa ideas into the training programme, Māori

& Pacific Islanders have a better relationship with education.

They can build their self-worth and increase their desire to

succeed,” says James.

Building this desire to succeed is critical to all areas of industry.

The evidence of this comes from the testimonials of Mary

Andrews and Grace Mariu, trainees who have spent time

at Premier. Mary is an apprentice and an Off Job Trainee at

Premier and Grace is a student there.

“I’ve been in the hairdressing industry for three and a half

years,” Mary says, “during that time I have felt disadvantaged

because of my culture. This I believe stems from years of

E nga- karangatanga maha puta noa i te motu, piki mai, kake mai!

We talk to James Rooney, OJT tutor and Cultural Manager for Premier Hairdressing Academy, and some of his students, and we chat about their challenges and successes as Maori in the Hairdressing Industry.

JAMES ROONEY AND GRACE MARIU TRAINING

74

conditional thinking carried through generations to our present

time”. Mary feels there is not much support for Maori in the

industry. However, she believes this is changing, with more

Maori-owned salons opening and more Maori training in

the industry.

There is also a government initiative to support this achievement.

The Māori and Pasifika Trades Training initiative states the key

to New Zealand’s economic success is in raising the skill levels

of Māori and Pasifika peoples. It also involves developing new

approaches to engage and support these students in tertiary

education. The aim is to enable more Māori and Pasifika learners

to earn trades apprenticeships and qualifications.

Much of James’ work with Premier can be used as an example

for the wider industry on how to engage these learners. James

speaks Maori with his students, and instructions are written

in Maori, Pasifika, and English. Maori Language Week is also

celebrated.

The results are clear: both Mary and Grace are actively engaged

in their training. Mary credits Premier for making her “a successful

young hairdresser and proud to be Maori”.

“With a little support and encouragement we can achieve and

be proud of it. We can be proud of ourselves…and add to our self-

worth and identity”.

And Grace agrees, saying “For me, Premier has made me feel

comfortable about being Maori and expressing myself as a Maori.

There are three Maori tutors who always make me feel like I’m part

of a family. They have helped me strive to be the best I can be.

Also talking to Hakopa (James) makes me grateful that I can speak

my language. I am proud to be Maori.”

“He Maori tonu ahau, whaia te iti kahurangi me tuohu koe ki te

maunga teitei. Kia ora mai tātou katoa.” Grace says, “I love being

Māori, I strive to be the best I can or the highest I can”.

MARY ANDREWS

“With a little support and encouragement we can achieve and be proud of it. We can be proud of ourselves…and add to our self-worth and identity.”

75

Amanda is in the last year of her apprenticeship at

Hair Affair Putaruru. She loves everything about her

apprenticeship.

Amanda’s commitment and love for hairdressing has more

than paid off: she is the HITO Midland Regional Apprentice

of the Year for 2013.

“I've always wanted to be a hairdresser, no doubt about it. I was

lucky enough to get an apprenticeship in my little hometown

Putaruru. My boss saw my true passion I have for hairdressing,

and I'm so grateful she gave me the perfect opportunity!

I wanted to do an apprenticeship because that's the most

hands on way to learn to be hairdresser; you get one-on-one

training. You also get to interact with clients and gain practical

experience while you learn.

I love making people happy. Seeing how much people's spirits

are lifted when they leave the salon is such a fantastic feeling,

especially if they're having a terrible week, a lousy day or a

rough patch in life. Something about having your hair feel and

look good really makes people feel so much better, and I love

that! I also love learning new things. With hairdressing, there are

always new things to learn, whether you've been doing it for

3 months or 30 years.

Mana Dave is my hairdressing idol. He started off as an

apprentice and look how well-known he is. He gets to travel, do

heaps of competitions, owns his own salons, and trains others:

amazing. I've just been awarded the Midland Regional Winner

of Apprentice of the Year title for this year, so I get to spend a

weekend full of workshops with him. I couldn't be more excited!

My advice to anyone who wants to be a hairdresser is don’t

give up! It was 5 months after I handed my CV in to my salon

that I got the job, so keep trying and put in 120% effort.

Hairdressing is hard work. If you can prove that you're willing

to go that extra mile, someone will see your passion sooner

or later!”

AMANDA PUGH – AOTY MIDLAND REGIONAL WINNER

Amanda Pugh, Hair Affair in Putaruru.

I MY HAIRDRESSING APPRENTICESHIP

I MY APPRENTICESHIP

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Bayley Sayers is a third year apprentice at Evolve Hair

Lounge. She has always loved hairdressing and often cut

her classmates’ hair in school. She was given the perfect

opportunity to turn hairdressing into a career when local salon

Evolve offered her an apprenticeship in her last year of school.

Bayley loves the creativity of hairdressing. She plans to travel

around the world and gain hairdressing experience in various

countries before returning home to New Zealand and opening

her own salon.

“I was always into having my hair done and doing my friends

hair through high school. In the last year of school I decided to

attend the Gateway programme at a local salon in town! A big

inspiration to me was my grandmother, who was a hairdresser

and owned her own salon! I have some of her old equipment

which I like to always keep with me. It makes me feel she's near.

An apprenticeship is a fantastic way to earn money while you’re

learning and gaining your career! Plus there are no loans to

pay off at the end - a major bonus. I love the whole fashionable

side of it and making people feel great. Having your hair

done always makes you feel good and gives you a boost of

confidence! Plus you get to chat with real life clients rather

than working on mannequin heads. The overall experience

is awesome!”

BAYLEY SAYERS

Bayley Sayers, Evolve Hair Lounge in Whitianga.

I MY HAIRDRESSING APPRENTICESHIP

I MY APPRENTICESHIP

77

STEPHANIE'S BEHIND THE SCENES WORK. PHOTOGRAPHY- ALICIA SCOTT FOR FOTOGRAFICA

DYNAMIC DUO TAKING THE COMPETITION WORLD BY STORM

Stephanie Scott and Liam Northcott are two apprentices taking New Zealand and the world by storm.

78

The vibrant and hard working pair from Frenz Hair Design in Raumati Beach have placed in many different competitions this year, receiving regional and national acclaim for their work.

Both Stephanie and Liam took part in the nationwide

Wella Trend Vision photographic competition recently

where they won second and third place respectively

in the apprentice category. On top of that, Stephanie’s entry

also received a Judges Recognition award in the young talent

category.

The duo also entered the exciting and pressure-filled Wellington

Regional NZARH Competition this year. Liam entered the Urban

Cut category and was awarded third place, while Stephanie

won first place in Urban Day Style and third place in Urban

Night Style. It was Stephanie’s first time entering the regionals

and she says she found this competition to be “quite different”

from doing photographic competitions.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the excitement on the day; the atmosphere

is amazing. It’s rewarding to see all the hard work you have done

come together on the day,” she says.

On top of these wins, the dynamic duo were both finalists in the

Central region for the HITO Apprentice of the Year competition.

