Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to consult with clients and analyse hair and facial characteristics to design and recommend complementary one length or solid haircuts. It requires the ability to cut hair into one length or solid hair cut structures and to finish hair to shape.
This unit applies to hairdressers and barbers with well-developed skills who work in hairdressing salons or barber shops. They use discretion and judgement to manage the client service and take responsibility for the outcomes of their own work.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Consult with client and assess hair. | 1.1.Determine, through discussion and questioning, client satisfaction or dissatisfaction with current haircut structure. 1.2.Discuss client preferences, and expectations of desired finished result using visual aids to assist. 1.3.Engage client in discussion about lifestyle and self-care factors that may impact on success of haircut design. 1.4.Visually and physically examine and analyse client hair characteristics and existing haircut structure. 1.5.Evaluate client facial features and bone structure for suitable complementary haircut designs. 1.6.Consider all factors to visualise, communicate and recommend haircut designs appropriate for the client. 1.7.Determine the best design and obtain client agreement to proceed with recommended haircut structure. |
2. Select equipment and prepare for service. | 2.1.Select appropriate cutting techniques to achieve planned one length or solid form haircut design. 2.2.Select and prepare equipment according to planned design and one length or solid form cutting techniques to be used. 2.3.Apply wraps to ensure client protection and safety. |
3. Cut hair to pre-planned one length or solid structure. | 3.1.Maintain client and operator comfort, safety and hygiene throughout haircutting service according to organisational procedures. 3.2.Position and adjust client head and neck during service to enable access and achieve minimum lift and natural fall of hair. 3.3.Section and secure hair to divide into manageable and controllable areas. 3.4.Establish design guidelines according to desired hair length and solid structure and cross-check throughout service. 3.5.Take clean sections, using minimum lift and natural fall to achieve one length or solid form haircut structure. 3.6.Apply even tension, use cutting tool at appropriate angle to parting lines and cut hair using techniques suited to one length or solid form haircut structures. 3.7.Position cutting hand with palm toward or away, up or down according to operator comfort, length of hair, and line and area of head being cut. 3.8.Maintain evenly wet or dry hair and follow a logical sectioning and parting pattern to achieve the planned one length or solid form haircut structure. 3.9.Clean or dispose of equipment and dispose of hair waste according to health regulations and organisational procedures. |
4. Finish hair to shape and review service. | 4.1.Select finishing tools, products and techniques and use to finish planned haircut designs to client satisfaction. 4.2.Review service outcomes against client design expectations and confirm client satisfaction with result. 4.3.Propose remedial action in response to any client concerns and post service analysis of hair design appearance. 4.4.Reach agreement with client on proposed solutions through positive and open communication. 4.5.Advise on after service maintenance and recommend home care products. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
consult with at least three clients and complete a pre-service analysis covering the following characteristics to create and recommend appropriate one length or solid form hair cut designs:
facial features and bone structure
natural hair type
hair texture
hair density
growth patterns
fall and movement
complete one length or solid form haircuts for the above three clients to their satisfaction to include these lengths:
above shoulder length
below shoulder length.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
different facial shapes and one length or solid form haircut designs which best complement particular shapes
characteristics of the following hair features, how these will impact on finished one length or solid form haircuts and appropriate designs for best outcomes:
natural hair types:
European
Asian
Euro-Asian
African
hair texture:
coarse
medium
fine
hair movement:
straight
wavy
natural curl
chemical curl or waves
natural distribution and growth patterns of hair:
crown area
hairline
neckline
cowlicks (whorls)
shapes, structure and texture for one length or solid form haircut structures
starting point, sectioning and parting patterns and the impact on the finished result for one length or solid form haircut structures
required angle of scissors to base parting to achieve one length or solid form structures
reasons for using minimum lift and natural fall to achieve one length or solid form haircut structures
importance of client head position and impact on finished haircut result
cleaning techniques and uses of cleaning and disinfection products for haircutting equipment
basic aspects of local government, state or territory health regulations for hygiene and infection control for haircutting services
industry practices and organisational procedures for:
client comfort, safety and hygiene with particular emphasis on:
using gowns to protect client clothes
monitoring client comfort
preventing cross-transmission of infection between customers
work health, safety and hygiene for haircutting, with particular emphasis on:
using correct posture and adjusting height of client chair to avoid fatigue and injury
using correct techniques to hold, grip and manipulate cutting tools and combs to avoid fatigue and injury
preventing cross-transmission of infection during customer contact
minimising product wastage
waste disposal with particular emphasis on environmentally sound disposal methods for hair waste.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in a hairdressing or barbering environment; this can be:
a hairdressing or barbering industry workplace or
a simulated hairdressing or barbering workplace, set up for the purpose of skills assessment that provides services to paying members of the public.
Assessment must ensure use of:
paying clients with different haircutting requirements; these can be:
clients in a hairdressing or barbering industry workplace, or
clients in a simulated hairdressing or barbering workplace within a training organisation who have the expectation that the services provided reflect those of a commercial business
sufficient client traffic to allow for prioritisation of tasks so that clients are serviced effectively in a logical sequence
activities that require the individual to work with commercial speed, timing and productivity to:
deal with multiple tasks simultaneously
complete client services within designated timeframes that reflect accepted industry practice
a hairdressing or barbering services workstation with:
one mirror per workstation
one adjustable client services chair per workstation
one blow dryer with heat diffuser per workstation
hairdressing chisels
clean client gowns or wraps
professional styling and finishing products which can be:
gels
glazes
lotions
mousses
setting lotions
sprays
waxes
one operator trolley per workstation stocked with:
haircutting scissors
texturising and thinning shears
disposable blade safety razors
disposable razor blades
combs:
cutting combs with fine and coarse ends
tapering
brushes:
Denman style
round
vent
sectioning clips
disinfectant products for hairdressing tools
product instructions
current plain English health and hygiene regulatory documents distributed by government regulators
organisational procedures for:
client comfort, safety and hygiene
work health, safety and hygiene for haircutting
waste minimisation
disposal of hair waste.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisation’s requirements for assessors; and:
hold a Certificate III in Hairdressing, or a Certificate III in Barbering, or a Certificate IV in Hairdressing, or be able to demonstrate equivalence of competencies; and
have at least three years full time employment experience as a hairdresser in a salon environment where they have applied the skills and knowledge covered in this unit of competency to assess this unit as part of a hairdressing qualification; this cannot include any indentured traineeship or apprenticeship period; or
have at least three years full time employment experience as a barber in a shop or salon environment where they have applied the skills and knowledge covered in this unit of competency to assess this unit as part of a barbering qualification; this cannot include any indentured traineeship or apprenticeship period.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement. | |
Skill | Description |
Reading skills to: | interpret sometimes unfamiliar and detailed documents including organisational procedures and product instructions. |
Oral communication skills to: | ask open and closed probe questions and actively listen to effectively interact with client and meet their needs clearly represent haircut designs to clients. |
Numeracy skills to: | visually estimate angles and lines, exterior and interior lengths in the haircut structure measure and apply hair finishing products in proportions that minimise waste. |
Planning and organising skills to: | manage own timing and productivity to complete haircuts within organisational service times. |
Sectors
Hairdressing
Competency Field
Haircutting