What Gracie had to say about being a finalist
Published on: November 15th, 2017
What does being a regional finalist mean to you?
Being a finalist for the HITO apprentice of the year is a huge honour and privilege that I am still trying to get my head around. It feels incredible to be receiving recognition from successful people in the industry who I look up to. With being a finalist and my other achievements I can prove to other young people that it is not impossible to achieve your goals just because you are young, or come from a small town that may seem to lack opportunity. It means that I can be an example to other apprentices, people who may be interested in hairdressing and anyone who struggles to believe that their goals are achievable.
This experience is another amazing thing I can add to the list of the many awesome opportunities that come with a hairdressing apprenticeship, that I can share with students when I am sharing my apprentice experiences as a HITO Talenteer.
My success is a reflection of Tash’s amazing training. It’s impossible to make it up to her for the impact her mentoring has had on my life and how far I have come as a person and an apprentice, but this is a way that I can make her proud. Being a finalist alongside Tash as a Salon Trainer of the Year finalist is a huge honour and proves that she is a phenomenal trainer.
Are there any tips or advice you would give to anyone applying for these awards in future?
Challenge yourself to take every opportunity, big or small, and work toward your goals. The more you get involved, the more inspired you will be. Inspiration fuels your passion, which will be clear to the judges in your application.
If you’re finding it hard to write answers to the questions about your love for hairdressing and your industry, don’t overthink it. If you just talk to yourself or someone else about why you love it, what motivates and inspires you, your goals and what is important to you in regards to your work ethic and professional qualities etc. You will find that (as cheesy as it sounds) your answers will flow and come from the heart. You don’t need to sound intelligent, you just need to portray the genuine passion and enthusiasm that you have for your work and industry. You can write everything down and don’t worry if it doesn’t make perfect sense, just worry about the structure once all your thoughts are on paper.
Get out of your comfort zone, take risks, and don’t be afraid to lose because “every setback is a setup for a comeback”.
Why did you decide to enter the awards?
Entering these awards is a great way for me to put myself out there. It’s good to take advantage of any opportunity to be recognised by successful people in the industry so that I can make a name for myself and keep moving towards my goals. I want to be involved in something much bigger than just working in a salon having no future aspirations. Doing well in these awards leads to meeting inspirational people who will be able to share their experiences with me so that I can learn as much as I can about the industry and how to succeed.
This award will help as I am working towards my goals of being a well known, successful stylist who inspires and is able to mentor others because of my experience and achievements.
I understand and portray the qualities that a top apprentice should have. I believe I am a good representation of a HITO apprentice and can lead by example. I would love be someone who apprentices can look to for advice and inspiration and I can’t help but share my passion. I have such genuine care for others and enjoy building people up and seeing them succeed. It gives me a sense of purpose that I can carry throughout my whole career.
What is the best part of your industry/apprenticeship?
I love every second of every day working at MPHOSIS and being part of the most amazing, quirky team who shares my obsession and addiction for hair. I love that the service we provide makes people feel so special and taken care of.
I think the best thing about my apprenticeship and the industry is that there are endless opportunities to grow, learn and be inspired. There are always new trends and techniques. There are always events to go to where I am in awe of the work I see. My enthusiasm constantly grows more and more and if this is how much I love it now I can’t imagine how much my passion will expand in the future. I love who I am while I’m working, I feel like the best version of myself. This industry brings me so much hope and I am so excited for everything else to come. I am just so grateful to part of something that I care about and enjoy so much.