They also appeared in this year’s Just the Job hairdressing

documentary on TV2. Liam also features in HITO’s recent

apprenticeship campaign, Make It Hair.

Ivan Shew, owner of Frenz salon, says he is extremely proud

of his apprentices’ achievements.

“They have both had an amazing year,” he says. “I’m lucky to have

two apprentices at once who have such flair and enthusiasm.

They feed off each other and work together really well.”

Both Stephanie and Liam thoroughly enjoy expressing their

creativity through competition work. When it comes to preparing

for a competition, both apprentices say they are able to glean a lot

of creative inspiration from Ivan.

“He’s an incredible mentor,” says Stephanie.

They also find ideas and creative inspiration from looking online,

looking at what is happening in the international hairdressing

scene and checking out what is being featured in magazines

such as Headway.

“I also like to look at what celebrities are doing and put my own

twist on it,” says Liam.

For Liam, the thing he enjoys most about being involved in

competitions is meeting other passionate people and seeing

their remarkable work.

“There are some incredibly talented people in our industry,”

he says.

If you want to try your hand at hairdressing competitions too,

Stephanie advises to speak to someone who has entered

before, make sure you know the categories and, most

importantly, have fun!

“Enjoy it and don’t stress. We all make mistakes. Just keep going

and aim high.”

“Enjoy it and don’t stress. We all make mistakes. Just keep going and aim high.”

79

CHLOE HEGAN

chloe hegan makes it big in australia

We talk to Chloe Hegan about her overseas hairdressing success.

CLOSE-UP OF CHLOE'S WINNING LOOK

80

It has been a while since we’ve seen Chloe (former Southland Hairdresser of the Year). Since completing her apprenticeship she has moved overseas and has been achieving a lot, so we thought we’d catch up and see how things are going.

Chloe Hegan had her first taste of the industry at a salon

in Invercargill, Karma. For over a year, she worked after

school at Karma, before deciding to leave school and

start her training at the Southern Institute of Technology.

“The amazing team at Karma inspired me with the endless

opportunities a career in hairdressing had to offer,” Chloe says.

“I never felt like I found hairdressing but that it found me”.

Eventually, Chloe returned to Karma, completing her

apprenticeship with them in 2011. Karma has a reputation as

a successful salon, with some of their employees winning

competition titles. And Chloe only added to this reputation,

taking out the Southland Hairdresser of the Year title in 2012.

High on the success of her competition win, Chloe headed

off to Australia. Eventually, she took up a job at Chumba

Concept Salon in Melbourne, another salon known for its

fashion and competition work. This, combined with Chloe’s

love of competition work, meant it was no time at all before

she was back on the competition circuit.

“Competition work is what find most exciting about the industry,”

Chloe says. “It's a chance to put all your skills, creativity and

knowledge together to create your own masterpiece”.

Her training and competition experience in New Zealand put

her in good stead overseas, providing her with the skills to

win the IHS Victorian Hairdresser of the Year Award for 2013.

“There have been countless times when I’ve found myself

thankful for the quality of training we have in New Zealand,”

Chloe says. “There has been no element of hairdressing here

that I don’t feel competent in”.

Chloe’s previous salon, Karma, is successful in the NZARH

competitions every year. Chloe feels their expertise that helped

her win both at home and in Australia. Also, unlike competitions

in New Zealand, Australian hairdressing competitions do not

involve competing on the floor. Being used to the stress of the

competition floor in New Zealand and being able to prepare

before meant Chloe was more relaxed on the day, allowing

her to compete successfully.

Preparing her work earlier was a challenge, however, Chloe

admits, because she “mulled over her looks until [she] turned a

little hair crazy”. There was a lot of preparation work to do, with

Chloe working in the salon lightening, colouring, re-colouring,

cutting, and shaving the hair on her models’ to achieve her

look. Chloe was lucky, however: at Chumba, she works with

a team of award-winning hairdressers, and they all gave her

advice on competing. And it was all worth it on the day, with

Chloe placing in every section she entered and winning the

overall IHS Victorian Hairdresser of the Year award.

“Seeing all my hard work pay off was such a relief,” Chloe says.

“[Winning the award] was an excellent opportunity to make my

mark on the industry in Melbourne. It has opened the door to

many more opportunities”.

For other hairdressers looking to succeed in competition work,

Chloe has some advice: “Plan meticulously, and practice over

and over again,” she says. “Constantly have a mood board

going, and add to it daily – this will stop you straying too far

from your original inspiration”.

For Chloe, this is just the beginning. Since moving to Melbourne,

Chloe has presented on the launch pad stage at Hair Expo

in Sydney (alongside Chumba’s Young Guns), and taken part

in Kaleidoscope, Chumba’s Look and Learn show. She also

taught alongside Chumba team members Belinda Keeley and

Christopher Gratton for Ozdare (a product company).

“Education has always been a long-term dream of mine,”

Chloe says. “This small taste has left me hungry for more”.

And if all goes to plan, more education will be in her future:

long-term, Chloe hopes to do education and platform work.

She also plans to continue her fashion work: this year Chloe has

already created a photo shoot for the Australian Hair Fashion

Awards Avant Garde Hairdresser of the Year. Chumba also

takes part in over 20 photo shoots per year, giving Chloe plenty

of opportunities. She has also applied to be part of the FAME

team, who will travel overseas for fashion shoots and to train

with Angelo Seminara (Creative Director for Davines). She will

find out whether she has made the team in April next year.

“But I’ve got so much to learn and enjoy in the meantime,”

Chloe says. “And no matter where I end up, my number one

goal is to be known for the high quality of my craft – that I do

everything, and I do it well”.

CLOSE-UP OF CHLOE'S WINNING LOOK

CHLOE HEGAN'S WINNING LOOK FOR VICTORIAN HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR

81

AN APPRENTICE GUIDE TO MANAGING MONEYNo matter what your income, everyone needs to know how to budget and manage your money well.

Raewyn Fox, CEO of the New Zealand Federation of

Family Budgeting Services, says budgeting is all about

spending less than you are earning, no matter what

your income is.

“The theory isn’t rocket science; it’s the practice that

is difficult”

As an apprentice on the training wage, it is especially important

to budget your money to pay all of your expenses. We know

many apprentices find it hard to get by on a lower income

when there are rent and bills to pay. If you are feeling this way,

then it’s time to get your finances under control. This can take

a load off your shoulders and let you focus on being the best

apprentice you can be.

BEEN THERE… DONE THAT…

Dorien Van Den Berg (you can read more about Dorien and

her journey on page 38), owner of the award winning Jomp

salon on the Kapiti Coast, has learned a lot about managing

money on her journey from successful apprentice to successful

business owner. Dorien completed a HITO apprenticeship

and bought her own salon at the age of just 23. This year

she won the Fudge Boutique Salon of the Year at the HITO/

Kitomba/NZARH Industry Awards.

