Course Summary

This integrated program combines hands-on barbering training with essential workplace and personal development skills. It’s tailored for students aiming to enter the BARBERING (not hair and beauty) industry, providing both practical experience AND INDUSTRY knowledge to support successful transitions into the workforce.

The integrated program will be offered for Unit 1 & 2.

• VET Certificate II in Salon Assistant (Barbering) Unit 1 & 2
• VCE VM Work Related Skills Unit 1 & 2
• VCE VM Personal Development Skills Unit 1 & 2

This course equips students with the key knowledge and hands-on skills needed to succeed in the growing men’s barbering industry. Students will learn modern barbering techniques including haircuts, beard design, client styling, communication, and product knowledge, enabling them to work safely under routine supervision.

The program also includes Vocational Major Work Related Skills (WRS) and Personal Development Skills (PDS). WRS prepares students for the modern workplace by exploring industry trends, workplace environments, and decision-making through classroom and structured workplace learning. PDS supports personal growth by developing self-awareness, leadership, teamwork, and community involvement. Together, these elements help students build a strong foundation for both career and life.

VET Certificate II in Salon Assistant (Barbering)

This course is delivered over 2 year program. The second year will be standalone, not integrated.

VCE: Unit 1 & Unit 2 sequence available

ATAR Contribution: Unit 3 & 4 students do not receive a Study Score contribution for this subject

VET: SHB20216 Certificate II in Salon Assistant

Structured workplace learning advice: 40 hours is recommended but not compulsory.

VCE VM Work Related Skills (VCE VM WRS)

Students must complete 2 Units of Work Related Skills to be eligible for their VCE Vocational Major certificate.

Unit 3 & 4 will be delivered standalone, not integrated.

VCE: Unit 1, 2, 3 & 4 sequence available

VCE VM Personal Development Skills (VCE VM PDS)

Students must complete 2 units of Personal Development Skills to be eligible for their VCE Vocational Major certificate

Unit 3 & 4 will be delivered standalone, not integrated.

VCE: Unit 1, 2, 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

• Safety
• Create haircuts using tracks and carving
• Design and maintain beards and moustaches
• Cut using freehand clipper techniques
• Dry hair to shape
• Greet & prepare clients for salon services
• Skin Fade / Bald Fade
• Mid Fade
• Low Fade
• Drop Fade
• Burst Fade
• Temple Fade (Brooklyn Fade)
• High Top Fade
• Shadow Fade
• Disconnected Undercut
• Textured Crop (French Crop)

Course Summary

Vocational Major Personal Development Skills (PDS) takes an active approach to personal development, self-realisation and citizenship by exploring interrelationships between individuals and communities. PDS focuses on health, wellbeing, community engagement and social sciences, and provides a framework through which students seek to understand and optimise their potential as individuals and as members of their community.

This study provides opportunities for students to explore influences on identity, set and achieve personal goals, interact positively with diverse communities, and identify and respond to challenges. Students will develop skills in self-knowledge and care, accessing reliable information, teamwork, and identifying their goals and future pathways.

PDS explores concepts of effective leadership, self-management, project planning and teamwork to support students to engage in their work, community and personal environments.

Through self-reflection, independent research, critical and creative thinking and collaborative action, students will extend their capacity to understand and connect with the world they live in, and build their potential to be resilient, capable citizens.

Students must complete 2 units of Personal Development Skills to be eligible for their VCE Vocational Major certificate 

VCE: Unit 1, 2, 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

• Use a game like City Guesser to guess different locations in the world. After the game, debrief how students applied their understanding of community and the characteristics of community to make their guesses. Multiplayer options are available 
• Conduct an excursion in the local community. This may include a visit to the local council, local community centre or another community-based organisation. Explore the characteristics that influence how community is formed and the different groups of people that exist with the community 
• Visit the Australian of the Year website and develop a profile of an inspiring Australian of the Year. Detail how the person has engaged with the community and explore the impact the person has had on others, including any strategies they have used to promote community engagement and participation for others 

Course Summary

Vocational Major Work Related Skills (WRS) examines a range of skills, knowledge and capabilities relevant to achieving individual career and educational goals. Students will develop a broad understanding of workplace environments and the future of work and education, in order to engage in theoretical and practical planning and decision-making for a successful transition to their desired pathway. The study considers four key areas: the future of work; workplace skills and capabilities; industrial relations and the workplace environment and practice; and the development of a personal portfolio. Students will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained from this study in the classroom environment and through Structured Workplace Learning (SWL). 

Students must complete 2 Units of Work Related Skills to be eligible for their VCE Vocational Major certificate 

VCE: Unit 1, 2, 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

• Engage in critical thinking relating to the changing nature of work using a PMI table (plus, minus interesting/implication) to respond to the key ideas presented in work-related online videos, for example, TED Talks
• Conduct research to list the top 10 strategies to improve career prospects individually or in small groups. Present findings to the class and justify the reasoning for the rankings allocated
• As a class, create a word wall relating to personal skills and capabilities to identify, define and clarify the meaning of these key terms

Course Summary

VCE Vocational Major Literacy focuses on the development of the knowledge and skills required to be literate in Australia today. The key knowledge and key skills encompass a student’s ability to interpret and create texts that have purpose, and are accurate and effective, with confidence and fluency. Texts should be drawn from a wide range of contexts and be focused on participating in the workplace and community. Further to this, texts should be drawn from a range of sources including media texts, multimodal texts, texts used in daily interactions, and workplace texts from increasingly complex and unfamiliar settings. As students develop these skills, they engage with texts that encompass the everyday language of personal experience to the more abstract, specialised and technical language of different workplaces, including the language of further study. The applied learning approach of this study is intended to meet the needs of students with a wide range of abilities and aspirations. 

Course designed to complement the Vocational Major stream in the VCE

VCE: Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment