Frequently Asked Questions

Hairdressing Training and Employment Requirements in NSW

In 2003, the State Government introduced a number of reforms to reduce restrictions on hairdressing training in New South Wales. These reforms included the passing of the Hairdressers Act 2003. This question and answer section provides useful information about how the changes introduced by the Hairdressers Act 2003 affect:

1. Training Providers
2. Students
3. Employers

Although the information is presented in three separate sections, we recommend that you read through all of the questions and answers to obtain complete information.

Further information:

The relevant New South Wales legislation referred to in the answers provided below is available on the internet through the NSW Government website http://www.nsw.gov.au/.

• Hairdressers Act 2003
• Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001
• Shops and Industries Act 1962

The vocational training order governing the trade of hairdressing is available on this Apprenticeship and Traineeship website. The URL for Acts is http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/.

Questions and Answers for Training Providers

Q1 ) Now that the NSW Hairdressers Act 2003 has been passed by the NSW Parliament, can anyone provide hairdresser training in New South Wales?

A1 ) Under the NSW Hairdressers Act 2003, courses in hairdressing may be conducted by any training provider, irrespective of whether it is a private training organisation or a TAFE NSW institute, provided that:

• the training provider is a registered as a registered training organisation (RTO) - that is, one registered by either by the NSW Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board (VETAB) or one of the other state or territory registering bodies, and
• the training provider has the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) on its scope of registration.

The sections of the NSW Hairdressers Act 2003, allowing any registered training organisation (RTO) to provide hairdressing training were proclaimed on 1 April 2004. Previously, only TAFE NSW colleges were able to provide training in hairdressing in New South Wales.

Q2 ) What is the nationally recognised qualification in the trade of hairdressing?

A2 ) The Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) from the Hairdressing Training Package (WRH00) is the nationally recognised trade level qualification.

Q3 ) If I am a registered training organisation, can I add the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) to my scope of registration?

A3 ) If you are already registered as an RTO with VETAB, you can apply to have the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) added to your scope of registration. You can apply through VETAB's website at http://www.vetab.nsw.gov.au/op_rto/scope.htm

To have the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) added to your scope, you must have appropriately qualified staff and the appropriate facilities to train hairdressers.

Q4 ) If I am a qualified hairdresser, can I set become a registered training organisation and teach the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100)?

A4 ) To be registered as an RTO, you need to meet all the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) Standards for Registered Training Organisations and pay the relevant fees.

In addition to having the relevant hairdressing trade qualifications, you also need to have the Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training (as required by Standard 7 of the AQTF Standards for RTOs).

Information about the registration process to become an RTO, including the AQTF Standards for RTOs and the fees involved, is available on VETAB's website at http://www.vetab.nsw.gov.au/

As it can be expensive for an individual to establish a registered training organisation, some enterprises and organisations form partnerships with an RTO rather than become an RTO themselves.

Q5 ) Can I provide hairdressing training to overseas students?

A5 ) To provide the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) or any other vocational education or training to overseas students studying in Australia on a student visa, you must be registered with the NSW Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board (VETAB) or one of the other state or territory registering bodies as a registered training organisation (RTO) and have the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) on your scope of registration.

In addition, you must also be approved for registration on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). VETAB is the approving authority in New South Wales.

Information about the registration process to become an RTO, the AQTF Standards for RTOs, approval for registration on CRICOS and the fees involved is available on VETAB's website at http://www.vetab.nsw.gov.au/

If you are already approved for registration on CRICOS, you may apply to VETAB to have the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) added to your scope of registration, provided you have the appropriate staff and facilities to provide hairdressing training.

Once the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) has been added to your scope, you may provide hairdressing trade training to overseas students on a fee-for-service basis.

Q6 ) How long does it take to complete the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100)?

A6 ) Current training delivery ranges from 1 to 2 years, depending on whether a student completes the qualification full-time or part-time.

Q7 ) Now that the restriction on teaching the trade of hairdressing has been removed, will the NSW Department of Education and Training be funding training in the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100)?

A7 ) No. The Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) is attached to an apprenticeship (trade vocation). At present the Department of Education and Training does not plan to fund hairdressing training by placing the hairdressing apprenticeship on the open training market. Consequently, private (non-TAFE) RTOs on the NSW Approved Provider List (the register of RTOs eligible to receive government funding for training apprentices and trainees) cannot apply to have the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) added to their government contract.

Q8 ) Can an employer nominate a private registered training organisation to train an apprentice?

A8 ) Yes, provided the registered training organisation (RTO) has the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) on its scope of registration an employer may nominate that RTO to provide their apprentice with off-the-job training. The RTO does not have to be a TAFE NSW college.

