MPTT helps Māori and Pasifika become leaders in the trades industry. As well as paying your course fees, we’ll give you one-on-one mentoring to grow your career, and help you find work in your chosen trade.
If you’re Māori or Pasifika and aged 16-40, you could qualify for our scholarships. Let us know you’re interested by filling out this form, and we’ll be in touch.
Hairdressers cut, colour and style hair. Barbers specialise in cutting men’s and boy’s hair – they use scissors, clippers and razors to style and care for hair and facial hair. They’re both creative careers that require creativity, an eye for detail and an understanding of past and current trends. You’ll learn hairdressing techniques to create different styles, and build your knowledge of hair and skin types and how they react with various products.
Hairdressing and Barbering are both a highly flexible careers. You might work from home, join a salon or barbershop, start your own business or work as a stylist in the magazine, television or fashion industries.
An important part of hairdressing is helping clients feel relaxed, and communicating well with them so you’re clear about what style they want. That means you’ll need to be friendly, polite and a good listener, and enjoy talking to people.
How do I train?
Trades training is flexible. You can:
Many people start with a pre-trades programme at a training institution. This will give you the hands-on experience and theory you need to prepare you for work. If you qualify for one of our scholarships, you can study for free – and we’ll help you find work when you finish.
How do I fund my training?
There are a few ways to get your fees paid – but they’re not all the same.
Only available to Māori and Pasifika learners, the MPTT scholarship doesn’t just cover your course fees, it gives you the most well-rounded support to get a job in the trades.
You can apply for the MPTT scholarship programme now, but make sure you enrol in your chosen course as well. Here’s what you need to do:
Find out which hairdressing course is right for you using the links below.
Due to demand, there are no more MPTT scholarships available for Hairdressing and Commercial Barbering in 2025. Please check back later in the year for 2026 start dates and apply early to avoid disappointment.
Due to demand, there are no more MPTT scholarships available for Hairdressing and Commercial Barbering in 2025. Please check back later in the year for 2026 start dates and apply early to avoid disappointment.
Apprenticeships are managed by Industry Training Organisations (ITOs), who make sure you get the training you need to earn your qualification. The ITO for hairdressing is HITO.