Skills Institute, first training provider in New Zealand to achieve Hair & Barber NZ Gold accreditation

Skills Institute, first training provider in New Zealand to achieve Hair & Barber NZ Gold accreditation

Our Auckland and Lower Hutt hairdressing campuses have been recognised with the industry's highest level of accreditation.

Skills Institute has become the first training provider in New Zealand to achieve Gold Quality + Care® accreditation from Hair & Barber New Zealand, with the accreditation awarded across our Auckland and Lower Hutt hairdressing campuses.

Gold is Hair & Barber New Zealand's highest level of accreditation. It recognises organisations that meet high professional standards across qualified staffing, ongoing professional development, industry support, sustainability and professional practice.

Skills Institute Work Based Training Manager Kylie Davidson shares the accreditation matters because it reflects the standards learners carry with them into the industry.

"Gold accreditation gives learners, employers and industry partners confidence in the environment our learners are training in and the standards that underpin their education.

"Hairdressing is a highly skilled profession and our learners deserve to know they are being taught and supported by experienced, fully qualified professionals who continue to develop their own skills and stay current with industry trends." 

What Gold accreditation recognises

To achieve Gold, organisations must show they use professional-only products, follow documented consultation and aftercare processes, work to a code of ethics, maintain active health, safety and hygiene practices, and run their business fairly and transparently.

Sustainability is also part of the assessment. Skills Institute's training salons recycle materials wherever possible.

"We want our learners to leave us with more than strong technical skills," Kylie says. "We want them to understand what professional practice looks like, from looking after clients and continuing to develop their skills, through to working sustainably and supporting high standards across the industry."

Setting learners up for their careers

Hair & Barber New Zealand Chair Jeremy Scarle congratulated Skills Institute on the achievement.

"Skills Institute is leading by example. As a valued training provider member of our organisation, they play a vital part in educating our future hair professionals while promoting industry best practice.

"They are ensuring their learners understand what a professional business and industry should look like right from the beginning of their careers. Once their education is complete, they will have the knowledge to identify and seek employment with other businesses that hold Quality + Care® accreditation."

Interested in training in a Gold-accredited environment? Explore our Hair courses!