Dorien has had to make some wise choices with her finances to

get to where she is today, including sticking to a realistic budget.

“When you’re an apprentice you need to stick to what you

need, not what you want,” she advises.

Keeping a student’s mind-set is something that actually helped

Dorien to get through her apprenticeship without getting

into debt.

“Realise you are technically a student, and you are studying to

gain a qualification recognised internationally…I had to make sure

my mind frame was that I was a ‘student’ and that I was lucky to

be getting paid for studying. It’s a convenient way to look at it.

Most students have to pay for their education. As apprentices, we

actually get paid. Even though it is not a lot of money, it is better

than having to pay for it! And remember it’s not forever; the three

or four years of your apprenticeship goes by really quickly!”

If you are struggling, Dorien believes there is always something

extra you can be doing to help yourself get by.

82

“If you find yourself complaining about your income, then go

do something about it. There are ways to make more money,”

she says.

When Dorien was an apprentice she worked other jobs as well

to make sure she had enough money to live comfortably.

“I waitressed in the evenings, and I also worked in a fish and

chip shop on Sundays. I only did these extra jobs in the first

two years of my apprenticeship, after that I started to earn

more money in the salon I was working in. It was hard work,

but I had plenty of money to live on.”

You can also ask your boss for extra work in the salon, such as

cleaning the floors in the weekends. Then you can start using

the skills you have gained in your apprenticeship to do your

friend’s and family’s hair.

“Do not ever do this for free!” Dorien advises. “Charge some

money for doing their hair as this is another way you can help

support yourself financially.”

BUDGETING

A budget as a plan for the money you receive and

how you spend it.

Let’s look at the steps to creating your own personal budget.

You may have a budget in the back of your mind, but Raewyn

from New Zealand Federation of Family Budgeting Services

says that budgeting like this is “too vague”.

“Write it down so you can refer to and reflect on it,” she explains.

It’s also vital to be honest when making your budget.

“Don’t leave out money for cigarettes out of the budget

because you wish you do not smoke. Be honest, or your

budget just will not work,” says Raewyn.

Check out our three steps to making a budget that works:

Step one

The first step is to add up how much your weekly spendable

income is. This is the amount you get into your bank account,

after tax. Your income might come from a few different places like:

• Yourweeklypaypacketfromyourjob(whatyoutakehome

after tax and other deductions such as Kiwi Saver have been

taken away)

• BenefitsorotherGovernmentsupport(e.g.the

accommodation supplement)

• Assistancefromyourparentsorotherrelatives

• Otherincome

Add these amounts together to get your total weekly income and

record all this information in your budget. You can use the budget

table that we have provided, create one of your own, or use one

from www.sorted.co.nz or www.familybudgeting.org.nz.

Step two

The next step is to work out your weekly spending. Remember

that for a budget to work, the information needs to be accurate

and complete, so don’t forget to include little things like your

bus fares to and from work or money for parking. Your budget

also needs to be up to date.

“Check it regularly to make sure it is working for you. Change it,

if it isn’t!” says Raewyn.

Split your weekly expenses into categories so you can see how

much you need to spend in each area. Your categories might

include:

• Rent/board

• Food(groceries)

• Transport

• Utilities(power,phone)

• Personalcare(includingclothing)

• Entertainment

• Donations(church,charity)

• Debtrepayments

• Savings

Now it’s time to allocate an amount of money to each category.

Some of these amounts won’t be flexible. For example, if your

weekly rent is $150 then you will need to allocate this amount

to the rent category of your budget. For other categories, like

entertainment or savings, you will decide how much money

you genuinely need to allocate.

Record this information on the budget table you are using.

Note: When you are working out your weekly spending we

recommend going through your internet banking, or your

DORIEN VAN DEN BERG

83

receipts, to see where most of your money has been going

each week. It can be eye-opening to realise how much money

you spend on unnecessary things like eating out, for example.

Once you are aware of areas where you are overspending

then you can start cutting back.

Step three

The next step is to see if you have a surplus or a deficit from

your budget. You work this out by finding out what your

income minus your spending comes out to.

Income – Spending = Positive number

$1000 – $800 = $200 = a surplus

For example, if your total income for the week is $1000 and

your total weekly spending is $800, then you have a surplus

of $200 ($1000 - $800 = $200). A surplus means extra money

over and above your regular expenses. The aim of a budget is

to try and make a surplus, so well done! With this extra money

you should start a savings account or put more money into

debt repayment to clear any existing debts faster.

Income – Spending = Negative number

$1000 - $1300 = - $300 = a deficit

For example, if your total weekly income is $1000 but your

total weekly spending is $1300, then you have a deficit of

$300 ($1000 - $1300 = -$300). A deficit means the amount

you are spending is more than your income. If you have a

deficit, go back to your budget and see where you need to

cut back. Maybe you don’t need to have as much money for

entertainment, or you could start taking your lunch to work

instead of buying it from a café. Small changes can add up.

If you are already stretching your income as far as it can

go, you may want to contact Work and Income to find out

what extra help you could be getting. The accommodation

supplement, for example, is a benefit that some apprentices are

able to get to help with the cost of living. You can visit the Work

and Income website at www.workandincome.govt.nz to find out

what you are eligible for. As Dorien Van Den Berg mentioned

above, you may also want to work more hours or consider

taking up another part time job to help support yourself.

MAINTAINING YOUR BUDGET

To make your budget work, you will need to be

committed. The benefits are worth the effort.

Now that you have your budget up and running, the main thing

is to stick to it!

“Sticking to a budget takes discipline and courage,” says

Raewyn. “If you’re struggling to keep to your budget, you’re

trying to spread your income too far. This means either you

need to:

1. increase your income - more hours or maybe a second job or

2. decrease your expenditure.

We recommend setting up automatic payments for things that

need to go out every week, like rent or board. The payment will

go out without you having to worry about it.

If you find it difficult to stick to your allocated spending money

for entertainment and eating out, a good trick is to withdraw

this money in cash to use for the week. It helps you to actually

see how much you have left to spend instead of just swiping

your EFTPOS card and hoping for the best.

When Dorien (above) was an apprentice, one way she stuck

to her budget was by having different bank accounts with

different specific purposes.

“I had a bills account which included food, power, rent, gas,

a ‘fun’ account for clothes and personal items, and I had a

savings account which was for car warrants, registration and

unexpected bills. This would leave no money in my account at

the end of the week. Being an apprentice will never mean you

can save a lot or splash out. This is just something you have to

accept. Remember, you are going to get better money once

you’re qualified – so it’s not forever.”

To make your budget work, you will need to be committed.

The benefits are worth the effort. You will feel in control of

you money and this will take a lot of stress off your shoulders.

You will get out of debt faster and start saving towards your

goals, like a holiday or owning your own salon.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT… GETTING INTO DEBT

Getting into debt is easy, but paying it back is

much harder.

