Cutting her own path: building confidence and connection

For Shania, hair is about much more than cutting and styling. It's about creating confidence and connection, helping people feel like the best version of themselves. After completing her Certificate III in Barbering and building a successful career as a barber, she has returned to Chisholm to study Certificate III in Hairdressing, expanding her skills to support an even wider range of clients.

Shania first discovered her love for barbering in 2020. While many people were looking for ways to stay busy during lockdown, she began cutting her brothers' hair in their family garage and quickly realised she had found something she genuinely enjoyed. As her skills grew, so did her desire to make a career out of it.

“I decided I wanted to pursue a career where I can make someone feel like a million bucks and they leave with this glowing confidence,” she says. “It's honestly such a fulfilling job.”

When it came time to pursue barbering professionally, Chisholm felt like the right fit. While developing her technical skills was important, it was the supportive environment and strong sense of community that had the biggest impact on her experience.

Shania says her teachers genuinely cared about helping students achieve their absolute best, while the friendships she formed throughout her studies became an important source of motivation and support. “The thing I love most about Chisholm is the community,” she says. Having a supportive network around you can make all the difference when pursuing your goals.

One of the proudest moments of Shania's journey came when her teacher Natalie selected her to showcase her barbering skills at Chisholm's Hair and Beauty Industry Live Day at the Frankston campus. Presenting in front of students from across Chisholm and sharing her knowledge was a reflection of how far she had come since first picking up the clippers.

Having once been a student learning the fundamentals herself, she relished the opportunity to share her knowledge and support others who were just starting out. “I was literally one of them,” she says. “Being that person for them and doing it the way I would have preferred it to be done for me when I was starting out, was an amazing experience.”

Since beginning her career, Shania has worked in several barbershops, building experience, refining her craft and learning from others in the industry. Today, she operates her own barbering business from home, allowing her to balance her work, studies, health and family commitments while continuing to grow professionally.

Looking ahead, Shania hopes to combine her barbering and hairdressing skills to create a business that offers a range of services, while helping people feel confident about themselves. Inspired by what she describes as a "lightbulb moment" while presenting at Industry Live Day, she is also open to pursuing teaching in the future and sharing her knowledge with the next generation of hair professionals.

Her advice to anyone considering a career in barbering or hairdressing is simple: make sure you're passionate about working with people. “You need patience, creativity and a genuine passion for the job,” she says. “If you've got those things, it's for you.”