However, at present government funding is not available to non-TAFE RTOs providing hairdressing training. Therefore, if an employer of an apprentice hairdresser nominates a non-TAFE RTO to provide the apprentice's off-the-job training, the employer or the apprentice will have to pay the cost of the apprentice's training (subject to the award conditions governing the employment of apprentice hairdressers). In other words, the RTO will treat the apprentice as a full-fee-paying student.

Q9 ) Can someone who is not an apprentice train as a hairdresser?

A9 ) If you operate an RTO with the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) on its scope of registration, you may enrol students on a full-fee-paying basis to be trained in hairdressing. Your students do not have to be employed as apprentices.

However, you need to be aware that there are age restrictions on who can be employed in a trade in New South Wales - including the trade of hairdressing.

The NSW Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 prohibits anyone under 21 years of age (a "junior") from being employed in a recognised trade vocation unless they are an apprentice or a qualified tradesperson in that vocation. (A person aged under 21 is defined in the Act as a "junior".)

So, a person under 21 years of age can only be employed in the trade of hairdressing in New South Wales if they are an apprentice or a qualified hairdresser. To be qualified means they have completed an apprenticeship in hairdressing or have been granted trade recognition by the NSW Vocational Training Tribunal.

In addition, the NSW Hairdressers Act 2003 prohibits anyone working as a hairdresser in New South Wales for fee, gain or reward unless they are qualified.

As an RTO, you have an obligation to explain these restrictions to anyone applying to enrol in the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100). To ensure you meet the Australian Quality Training Framework Standards for RTOs, the relevant information should be provided in your student handbook or course brochure and on your website.

Q10 ) Do hairdressers have to be licensed to work in New South Wales?

A10 ) People lawfully employed as hairdressers in New South Wales do not require a licence.

However, under Part 2 of the Hairdressers Act 2003 only qualified people are permitted to work as hairdressers. Section 3 of the Act states that an individual must not provide hairdressing services "for fee, gain or reward unless the individual is qualified to act as a hairdresser".

Also, the Hairdressers Act 2003 is subject to the provisions of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001, Section 25 of which prohibits anyone under 21 years of age (a "junior") from being employed in a recognised trade vocation unless they are an apprentice or a qualified tradesperson in that vocation. (A person aged under 21 is defined in the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 as a "junior".)

Q11 ) Can a registered training organisation provide the Certificate III and IV in Hairdressing and the Diploma of Hairdressing Salon Management as 'nested' qualifications so that a student can qualify as both a hairdresser and salon manager?

A11 ) The Certificate III (WRH30100) and Certificate IV (WRH40100) in Hairdressing and the Diploma of Hairdressing Salon Management (WRH50100) are separate qualifications. They are not "nested" qualifications in the Hairdressing Training Package (WRH00).

The competencies for the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100), which is the national trade level qualification required to work as a hairdresser, do not form part of the Certificate IV in Hairdressing (WRH40100). Within the Hairdressing Training Package, the Certificate III is a prerequisite for the Certificate IV.

The Certificate IV in Hairdressing (WRH40100) covers more advanced skills than the Certificate III (WRH30100). In addition to two essential units in training and assessment, the Certificate IV comprises three "streams" of elective units - hairdressing, beauty and management. The hairdressing units are more advanced than the units comprising the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100).

The Certificate IV in Hairdressing (WRH40100) is designed to enable learners to undertake the qualification in a variety of ways. This includes accessing individual units on a needs basis or completing the qualification as a planned career path.

The Diploma of Hairdressing Salon Management (WRH50100) is the minimum qualification for hairdressing salon managers. It includes the four elective competencies from the management stream of the in Certificate IV in Hairdressing (WRH40100) as essential units. Therefore, someone who has completed electives from the management stream as part of their Certificate IV would be exempt from doing those units as part of the Diploma of Hairdressing Salon Management.

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Questions and Answers for Students

Q1 ) I have already completed the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) in another state or territory of Australia. Can I work as a hairdresser in New South Wales?

A1 ) No. Having a Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) does not automatically mean that you can be employed as a hairdresser in New South Wales. You need to note the following:

• There are age restrictions on who can be employed in a trade (including hairdressing) in New South Wales.
• The NSW Hairdressers Act 2003 prohibits anyone working as a hairdresser in New South Wales for fee, gain or reward unless they are qualified.

If you are under 21 years of age
The NSW Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 prohibits anyone under 21 years of age (a "junior") from being employed in a recognised trade vocation unless they are an apprentice or a qualified tradesperson in that vocation. (A person aged under 21 is defined in the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act as a "junior".)

Therefore, if you are under 21 years of age and have completed the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) in another state, you may only be employed in hairdressing in New South Wales if:

• you are employed as an apprentice hairdresser in accordance with the provisions of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001, or
• you are recognised by the NSW Vocational Training Tribunal as a qualified hairdresser.