Borrowing money is called getting into debt. There are lots of

ways to get into debt, whether it’s a credit card, an overdraft

on your bank account, a hire purchase, a car loan, or a student

loan. Getting into debt is easy, but paying it back can be much

harder. Often the original amount will grow in size from interest

and fees, so it’s best to pay any debt off as quickly as possible.

If you can wait, saving up for something is cheaper and more

satisfying.

If you are thinking about getting into debt, first decide whether

or not it’s necessary. Ask yourself:

• DoIgenuinelyneedthisthingIambuying?

• Ifso,doIneedtoborrowmoneyor

• CouldIwaitandsaveupforitinstead?

If you can wait, it will cost you a lot less over time. Getting a

mortgage to buy a home or paying rent are necessary kinds

of debt. It’s not wise to get into debt for things which have no

financial value after you pay for them, like a night out, another

new pair of shoes, or a holiday abroad.

If you have some debts already, make sure you add weekly

debt repayments into your budget. If you have a surplus of

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

84

money, it’s a smart idea to put this into your debt repayment

too so you can pay off your debts faster and save money

on interest.

WHY WE HAVE TO PAY TAX

In New Zealand, it’s law for people and organisations to pay tax.

The Government uses our taxes to benefit the New Zealand

community by funding areas like education, hospitals and

healthcare and roads. We all benefit from these things, so

everyone contributes through paying tax.

SAVINGS

Even when you are on a low training wage, saving is an excellent

habit to get into. Sorted.co.nz says that learning to be a regular

saver is a big step towards getting your finances under control.

Saving takes discipline, but if you truly want to do it, you can.

Just keep it simple, set realistic goals and watch your money

grow. Even putting away the smallest amount, say $10 per week,

can add up to a lot, especially with compound interest.

When you’re saving, your biggest enemy is

temptation.

When you’re saving, your biggest enemy is temptation. You will

see lots of things that you want to buy instead of putting your

money into your savings, so set realistic savings goals and think

hard about what you are willing to give up for your savings.

Sorted.co.nz says that you are more likely to reach your savings

goals if you write them down, so record your plan and get

excited about the end result. Once you figure out how much

you can save, set up an automatic payment/ Then the money

goes into your savings account on payday before you can

spend it on something else.

Dorien Van Den Berg (above) kept up a savings account when

she was an apprentice, putting money into it each week via

automatic payment. She made it hard to access so she could

not use the money frivolously.

“I couldn’t go into this account and take money out of without

going into the bank and getting it transferred manually. This

was a good way of stopping me from transferring money

anytime I wanted something as I made it harder for myself

to do it. I couldn’t just do it online so I would leave that

account alone, except for times where I needed money for an

emergency.”

KIWISAVER

Don’t wait too long to start saving for retirement –

you should start now.

KiwiSaver is a Government initiative that helps New Zealanders

save for their retirement. It can also help with buying your first

home. If you are over the age of 18 when you start a new job,

you will be automatically enrolled in KiwiSaver. If you want to

stay enrolled, your contribution will be taken from your pay each

week automatically. When you join you get a kick-start of $1,000

from the Government, and your employer and the Government

continue to contribute to your account as you save.

KiwiSaver is optional but is an easy and affordable way to save

for your retirement.

MANAGING CREDIT CARDS AND CREDIT CARD DEBT

The best advice is to NEVER EVER have a credit card

Credit cards are an easy way to pay for things, but they can end

up being extremely expensive. High interest rates apply if you

do not pay off your card in full each month, and the longer you

leave credit card debt unpaid, the bigger it gets.

The best advice is to NEVER have a credit card. No-one,

especially banks, give away money for free. There is ALWAYS a

cost to using a credit card. It’s easy to get bogged down in debt.

We’ll say it one more time – NEVER EVER get a credit card!

But if you do, check out Sorted.co.nz for top tips for managing

credit cards:

1. Shop around for the best deal

Credit cards come with a range of interest rates, fees, and

rewards programmes. Look for a card that best suits your

circumstances.

2. Know the interest rate

Many credit cards charge around 20% interest. Do you know

your card's current interest rate?

3. Review your credit card limit

Base your limit on what you can afford, not what you might

spend. If you think you will have trouble paying it back, ask for

your limit to be lowered.

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WANT SOME MORE ADVICE ABOUT MANAGING YOUR MONEY? THESE ARE SOME USEFUL WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT: WWW.SORTED.ORG.NZ WWW.FAMILYBUDGETING.ORG.NZ

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

4. Pay off your card each month

You can only take advantage of interest free days if you pay the

balance in full at the end of each month. If you can't afford to

pay it in full, try to pay more than the minimum repayment to

save on interest costs.

5. Do not use your credit card to withdraw cash

Don't withdraw cash with your credit card - banks charge high

fees for this. Any cash you withdraw attracts a high interest rate

from day one.

6. Be wary of accepting a higher limit or another card

If you let your bank raise your credit limit, or give you another

credit card, you increase the risk that you will end up paying

lots of interest. Plus credit cards usually have an annual fee, so

the more cards you have, the more fees you pay.

7. Avoid temptation

If you cannot help spending more than you can afford, leave

your card at home. Take time to decide if a purchase is

essential or nice to have.

8. If you are in trouble, talk to your bank

If your credit card is getting out of control, talk to your bank

about your options. You may be able to take out a lower

interest loan to clear your credit card debt.

WHAT YOUR BANK CAN DO FOR YOU

Kiwibank have recently decided to open up their existing Tertiary

Pack to anyone in an ITO programme for more than 1 year.

This includes HITO hairdressing and barbering apprentices.

The Tertiary Pack includes lots of bonuses just for apprentices

and students, such as:

• Interestfreeoverdraftof$1,000inyourfirstyearand$2,000

in your second and subsequent years, with a monthly fee of

just $2.

• Lowinterestratecreditcardwitha$500limit.

• FivefreeTXTbankingmessagesamonth.

• Aflataccountwithnoaccountmanagementortransaction

fees.

• Thechoiceofdoingallyourbankingonyourmobilephone

if you prefer.

• YoucangetaVisaDebitCard,whichworkslikeastandard

ATM/EFTPOS card but can be used online, over the phone,

and overseas. They will also waive the annual fee for the first

year you have this card.

• Accesstoheaps!Kiwibank’sfreepersonalfinancesoftware

to help you keep track of your spending.

In the past, this type of account was only open to university

students and people in other full-time study, so it’s terrific that

apprentices can now take advantage of it. Pop into your local

Kiwibank or check out www.kiwibank.co.nz to find out more.

FINANCIAL HELP WITH THE APPRENTICE REBOOT

The Apprentice Reboot was announced this year, and it is a

serious financial help to both apprentices and employers. If you

are eligible for the reboot, you can get a one-off payment of $1000

from the Government to go towards the costs associated with

your apprenticeship. Most new apprentices who have signed

up from 6 March 2013 can get the reboot (although there are

conditions).

