The hairdressing competition was about encouraging students to be willing to try something different

In Brief:

  • Year 12 Trades Academy students from secondary schools across Auckland competed in an avant-garde hairdressing challenge at Ōtara campus.
  • Ormiston Senior College student Tariau Tutakiau took out first place with a tropical-inspired hairstyle.
  • The competition gave students an opportunity to showcase their skills and creativity, with more than $1,000 worth of prizes shared among the top three winners.

Year 12 students from seven schools across Auckland put their creativity and hairdressing skills to the test at a Trades Academy hairdressing competition held at Ōtara campus on Friday, 11 September.

The competition brought together students from the Hairdressing Trades Academy’s Monday and Friday classes, challenging them to create an avant-garde hairstyle while giving them an opportunity to experience more of what studying hairdressing full-time can involve.

Around twelve students took part, representing secondary schools such as Howick College, Te Haikura a Kiwa, Tuakau College, Pukekohe High School, Ormiston Senior College, Alfriston College and Mangere College.

Hairdressing lecturer Quaanita Barthis says the competition was designed to encourage students to experiment with their skills and creativity.

“We just thought that to encourage them to maybe staircase into our Level 3.1 programme, that we would give them a little taste of what it’s like in our full-time programme.”

Students had already learned skills including blow-drying, up-styling and using different hairdressing tools before bringing their own ideas to the competition.

Quaanita says the variety of concepts created on the day showed how much of the work came from the students themselves.

“We’ve got some aliens going on. We’ve got some beautiful fairy, enchanted forest type vibe. We’ve got a royal banquet going on. There’s so many different ideas.

“That’s why I say the talent, nine times out of ten, comes from the actual students more than the lecturers.”

For Quaanita, the competition was also about encouraging students to be willing to try something different.

“Take a risk. Try something new. Be adventurous with it. Have fun also, and not take things too seriously.”


Ormiston Senior College student Tariau Tutakiau took out first place with an avant-garde hairstyle inspired by tropical and island influences

Tariau says hairdressing gives him an opportunity to express his creativity.

“I can really express my creativity when it comes to hair.”

His competition-look incorporated flowers and other accessories to create what he described as a tropical theme, drawing inspiration from his connection to island culture.

“I love my culture. I love the islands, and the flowers, and the sunsets, and all that it brings for me. It’s somewhere that I can just connect.”

Part of his motivation for entering was to make his teacher proud, spend time with his friends and test himself against the other students.

Before the results were announced, he admitted seeing the work around him had made him unsure where he would place.

“Looking at everyone’s artwork, hairstyles, it’s very amazing, and that makes me scared for myself if I’m going to win this.”

Finding out he had won came as a surprise.

“I feel great. I was actually scared, because I feel like a lot of people have great hairstyles, and I thought mine was literally the worst.

“But now that I feel like I’ve come to win, it makes me feel great.”

Craig Lucas, Head of School Hospitality, Tourism and Service Industries encouraged the hairdressing team to create a competition after seeing similar opportunities available to students in other areas of the school.

“I felt it was time that the students in the hairdressing and barbering space, specifically from the Trades, were given a chance to shine and show off their skills just like we do in the hospitality area.”

He says the competition also provided an opportunity to strengthen connections with external stakeholders while giving students another way to apply what they had been learning.

“For me and the team, it is also about giving students a chance to get creative in ways and means that wouldn’t normally be available to them in their usual programme.”

The event was supported by Hairdressing lecturer Genevieve Hohaia and judged by Level 3 lecturers Jacinda Millett and Claire Nathan, alongside the Pathways team. Prizes worth more than $1,000 were shared among the top three students.