Ceremony Recognises first ever National Graduates Of Advanced Certificate in Hairdressing

Advanced Certificate in Hairdressing graduates – TV presenter, fashion designer and former hairdresser, Brendan Courtney with all the 8 Graduates at the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board conferral ceremony for the first eight graduates of the new QQI award ‘Advanced Certificate in Hairdressing’. Picture: Brian Arthur

These graduates are the first nationally-recognised, qualified hairdressers in the country

Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board held a ceremony on Monday, November 28, 2022 to mark the conferral of the first eight graduates of the new QQI award ‘Advanced Certificate in Hairdressing’. These graduates are the first nationally-recognised, qualified hairdressers in the country. TV presenter, fashion designer and former hairdresser, Brendan Courtney, hosted the ceremony in the Limerick Strand Hotel, in front of the graduates’ family, friends and invited guests.

During the conferral the eight Advanced Certificate in Hairdressing graduates, all experienced hairdressers, employers, salon owners, mentors and teachers, expressed their delight in receiving their certification and spoke positively of their experience of RPL. The innovative new process of RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) was developed by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board in collaboration with an industry-led Consortium Steering Group. This is the first time that the process has been used for certification of a full level 6 major award. RPL recognises all forms of prior learning and validates hairdressers who would not have had the opportunity to avail of a formal qualification in their field. Catherine Finn, salon owner and graduate, said: “This award completes all I strived for during my career as a hairdresser. I am humbled and delighted to have achieved this recognised qualification. Thank you to the ETB for believing in our industry and making it all possible.”

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Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board is the co-ordinating provider of the National Hairdressing Apprenticeship programme. George O’Callaghan, the ETB’s Chief Executive, congratulated both the graduates and staff who were involved in the RPL process. He also spoke about future apprenticeship development: “The ETB is delighted to have recently been approved by the National Apprenticeship Office and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for the development of consortium-led apprenticeships in Beauty Therapy and in Barbering. We look forward to working with industry partners in the development and delivery of these complementary apprenticeship programmes and are confident that the establishment of these programmes and qualifications will have an equally beneficial impact on the hair and beauty industries.”

Acting as host of event, Brendan Courtney commented on his own experience of RPL: “It’s been amazing. The Recognition of Prior Learning process, while rigorous, prepares one for the learning experience ahead. My advice to someone looking into Recognition of Prior Learning would be – do it! To put a value on your lived experience is a gift.”

In his address, Pádraig Wash, Chief Executive, Quality and Qualifications Ireland, said: “There is enormous value in being able to recognise the lifelong learning acquired by experienced hairdressers with a formal qualification. QQI sees the potential for this innovative and pathfinding process to be extended further within the wider Further Education and Training sector. I look forward to the learning from the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board process and the RPL toolkit that has been developed being made available to all the other ETB collaborating partners, so that the National Hairdressing Apprenticeship through RPL can be rolled out countrywide.”

For more information on Recognition of Prior Learning, or any enquiries relating to the National Hairdressing Apprenticeship, please contact your local Education and Training Board, or visit www.hairdressingapprenticeship.ie.

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