People have responded well to the reboot, including Kandace

from Head Therapy who says she is “impressed with this new

scheme”.

“For an apprentice it takes a wee bit of pressure off financially

so they can enjoy free time and have help with training costs!”

If you are eligible for the reboot, HITO will send you a claim

form once you have been working as an apprentice for 90

days. You need to fill the form out and send it back quickly,

providing proof of your bank account details, so HITO can

process your claim. It will take approximately 6-10 weeks for

your payment to come through once we receive your form

and proof of bank account.

This money is a massive help with the extra costs that come up

as an apprentice. If you think you are eligible for the reboot, but

you have not received the forms, you can download them from

the TEC website (below) or call HITO on (04) 499 1180.

TEC: www.tec.govt.nz/Learners-Organisations/Learners/Learn-about/Apprenticeships/

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Your weekly pay packet from your job (what you take home after tax

and other deductions such as Kiwi Saver have been taken away) $

Benefits or other Government support (e.g. the accommodation supplement) $

Assistance from your parents or other relatives $

Child support $

Other income $

TOTAL 1 (add together all your forms of income to get this total): $

Total 1 (your total weekly income): $

Total 2 (your weekly spending): $

TOTAL 1 – TOTAL 2 $

Rent/board $

Rates $

Food (groceries) $

Transport (petrol or public transport money) $

Utilities (power, phone, internet, mobile phone) $

Personal care (including clothing, make-up, nails, shoes) $

Entertainment/personal (eating out, movies, cigarettes, etc) $

Donations (church, charity) $

Debt repayments (credit card, car loan, overdraft, etc) $

Savings $

TOTAL 2 (add together all your spending to get this total): $

YOUR WEEKLY INCOME

Divide the amounts by 2 if you receive fortnightly payments or by 4 if you receive monthly payments (e.g. $1000 income from work per

fortnight becomes $500 per week).

YOUR WEEKLY SPENDING

DO I HAVE A SURPLUS OR A DEFICIT?

Subtract your total spending from your total income and see if you come up with a surplus (extra money/a positive amount) or a deficit

(not enough money/a negative amount).

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CONSUMERS, THE CODE AND THE COMMISSIONER: KNOWING YOUR OBLIGATIONS AS A BEAUTY THERAPIST

You may have heard of the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) in the news, or seen information about making a complaint to HDC at your local doctors’ surgery. Many people know that HDC applies to health professionals such as doctors, nurses and dentists. But did you know that, in some cases, HDC can look at the care provided by beauty

therapists? Katie Elkin (Associate Commissioner, Legal and Strategic Relations) and Georgina Rood (Legal Advisor Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner) share some key information.

WHAT IS HDC?

HDC is an independent government body that promotes and

protects the rights of health and disability service consumers

in New Zealand. They facilitate the fair, simple, speedy and

efficient resolution of complaints about health and disability

service providers. The Health and Disability Commissioner,

Anthony Hill, is responsible for the functions of the HDC

and makes hundreds of decisions each year on complaints

received.

THE CODE

The rights promoted and protected by HDC are set out in the

Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights

(the Code). Briefly, the Code gives consumers the right to:

1. be treated with respect;

2. have freedom from discrimination, coercion, harassment

and exploitation;

3. have dignity and independence;

4. receive services of an appropriate standard;

5. effective communication;

6. be fully informed;

7. make an informed choice and give informed consent;

8. support;

9. rights in respect of teaching or research; and

10. complain.

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WHO DOES THE CODE APPLY TO?

The Code applies to all “health care providers” and “disability

services providers”, which are both defined very broadly.

“Health care provider” not only includes registered health

professionals (such as doctors and nurses) but also includes

any person who provides, or holds themselves out as providing

“health services”.

“Health services” includes services to promote and to protect

health, to prevent ill-health, and treatment services. This means

that, in some circumstances, beauty therapists will be considered

to be “health care providers”.

The Human Rights Review Tribunal have emphasised that the

Code applies to all providers, “whether or not they belong to

any professional association or similar body, and whether or

not they are aware of the standards set out in the Code.”(1)

MORE INFORMATION

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HDC, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.HDC.ORG.NZ. THE WEBSITE CONTAINS A DATABASE OF CASES, AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF INFORMATION FOR BOTH PROVIDERS AND CONSUMERS. YOU CAN ALSO ORDER RESOURCES FROM THE WEBSITE, SUCH AS PAMPHLETS AND POSTERS FOR YOUR WAITING ROOMS AND COPIES OF THE CODE.

1 Director Of Proceedings (Hdc) V Mogridge [2007] Nzhrrt 27 (21 December 2007).

2 The Hdc Reference Numbers For These Complaints Are C09hdc01064, C09hdc01350. A Detailed Case Note About The Deputy Commissioner’s Decision Is

Available On Hdc’s Website.

3 Right 7(1) States That: “Services May Be Provided To A Consumer Only If That Consumer Makes An Informed Choice And Gives Informed Consent…”

4 Right 4(1) States That: “Every Consumer Has The Right To Have Services Provided With Reasonable Care And Skill.” Case Study

CASE STUDY

In 2009 HDC received complaints from two women

about the services provided to them by a beauty

therapist.(2)

The women had both received IPL hair removal

treatment which had caused blistering and permanent

scarring on their legs. HDC investigated the complaints,

and found that the beauty therapist had breached the

Code. In particular:

• Oneofthewomenwasnotgivenanyinformation

about possible side effects from IPL until after she

had agreed to the series of treatments and had

had her first treatment. She was therefore unable to

make an informed choice about whether to consent

to the treatment, in breach of Right 7(1) of the Code;(3)

and

• TheIPLoperatorsdidnotfollowthebeautyclinic’s

policies and procedures, including not performing

pre-treatment skin tests. This was in breach of Right

4(1) of the Code.(4)

HDC asked the beauty therapist to provide a written

apology to the women, and recommended that he/she

undergo further training and review and update the

clinic’s procedures. HDC also advised the Association

of Beauty Therapists of its findings.

Other types of common beauty therapy services

previously considered by HDC include:

• Teethwhitening;

• Surgicalfacelift;

• Dermalfilling;

• ElectricalLightOpticalSynergy(ELOS)facial

treatment;

• Abdominoplasty;and

• Botox.

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SO WHAT DOES GOOD FAITH MEAN AND HOW DOES IT OPERATE IN PRACTICE?

