2023: A Year in Review

By The Australian Hairdressing Council

2023 was another challenging year for the hair industry and small business. Salons are still recovering from the business costs of the pandemic, and with inflation at 5%, salons struggle to maintain cash flow. Financial pressures are impacted by increased employment costs due to wage increases, personal leave costs, and client cancellations.

Salons report they are busy; however, the increased living and business costs result in low productivity and profit.

As we head into 2024, we would like to wish you success, health and happiness and thank you for being part of the Australian Hairdressing Council community. Here is a snapshot of some of the many initiatives and projects the AHC undertook in 2023.

Our Mission

• Raising Industry Standards

• Connecting our Industry

• A Voice to Government

• Supporting Business + Education Raising Industry Standards

The AHC delivers against its objectives by:

• Developing and maintaining a significant resource centre for its members, comprising various information, user friendly materials and guidelines.

• Presenting professional and personal development and education programs in person around Australia, online, and at events including the AHC’s annual Industry Day and Leadership Summit, held over the June long weekend.

• Advocating for sound and sustainable practices within the industry to strengthen the industry, protect clients, community, and the environment.

• Advocating for sensible and sustainable policies impacting the industry, including in relation to education and training.

• Hosting events to keep our membership community connected and providing up-to-date information about issues that matter to and impact our industry, via the AHC website, social media channels, and regular electronic communications.

• Working with Employment Innovations to respond to workplace employment queries, providing resources and blogs and virtual informative sessions.

• As part of its strategy for achieving its objectives, the AHC has its own accreditation process to encourage and support hair professionals to promote sound and compliant business practices and environmental sustainability.

The accreditation process is led by the AHC team, experienced industry professionals who are committed to raising industry standards.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2023 INCLUDED:

Connecting with industry

Face to face and virtual business presentations, conferences and seminars were scheduled throughout the year. The Education and Training Committee meet six times per year and the discussions covered the new Jobs and Skills Council, SkillsEQuipped, and the needs of our Training Package.

Industry was invited to virtual meetings to discuss the best learning experiences for our Apprentices and the challenges of business and employment.

Multiple surveys distributed to industry and covered feedback on the association, AHC conferences and business.

In June, The AHC Industry Day featured 11 speakers and two workshops; it was attended by 130 educators, salon owners, RTOs, and industry suppliers.

The Leadership Summit and Schmoozefest presented three speakers - Antony Whitaker, Jo Maitland, and Tim Duggan - to an audience of 280.

A bespoke business seminar was held in June, entitled ‘Growing Your Business’ by Antony Whitaker, and was attended by 100 salon owners.

A Voice to Government

The AHC has continued throughout 2023 to represent the industry to State and Federal Governments and the ACCC on small business and industry matters, attending discussions and providing feedback.

Submissions have included VET, the Domestic Violence Bill, Portable Long Service Leave, Paid Parental Leave, Cyber Security, Migration and Home Affairs, Industrial Relations, The Shadow economy, Skills and Education, Respect At Work, E Invoicing and the ATO, DEWR, and Carers Australia.

In 2023, Sandy Chong and the AHC were recognised as the Small Business Champion at the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia (COSBOA). This Award was in recognition for the advocacy work on behalf of the Hairdressing Industry and Small Business.

Supporting Business and Education

The AHC is a voting member with the Jobs and Skills Council, SkillsEQuipped. Continued discussions on the changes needed with a dated Training Package have included feedback from the RTOs, teachers, independent educators, salon owners, apprentices, and company suppliers.

The AHC has represented the Industry with the Queensland Government to support the future of Apprenticeships and the sustainability of our Industry. With 63% of apprentices exiting in the first year and low completion rates, the apprenticeship system has been under threat.

The AHC has committed to developing resources, videos and podcasts, an accreditation for employers of choice and education to lift completion rates and support new apprentices.

In 2023/24 the AHC is working with a Group Training Organisation (GTO) with the view to assist in recruiting apprentices, encouraging completions, and reducing exits in the first year. The GTO will work with 52 careers advisors to promote hairdressing as a career of choice. This is a pilot to gauge if GTOs are a positive pathway of employment for the industry.

In 2023 the AHC launched Project Barber, a NSW, Trade Pathways funded project with the AHC and TAFE NSW. This project was developed to address the skills shortage, upskill the industry, and provide additional services for salons to offer in today’s economic climate. This 10-week course delivers a Barber Qualification at TAFE NSW to experienced Cert 111 hairdressers, including salon owners, and is supported by a wraparound program HELP.

TAFE NSW chose 16 campuses across metropolitan and regional NSW to deliver Project Barber. The program has received more than 500 expressions of interest from potential students.

HELP covers resources, videos, podcasts, and a Facebook community that delivers information and support on mental and physical health, elevated education and barber skills, financial wellbeing and life skills, and individual professional stories to motivate and inspire.

The AHC supported the Barber Expo judging their Barber competitions.

PR, Marketing and Communication

Jenny Burns received a Special Recognition Award for her journalism, PR, and Marketing for the Industry at the Australian Hairdressing Industry Awards (AHIA) Business. Jenny is the talent behind all AHC communications.

The AHC PR and marketing has continued strongly and grown across many platforms, with an engaging and informative mix of newsletters, podcasts, videos, social media, press releases, events, media coverage and more for our AHC members and the wider hairdressing and barber community.

Highlights included the three AHC events in June - Industry Day, Schmoozefest, and the inaugural Leadership Summit - as well as the launch of Project Barber.

Widespread Media presence

The AHC represented the industry and small business throughout the year with interviews on television, radio, print media and online. This includes Smart Company, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, The Australian, The Age, Telegraph, ABC radio and TV. Sandy is also a regular guest on ABC’s current affairs program, The Drum.

Solo Operators

The AHC continued to grow its Solo Owner Select (SOS) membership to support the industry single operators. Resources and access to information and education, and networking with this community, are the basis of this membership.

HeadHunter Recruitment

Supporting the industry’s concerns on the skills shortage, the AHC continued with the jobs platform, HeadHunter Recruitment. This platform was supported by resources, blogs and visual meetings on recruitment, advertising, and interviewing, for both employers and applicants.

November was Love Your Hairdresser Week

Driving the fourth year of the Love Your Hairdresser campaign in 2023. This campaign took place on 12-17 November and went viral on social media, with hairdressers and salon clients alike sharing the love online for our industry and colleagues. This campaign is also supported by American Express in its Shop Small campaign.

Indigenous Literacy Foundation

Foil Me partnered with the AHC and Indigenous artist, Sarrita King, to produce the Jujup collection of Foil Me foils. $1 from every box of foils sold, was donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. To date 3,800 units have been sold, which purchases 380 books.

Heartfelt thank you.

The AHC would like to thank the many contributors to the success of our association. These include the AHC Team, the AHC Board of Directors, the AHC Education and Training Committees, and our AHC members.

Save the date.

Mark your diaries for 28-29 June 2024, when the AHC will present its annual Industry Day, Leadership Summit, and Schmoozefest in Sydney.

A calendar highlight for Australian hairdressing circles, these events are a great opportunity to have your say on all things education and training, network with the industry’s movers and shakers, and catch up with friends old and new. Stay tuned for more details!

Join the AHC

Make 2024 your best year yet by joining the Australian Hairdressing Council. Whether you are a salon owner or solo operator, the AHC can support you and your business to grow and succeed.

Learn more at www.theahc.org.au or call one of our friendly team on (02) 4929 6098 to find out how we can help you!