Hairdressing courses loss triggers concern

Forty-two years of well-regarded hairdressing training go down the gurgler if Whanganui UCOL pulls the plug on its hairdressing courses, Hairdressing Industry Training Organisation chief executive Erica Cumming says.

"The tutors there were well respected in the industry. People will obviously be really concerned about the change and what that will mean."

UCOL chief executive Paul McElroy has said there would be no more barbering or hairdressing training at Whanganui UCOL next year. Twenty students are studying this year, three tutor jobs will be lost.

The cut is because Government is giving UCOL $2.6 million less in funding, and because too few hairdressers were completing the course. Often this was because they got jobs before it was over.

Ms Cumming said getting jobs was a good outcome, and changes were afoot to make sure training providers were not penalised when that happened. But those changes look like they might be too late for Whanganui UCOL.

There are two ways hairdressers can get qualified. One is by doing a 34-week full-time course, the other is by getting an apprenticeship and spending 10-19 days a year at an accredited training provider for off-the-job teaching and assessment.

Whanganui UCOL was the only body accredited to provide this in Wanganui, Ms Cumming said.

Ending the courses removes one path into the career from Wanganui, unless hairdressing students commute to Palmerston North UCOL on a free bus.

It also means apprentices have to travel for their off-the-job training. Ms Cumming said that would be a challenge, especially as they needed models for it. Palmerston North would be the most likely venue.

Wanganui hairdresser Carol Hayward, the co-owner of Chonel Ltd, is training two apprentices. She said people in the industry were indeed concerned about the changes.

Business owners wanted to know about an alternative provider as soon as possible, as they were coming into a busy time of year and would have new first-year apprentices to train next February. Miss Hayward has already had one anxious young person on the phone, asking about prospects.

She presumed that Whanganui UCOL's hairdressing taster programme for Year 10 students would end when it stopped providing the training.

"Those students are essential, as I personally feel that it is at that age that interest needs to be cultivated, and a direct pathway into industry is carved out for them. It's great for quality assurance, as we get the right type of person."

It also bothered her that another career pathway would be off-limits for Wanganui youth, at a time when a lot were looking for jobs.

"It wasn't that long ago that UCOL were excited at the prospect of launching their Trades Academy, only to be axing one of their trade courses."

Mr McElroy said the Wanganui Trades Academy had a successful first 12 months and was not affected by the funding cuts.

"In fact, UCOL has been funded for more Trades Academy students in 2013," Mr McElroy said.