The starting point is the provisions of the Employment

Relations Act 2000. In summary form, the Act states that:

• Thepartiestoanyemploymentrelationshipmustdealwith

each other in good faith. Note, this is a mutual obligation

for both the salon owner and the salon employee

• Thismeansthatthepartiescannot,eitherdirectlyor

indirectly, mislead or deceive each other or act in a manner

that is likely to deceive or mislead the other party

• Thepartiestotheemploymentrelationshipmustbe

active and constructive in establishing and maintaining a

productive employment relationship in which the parties

communicate clearly and regularly

• Ifasalonownerisproposingtomakeadecisionthatmay

have a negative impact on the continuation of employment

of a staff member or members, affected employees must

be provided with access to relevant information about the

decisions being made. They must be given the opportunity

to comment to their employer on the information provided

before the decision is made.

So what does this all mean in practice for a busy salon owner?

The simple reality is that it is no longer acceptable for a

salon owner to make decisions that impact on the terms and

conditions of staff or indeed, the on-going employment of staff,

without following a consultative process which enables affected

staff members a say in that decision making process.

Some examples illustrating this key point follow.

EXAMPLE 1

A staff member is employed on an hourly rate plus commission

for product sold to clients. The staff member’s work is not

satisfactory enough to justify the hourly rate being paid, and

the salon owner has determined that the commission rate is

too high.

The unwise employer will make the decision to reduce the

employee’s hourly rate and the commission rate. The result?

A disgruntled employee who is likely to leave the employment

of the salon at the first opportunity and also the strong possibility

of a personal grievance being lodged against the salon owner.

The wise salon owner will sit down with the employee (who

has been given the opportunity to bring a support person to

the meeting), explain what is being proposed, the reasons why

it is being proposed (with any available supporting information)

and an invitation to comment on what is being proposed at a

later meeting e.g. say, 2 or 3 days later.

After the salon owner has fairly considered the response from

the employee, the salon owner is in a position to make a final

decision. This may be confirmation of the original proposal or

a variation of that proposal.

EXAMPLE 2

The employee is not performing to expectations in regard

to the employee’s Job Description and to the performance

expectations of the position.

DAVID PATTEN

I am often asked by salon owners: what is the meaning of good faith? Typically the question is raised in the context of an enquiry from a salon owner. The salon owner has been accused by a staff member (or their representative)

that they (the owner) have not acted in good faith. A personal grievance may follow.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF GOOD FAITH?

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The unwise salon owner will call the employee into their office,

typically during work hours, and tell the employee that if their

performance does not improve immediately: ‘You will be out the

door!’ The employee, who believes – in the absence of being

told anything to the contrary – that they have been performing

quite well, leaves the salon in floods of tears, in front of clients,

and does not return to the salon for a number of days due

to sickness.

The wise employer will discreetly ask the employee to meet

with the salon owner after work to discuss some performance

concerns the salon owner has with the employee’s performance.

These concerns could, alternatively, be listed in a letter given to

the employee. However it is done, the employee has the absolute

right to know what the alleged performance concerns are and

be given a proper opportunity to comment on those concerns.

It may be a training issue; there may be matters outside the work

place that are impacting on the employee’s performance.

The key is to work with the employee on a regularly reviewed

plan which has clear and attainable goals designed to ensure

that there is a lift in performance. If this improvement does not

occur, the salon owner is in a better position to commence a

disciplinary process.

EXAMPLE 3

The salon is experiencing trading difficulties and the salon

owner, as part of a cost saving exercise, is proposing to reduce

employee numbers from 4 to 3. The role the salon owner is

proposing to disestablish is that of a staff member who has

only been with the salon a few months.

The unwise employer will meet with the employee and tell the

employee that due to economic circumstances, their position

will be ending on Friday.

The wise salon owner will typically write to the employee,

outlining a proposal to disestablish their position and clearly

articulating the reasons why, and give any available information

supporting the proposal. A meeting is subsequently arranged

with the employee who is given the opportunity to comment

on the proposal and offer alternative suggestions for cost

savings rather than disestablishing the position.

The salon owner should carefully consider any suggestions

made e.g. for the employee to work part-time hours until

trading conditions improve. If the suggestions are not feasible,

they must advise the employee of this in a measured and

considered way.

The key is to discuss and consider matters before making a

decision, be responsive and communicative, and, above all else,

be fair. The basic rule of thumb I encourage salon owners to

use is to treat staff in the same manner they would like their

own working children to be treated i.e. fairly and constructively.

Until next time...

David Patten

LLB:BA; MBS; FAMINZ

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making the most of $1000

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In the apprentice reboot, the Government is giving $1000 to

both the apprentice and employer when a new apprentice

signs on (conditions apply).

Jill knew her second year apprentices Elisabeth Smith and

Rachelle Meaclem would benefit from attending a cutting

course, but courses like these are expensive. Receiving the

reboot money made it possible for them to attend.

“I have sent other girls on courses before, and I’ve seen how

it builds confidence and helps them to step up. It’s great to

go away and learn in a different environment, with a different

trainer and with other people from around the country who

are passionate about what they do. I knew it would be a good

investment,” explains Jill.

“Apprentices don’t tend to have money lying around though,

and neither do business owners. Getting the reboot money

made it easy. I invested half into the course and half into the

business directly.”

Jill is already seeing the return on her investment into Elisabeth

and Rachelle.

“The girls got a lot out of it. They are getting out onto the floor

with confidence now,” she says.

Jill is a firm believer in training the next generation of

hairdressers, and she has learnt that the benefits from training

are easily worth the investment.

“You have to invest in young people to bring out the best in them,”

Jill encourages other employers to take advantage of the

reboot too, and to make good use of the $1000 incentive.

If you want to know more about the reboot and how you can

get the $1000 incentive, read on as we have answered some

frequently asked questions:

WHAT IS THE REBOOT ALL ABOUT?

The Apprentice Reboot is given by the Government to

employers and apprentices. Each apprentice and their

employer gets $1000 each.

WHO CAN GET IT?

Most new apprentices who sign up from 6 March 2013 can

claim the incentive (there are conditions).

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO GET IT?

After your apprentice has been with you for 90 days, we will

send you a claim form. You need to fill it out and send back

quickly. Remember that both the employer and the apprentice

need to provide proof of bank account details. Otherwise, we

can't process your payment. Read the form.

WHY LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR MY MONEY TO COME THROUGH?

It will take 6-10 weeks for your payment to come through.

Forms are sent to the government on the fifth working day of

every month. The government then processes and pays HITO

at the end of that month. HITO then processes and makes

payments to apprentices in the middle of the following month.

The quicker you get your completed forms to us, the sooner you

get paid. Please note that we won’t follow up on unreturned forms.

Clipjoint and Co owner Jill Cole recently found a perfect use for her reboot incentive money. Jill was able to send two of her apprentices along to a Redken cutting course using the money she received from the Government’s initiative.

WHAT IF I HAVEN'T RECEIVED MY FORMS?

IF YOU THINK YOU'RE ELIGIBLE BUT HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE FORMS, DOWNLOAD THE FORM AT THE TEC WEB LINK, WWW.TEC.GOVT.NZ/LEARNERS-ORGANISATIONS/LEARNERS/LEARN-ABOUT/APPRENTICESHIPS/ OR CALL HITO ON (04) 499 1180.

