While Lee-Ann always enjoyed practicing hair styles on her girlfriends in high school, she didn’t enter the hairdressing profession straight out of high school. 

“I loved the creativity of hairdressing, but it wasn’t at the top of my mind as a profession” she said. 

Eventually, she decided to enrol in the Certificate II Salon Assistant in Hairdressing course at Chisholm Institute of TAFE. She enjoyed it so much that she decided to start an apprenticeship and leapt straight into a Certificate III in Hairdressing.  

For Lee-Ann, studying did not come easily.  

There were times she struggled due to the pressures of family life, salon work, health issues and personal relationships. To pay for her course materials and extracurricular activities, Lee-Anne got a part-time job, on top of her study and salon commitments.  

Lee-Ann says that all the study and work experience has been worth it.  

“Building a profession in hairdressing gives me a job I love and the flexibility to juggle my family and other responsibilities,” she said. 

Her salon manager says Lee-Ann is already a favorite among clients due to her excellent skills and   passion for styling.  

Understanding that promotion on social media has a huge role to play in the success of a hair salon, she has also been learning to master it and has already built up a strong online following.  

Congratulations to Lee-Ann, who was selected as a finalist in the Apprentice of the Year category in the 2024 Chisholm Education Awards. 

Back to Awards