To be recognised as qualified in the trade of hairdressing, you must be able to demonstrate to the Vocational Training Tribunal that you have completed an apprenticeship in hairdressing or at least four years on-the-job trade training. However, because you have completed the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100), the Vocational Training Tribunal will give favourable consideration to granting you at least 18 months credit towards the four year nominal term of the apprenticeship in hairdressing and will recognise you as having met the formal training requirements specified in the vocational training order for the trade of hairdressing. (The vocational training order specifies completion of WRH30100 Certificate III in Hairdressing as the formal training requirement.)

So, if you are under 21, before you are recognised as a qualified hairdresser, you will have to be employed as an apprentice and work under the supervision of a qualified hairdresser for at least 30 months. At the completion of that period, you may apply to the Vocational Training Tribunal for a Certificate of Proficiency in the trade of hairdressing (ie formal recognition as a qualified hairdresser).

Note: If you and your employer agree, you may seek approval for early completion of your apprenticeship, thereby reducing the period of your apprenticeship. To apply for early completion, contact your local State Training Centre - phone 13 28 11.

If you are aged 21 or over
If you are aged 21 or over and have completed the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) in another state, you may be employed in hairdressing in New South Wales if you are recognised by the NSW Vocational Training Tribunal as a qualified hairdresser.

Under the Hairdressers Act, only qualified people may act work unsupervised as hairdressers.

To be recognised as fully qualified in the trade of hairdressing, you must be able to demonstrate to the Vocational Training Tribunal that you have completed an apprenticeship in hairdressing or at least four years on-the-job trade training. However, because you have completed the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100), the Vocational Training Tribunal will give favourable consideration to granting you at least 18 months credit towards the four year nominal term of the apprenticeship in hairdressing and will recognise you as having met the formal training requirements specified in the vocational training order for the trade of hairdressing. (The vocational training order specifies completion of WRH30100 Certificate III in Hairdressing as the formal training requirement.)

So, if you are over 21, before you are recognised as a qualified hairdresser, you will have to be employed by, and work under the supervision of, a qualified hairdresser for at least 30 months. At the completion of that period, you may apply to the Vocational Training Tribunal for a Certificate of Proficiency in the trade of hairdressing (that is, formal recognition as a qualified hairdresser).

Note: If you and your employer agree, you may seek approval for early completion of the period of supervised employment by applying to the Vocational Training Tribunal - phone 02 9266 8450.

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Questions and Answers for Employers

Q1 ) If I employ an apprentice hairdresser, can I nominate a private training organisation to provide the apprentice's off-the-job training?

A1 ) Yes, provided the training provider is a registered training organisation (RTO) registered with the NSW Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board (VETAB) or one of the other state or territory registering bodies and the RTO has the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) on its scope of registration.

However, as government funding is not available to non-TAFE RTOs providing hairdressing training, if you nominate a non-TAFE RTO to provide your apprentice's off-the-job training, you or your apprentice will have to pay the cost of the apprentice's training (subject to the award conditions governing the employment of apprentice hairdressers).

Q2 ) Can someone who is not an apprentice train as a hairdresser?

A2 ) Yes. Anyone can do the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100). It is not necessary to be employed as an apprentice in order to enrol. However, you should note the following:

• Full-fee-paying students undertaking the Certificate III in Hairdressing (WRH30100) must pay the enrolment fees required by the registered training organisation (RTO) they have chosen to attend.
• There are age restrictions on who can work as a hairdresser. For example, at present, someone under 21 years of age can only be employed in hairdressing in New South Wales if they are an apprentice or are fully qualified; that is, they have completed an apprenticeship (generally at least four years on-the-job training) or have been recognised by the NSW Vocational Training Tribunal as qualified in the trade of hairdressing.
• The Hairdressers Act 2003 prohibits unqualified people from providing hairdressing services for fee, gain or reward.

Q3 ) Do hairdressers still have to obtain a licence to work in New South Wales?

A3 ) No, on September 1 2004, the sections of the Hairdressers Act 2003 that abolished the licensing system in NSW were proclaimed and people lawfully employed as hairdressers in New South Wales do not now require a licence.

Lawful employment as a hairdresser in NSW as prescribed under Part 2 of the Hairdressers Act 2003, is restricted to somebody qualified to work as a hairdresser in NSW. Section 3 of the Act states that an individual must not provide hairdressing services "for fee, gain or reward unless the individual is qualified to act as a hairdresser".

The Hairdressers Act 2003 is also subject to the provisions of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001, Section 25 which prohibits anyone under 21 years of age (a "junior") from being employed in a recognised trade vocation, such as hairdressing, unless they are an apprentice or a qualified tradesperson in that vocation. (A person aged under 21 is defined in the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 as a "junior".)

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