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A REVIEW OF INDUSTRY TRAINING

The Government is currently conducting a review of all industry

training and apprenticeships.

This review is on-going. On the 6th of November, the ‘Industry

Training and Apprenticeships Amendment Bill’ passed its first

reading in Parliament. The next stage was public submissions

– anyone could submit to Parliament their views on the bill.

Submissions closed on 19 December. The bill will then be voted

on by Parliament.

This bill aims to update and improve apprenticeships across

all industries. Industry organisations (like HITO) have had input

on this bill, which seeks to make sure all apprentices fit in with

industry requirements.

The role of ITO’s like HITO will be to set standards for industry

training and to organise training for all apprentices. This bill

will affect HITO (and other ITOs) in two major ways.

1) The ITO leadership role will be reduced. ITOs will focus

on improving and maintaining quality training across the

industry. Government expects ITO’s to focus on looking after

apprentices and trainees.

2) The other change will be to apprenticeships themselves.

Modern Apprenticeship will be phased out and a new type

of apprenticeship introduced. This will be called ‘New Zealand

Apprenticeship’. This will be made up of a Level 4 qualification

worth a minimum of 120 credits. It also aims to provide

support to all apprentices by removing any age limits on

training support.

New Zealand Apprenticeships start on 1 January 2014.

We’ll have more news on the government’s review of industry

training once the bill has passed into law in 2014.

An update on the Government review of industry training.

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CAIT AT WORLDSKILLS

WORLDSKILLS 2014W

orldSkills is an exciting competition where you can

sharpen your hairdressing skills and showcase your

talent both nationally and overseas.

Open to apprentices or qualified people under the age of 23,

this is a competition that can take you all over the world and

make you stand out from the rest.

In July 2013, our 2012 National Champion Cait Woodcock went

to Germany to represent New Zealand alongside 52 other

countries at WorldSkills Internationals. It could be you next!

APPLY NOW FOR THE 2014 WORLDSKILLS REGIONAL COMPETITION!

Regional Competitions will be held in:

• AucklandandChristchurch–Monday12May2014

• WellingtonandDunedin–Monday5May2014

• WorldSkillsNationalCompetition–2-6July2014

Competitors take part in three modules:

• LadiesCreativeCutandColour

• Men’sFashionCutandColour

• CreativeHairbyNight–Conversion

All work is done on mannequins that are provided on the day,

so you don’t have to worry about finding models and clothes.

It costs $200 to enter WorldSkills and this price covers the use

of these mannequins and wefts (which are yours to keep).

To be successful, you and your trainer will need enthusiasm,

commitment and passion, but the opportunity which waits is

well worth the hard work!

Cait Woodcock, WorldSkills International 2013 Hairdressing

representative, encourages anyone thinking about entering

WorldSkills to go for it.

“If someone is thinking about entering WorldSkills I’d hug them

and wish them good luck! Being involved in the local and regional

competition helps. You benefit just from competing and learning

how to do precise work under serious time constraints.”

“The talent was phenomenal. The work of the French competitor

who ended up winning [the hairdressing section at WorldSkills in

Germany this year] was impeccable. His work was insane! It was

awesome to meet like-minded people from other industries who

were equally passionate about their trade. We all just clicked

really well.”

“I never thought I would be able to do what I can now. The skill set

I have now is incredible, and it’s given me so much confidence”.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TO GET AN APPLICATION FORM FOR YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW, CALLKELLYON(04)4991180OREMAILENQUIRIES@HITO.ORG.NZ

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Are you an apprentice, an employer of apprentices or train apprentices?

If so, we’re looking for people like you who can contribute to Forma.

Get in touch with HITO now and you could see your words in print.

Call (04) 499 1180 Email enquiries@hito.org.nz

WRITE FOR FORMA

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UPDATE ON THE TARGETED REVIEW OF QUALIFICATIONS (TROQ)

SALONSKILLS(OPTIONALQUALIFICATION)

The salon skills qualification is still being developed. It is

designed to prepare potential entrants for work in the

Barbering, Hairdressing and the Beauty industries. It is aimed

at interested school students and school leavers preparing to

enter the industries.

BARBERING

There are two new qualifications being developed for

Barbering.ThesearewithNZQAandarebeingreviewed.

These qualifications include classic barbering skills and skills

needed to manage and operate a barber’s chair.

HAIRDRESSING

The Advisory and Governance Group have agreed a suite/

collection of qualifications. You can see them at www.hairtroq.com.

The team has also set up two working groups:

• Onelookingatthecontentofthenewsuite/collectionand

• Onetolookatpossiblehigherleveladvancedqualifications.

The working groups met at the end of November. The group

working on higher level qualifications organised a survey of the

industry, asking for their feedback on the need for advanced

qualifications. The results from this survey are being processed

now and will help determine any further qualification

development.

BEAUTY

The current review of qualifications for Beauty Services was

due to finish at the end of October. However, the Governance

Group recommended extending the project to April 2014

withNZQA.Thereviewdependsonstrongconsultation,

participation, evidence, and research of Beauty Services.

The delay has been due, in part, to collecting information

and surveying the key stakeholders.

Research and evidence from statistics are essential to informing

and developing a qualifications framework. Therefore, the

Governance Group has contracted Melanie Ryan to research

and write a “Beauty Industry Environmental Scan” report to

verify the information that has been gathered.

The group want to have a draft qualifications framework ready

for consultation early in the New Year.

The TroQ is on-going and progress is being made. Here is an update on the review for Barbering, Beauty, and Hairdressing.

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www.hito.org.nz/qualifications/international

HITO is now offering international recognition in Hairdressing, Beauty Therapy and Nail Technology. If you or your staff have a relevant national certificate in hairdressing or beauty and have at least one year’s experience as a senior operator, you can now have your skills and experience recognised in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan.

Reasons to apply:

Just want to have international recognition for your skills?Pride of place

Personal developmentA new and exciting opportunity for you and your qualified staff

Marketing point of differencePromote your business as employing staff that have internationally recognised qualifications

Spread your wingsThinking about travelling overseas? Get recognised before you go

Take advantage of this opportunity to have your national qualification recognised on the world stage. It will open doors to a career abroad while still being acknowledged within New Zealand for local and international clients.

Qualified?Just qualified?Have experience?

International recognition of your skills

98

FINDING A CAREER PATH USING “VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS”

With so many choices available today, it can be a

challenge to figure out where to go and what to do

next. Recently, the Government announced a new

initiative called “Vocational Pathways”, a new way of helping

high school students decide what to do after they leave school.

WHAT ARE “VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS” ALL ABOUT?

Vocational Pathways help students move from high school into

work or further education by showing the recommended skills

in five key industry sectors. So with a particular profession in

mind, students will be able to determine which subjects and

unit standards will help them to get there.

