Second life - hairdressing as a second career

By Rob Kotevski April 14 2009

Individuals that have lost their jobs due to the financial crisis are turning to hairdressing for a second chance at a long-term career, according to an industry insider.

Biba Academy, one of Victoria’s leading education and hairdressing salons, has not only seen a rise in student enrolments, but there are enquiries coming in from those that have been made redundant elsewhere in the Australian workforce.

“With the recession, I’ve been getting a lot of enquiries from students who have been working in other industries,” Biba Academy’s Executive Administrator Mirella Heuperman tells myhairdressersearch.

People that have been made redundant due to the recession are picking hairdressing as a second career.

“There’s been a plumber who called me up not long ago and he said, ‘I don’t have a job any more, I’m looking for another career. I’m good with my hands and I’ve always had a creative flair so I’m really interested in hairdressing.’

“I’ve had factory workers approach me as well. People who have lost their jobs and looking for a new career where they’re in control of it. In terms of student enquiries, I think it’s been pretty steady at the start of this year, maybe a little bit more.”

The Federal Government has also seen the benefit of supporting those without jobs that wish to enter the hairdressing industry.

“A government grant called the Productivity Places Program pays for the full qualification for people that have been unemployed for x amount of time. We offer that at our school and we’ve had six or seven people enrolled under that program and they’ve been fabulous. They get free training from the government which is an excellent opportunity,” Mirella says.

She suggests that the strength of hairdressing in the midst of the financial downturn lies in the service clients had become accustomed to in their salons.

“People like to pamper themselves and that’s never going to go. We’re very lucky we’re in hairdressing.”

According to new studies, hairdressing is one of the industries that will continue to see job growth during the recession, providing some relief after the recent wave of some of Australia’s biggest companies announcing job cuts.

Find out more about the hairdressing industry.