For hair, beauty, and make-up students, we know there's no better way to learn than through hands-on experience. That's why we opened Mysa Salon and Spas. The fully operational salon allows students to provide paid services to clients and refine their new practical skills.
"Mysa provides students with that industry experience, which means they are not just getting the fundamentals in the classroom; they also have the opportunity to actually implement these new skills in a professional environment," says Vanesa Drummond, Chisholm Hair and Beauty Education Manager.
We also know how important sustainability is in learning environments and workplaces. So, we partner with Sustainable Salons, an environmental resource recovery service that helps us lower our environmental impact.
So, who is Sustainable Salons?
Sustainable Salons is an Aussie-born profit-for-purpose organisation that rescues resources from landfill and finds repurposing opportunities. Now spanning Australia and New Zealand, Sustainable Salons is creating a new ecosystem that benefits salons, their customers, and the planet.
Since its launch, Sustainable Salons has diverted more than 1.9 million kg of resources and waste from landfill. The profits made from recycled products have also donated over 350,470 meals to OzHarvest and KiwiHarvest.
They manage hair donations to create wigs for people with hair loss. They have also found particularly exciting uses for hair clippings, including soil treatments and hair booms – an organic alternative to the synthetic booms and chemicals used to clean up oil spills.
Sustainable Salons has even been working with experts to convert hair into technology and energy sources.
You can discover more about what Sustainable Salons is doing with salon waste here.
How we work with Sustainable Salons
Sustainable Salons helps to ensure that as much waste as possible from Mysa Salon and Spas and our classrooms go to the right place. To do this, they provide labelled bins for specific material types.
The contents of the bins are collected every two weeks and taken to a sorting facility where Sustainable Salons' dedicated employees ensure all the waste is sorted correctly.
The materials are then processed and diverted to the appropriate reuse, recycling, or ethical disposal streams.
Materials Sustainable Salons collect from us include:
- metals
- plastics
- paper
- hair
- ponytails
- chemicals
"Pretty much if it's not landfill-appropriate waste, it is all disposed of into the various Sustainable Salons bins," says Vanessa.
Along with ensuring that up to 96% of our salon waste is either put to good use or disposed of properly, Sustainable Salons helps educate our students on sustainability in the workplace.
Our hairdressing and barbering students also have a sustainability unit built into their course programs. The unit is delivered at the start of their course so the skills can be practised early on.
"The information for the Environmentally Sustainable unit is sourced from Sustainable Salons, too," says Vanessa.
How does our partnership with Sustainable Salons benefit students?
Highly regarded skills in salon sustainability
You'll be introduced to good work habits for the salon, which will prepare you for a job in a sector increasingly committed to sustainability.
First-hand sustainability knowledge from industry leaders
At Chisholm, the on-campus sessions led by Sustainable Salons provide inspiring and valuable information straight from the experts. This education allows you to graduate with sought-after skills and be ready to pass on your knowledge to colleagues and clients.
A chance to be part of positive change in the hair and beauty industry
Sustainability is an important topic in our society and a priority for most people. Gaining skills in workplace sustainability means you can make a real difference every day.
Vanessa says that there is an increasing expectation from clients for local salons to be involved in ethical and environmental practices.
"We're noticing this is a high priority for clients now. Everybody really wants to feel like they're doing their bit."
If you study hair and beauty at Chisholm, you'll walk away with a certificate and graduate with the skills for a successful career. Prepare for the job you want and help make the world a better place through thoughtful resource management!
Are you interested in a career in hairdressing, barbering, beauty, or make-up? Discover more about Chisholm TAFE courses.