Students will be able to compare their achievement to date to a

range of study and employment possibilities, and see how their

interests, aspirations and achievements match up to work and

study options. This will be called a “Vocational Profile”.

Vocational pathways will:

• Offerclearerchoicesforstudents.

• Helpyoungpeopleunderstandthatwhattheyarelearningis

relevant and valuable in “the real world” of study, jobs

and careers.

• Showyoungpeoplewhattheyneedtodotogetwherethey

want to go or want to be.

• Showlearnersandtheirfamilieshowsubjectchoicesmake

a difference to what they might do in the future.

I’M AN EMPLOYER, HOW DOES THIS AFFECT ME?

• Vocationalpathwayswillmakeiteasierforemployersto

see what skills and achievements jobseekers have that

are relevant.

• Jobseekerswillbeabletogiveemployerstheir“Vocational

Profile” to show their achievements, strengths and skills.

• Theseprofilesalsogiveemployersamuchsimplerway

of seeing which NCEA qualifications include the skills and

knowledge they are looking for.

• Employerscanbesurethatifsomeonehasachieveda

vocational pathway in their sector then the jobseeker will have

a strong base of skills and knowledge to help them succeed.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS, CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE: WWW.YOUTHGUARANTEE.NET.NZ/ VOCATIONAL-PATHWAYS/

It can be hard to decide what to do once you have finished high school.

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100

101

a year of growthHITO CEO, Erica Cumming, looks back on 2013.

102

In March, the Government announced a reboot of the

apprenticeship scheme, which I’m sure you will have read

about in Forma Magazine, e-Forma and on our website.

This has been great for the industry, with many salon owners

and new apprentices benefiting from both the HITO incentive

and, later, the Government incentive. These incentives have

seen many new apprentices receiving $1000 to contribute

towards their training, as well as employers receiving $1000

to recognise their efforts in training.

The Gateway programme (which is offered in secondary

schools nationwide) has also seen growth this year with the

introduction of Gateway Beauty. This has meant that secondary

school students who are interested in a career in beauty have

been able to get a real-life taste of the industry. It has been

exciting to see many students signing up for the programme

this year.

Another exciting event on the 2013 calendar was the

International WorldSkills Competition in Germany. It is always

humbling to see hairdressers from all over the world competing

in this prestigious competition, including New Zealand

champion Cait Woodcock. I’m looking forward to the regional

WorldSkills competitions taking place next year. More young

people will have the opportunity to get involved. If you are

thinking about competing in WorldSkills in 2014, I encourage

you to give it a go! The next international competition in 2015

is being held in Brazil.

This year we also saw Japan become a member of the

International Professional Standards Network (ipsn) which was

an exciting new change. This means that holders of relevant

national certificates in hairdressing or beauty, who have at least

one year experience as a senior operator, can now have their

skills and experience recognised in Japan, along with Australia,

Canada, Hong Kong and New Zealand.

After many years hearing that there was a gap in business skills

training, this year we developed a new business qualification with

the Open Polytechnic. The National Certificate in Business has two

strands in Teams and Leadership and Small Business. It is perfect

for anyone who is stepping into a training or management role,

or anyone who wants to become a successful business person.

The industry has shown a keen interest in this programme, and

those who have signed up are already experiencing the benefits.

The annual Industry Awards in October are always a highlight

for me, and this year was no different. It was lovely to see

so many people come together in Auckland to celebrate

excellence in training. Congratulations to all our HITO finalists

and winners, and to the Kitomba/NZARH finalists and winners

also. You have worked hard this year, going above and beyond

the norm, and for this we honour you. We were also excited to

launch a new initiative this year for our Regional Apprentice of

the Year winners. The seven winners from around New Zealand

have been given the opportunity to attend an apprentice

boot camp in February to develop them further as apprentice

ambassadors.

What a year it has been! With Christmas and a New Year almost

upon us, I want to wish everyone a safe and prosperous time.

I look forward to hearing of your successes in 2014.

Erica Cumming

HITO CEO

With 2013 drawing to a close, it is a good time to look back on the changes and events that have taken place over the course of the year. It’s time to review the things that have caused us to grow as an industry and as individuals.

103

We would like to say a big warm welcome to Maria

Aiulu,ournewQualityAssuranceAdministrator.

Maria joined HITO on 7 October, and we are very

excited to have her on board.

Maria comes from an education background, having worked

for the Open Polytechnic for nine years. She also worked for

a property management company prior to starting at HITO,

making her very qualified to take up her role here. Maria’s

openness to new experiences and positive outlook has her

well prepared to join the HITO team.

When she’s not working, Maria spends time with her family.

She also plays several instruments and performs in a choir.

Maria has very much enjoyed her 3 months at HITO, saying the

people and atmosphere are very warm and welcoming. She is

looking forward to what lies ahead.

YOUCANCONTACTMARIAABOUTQBYE,ADVANCEDCUTTING,TUTORS/ASSESSORS, AND MODERATION ON (04) 499 1180 OR AT AMA@HITO.ORG.NZ.

NEW STAFF AT HITOMaria Alulu

MARIA ALULU

104

IMPORTANT DATES 20146 January HITO office re-opens

6 February Waitangi Day (HITO office closed)

9 February Apprentice of the Year Regional Winners Boot Camp

10 February Apprentice of the Year Regional Winners Boot Camp

13 February Off job training day

14 February Off job training day

16 March NZARH AGM

17 March HITO AGM

24 March ipsn meeting in Hong Kong

25 March ipsn meeting in Hong Kong

26 March ipsn meeting in Hong Kong

27 March ipsn meeting in Hong Kong

28 March ipsn meeting in Hong Kong

18 April Good Friday (HITO office closed)

21 April Easter Monday (HITO office closed)

25 April ANZAC day (HITO office closed)

5 MayWorldSkills Regional Competition

Wellington/Dunedin

6 May Careers Expo Wellington

7 May Careers Expo Wellington

8 May Careers Expo Auckland

9 May Careers Expo Auckland

12 MayWorldSkills Regional Competition

Auckland/Christchurch

22 May Careers Expo Christchurch

23 May Careers Expo Christchurch

24 May Careers Expo Christchurch

2 June Queen’sBirthday(HITOofficeclosed)

7 June Sydney Hair Expo

8 June Sydney Hair Expo/ Careers’ Expo Hamilton

9 June Sydney Hair Expo/ Careers’ Expo Hamilton

2 July WorldSkills National Competition Hamilton

3 July WorldSkills National Competition Hamilton

4 July WorldSkills National Competition Hamilton

5 July WorldSkills National Competition Hamilton

6 July WorldSkills National Competition Hamilton

27 October Labour Day (HITO office closed)

30 November HITO/Kitomba/NZARH Awards (date may change)

25 December Christmas Day (HITO office closed)

26 December Boxing Day (HITO office closed)

national certificate in business

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

www.hito.org.nz