WorldSkills Australia 
Hairdressing Competition
A Hairdresser cuts and styles clients’ hair. Hairdressers provide a broad range of services to clients, including wet and dry shampooing, cutting, colouring, perming, styling, and hair care advice. Hairdressers use discretion and judgement to provide client services and take responsibility for the outcomes of their work.
The WorldSkills Hairdressing Competition is designed to allow Competitors to show a range of specialist skills and knowledge towards Hairdressing services. These specialist services will include creative haircutting, enhanced hair designs, colouring and complex colour correction and chemical reformation; create classic long hair up-styles, select and apply hair extensions, design and style long hair creatively, and work as a session stylist.
YOU SHOULD PURSUE A CAREER IN HAIRDRESSING IF YOU:
- Enjoy working with people
- Are a good listener
- Have creative flair
- Have good manual dexterity
- Enjoy practical, hands-on work
IT ALL BEGINS AT A REGIONAL COMPETITION
The WorldSkills Australia Hairdressing Competitions begin at a grass roots level in one of 42 Australian regions. The Hairdressing Regional Competitions test the skills and knowledge of 4000+ apprentices, trainees and students, who have the opportunity to win gold, silver and bronze medals and gain the chance to go on to compete at a national level.
WorldSkills Australia competitions operate on a two-year cycle. The next Hairdressing Regional Competition rounds are now running across the country. 2023 and 2025 are the next National Championship years.
Register your interest to compete in Hairdressing
The Hairdressing Competition is supported by:
Training Package Requirements
The WorldSkills Australia Beauty Therapy Competitions align to the National Hairdressing and Beauty Services Training Package.
Regional Competition
Training Package Requirements – Regional Level
The 2024 WorldSkills Australia Regional Competition for Hairdressing aligns to the Units of Competency in the SHB30416 – Certificate III in Hairdressing.
Regional Tasks
The Regional Competition is designed for Competitors to perform a range of consultation and technical skills whilst providing a broad range of hairdressing services to clients. Competitors will be required to use discretion and judgment to provide client services and take responsibility for the outcomes of their own work. The Competition project is designed to test the Competitors skills in the following areas related to Hairdressing:
- Provide shampoo and basin services
- Maintain and organise tools, equipment and work areas
- Apply safe hygiene, health and work practices
- Provide salon services to clients
- Communicate as part of a salon team
- Colour and lighten hair
- Design and create haircuts
- Create classic long hair up-styles
Regionals Competition Duration
The competition is completed in 5 hours over 1 day not including briefing or breaks.
National Competition
Training Package Requirements – National Level
The 2023 WorldSkills Australia Regional Competition for Hairdressing aligns to the Units of Competency in in the SHB30416 – Certificate III in Hairdressing and SHB40216 Certificate IV in Hairdressing Qualifications.
National Tasks
The National Competition will be conducted over three (3) days and will consist of six (6) modules. Two (2) tasks will be performed on clients; four (4) tasks will be performed on mannequins. The competition project is designed to test the Competitors skills in the following areas related to Hairdressing:
- Ladies salon style
- Ladies hairstyle with hair extensions
- Ladies catwalk design and session styling
- Ladies long hair bridal hairdo
- Men’s traditional taper cut and beard
- Men’s perm and colour
Nationals Competition Duration
The competition is completed in 18 hours over 3 days not including briefing or breaks.
Find out about training options
myskills website is the national directory of Vocational Education and Training (VET) organisations and courses.
Learn more about these courses by following these links: