Whitireia & WelTec – NZ Certificate in Commercial Barbering (Level 4)

Whitireia and WelTec deliver the New Zealand Certificate in Commercial Barbering at Level 4, a 120-credit NZQA qualification, across their Wellington-region campuses at Te Awakairangi in Petone and Whitireia in Porirua. The programme runs 34 weeks including work experience, with an indicative 2026 domestic fee of $10,240 plus around $1,000 for equipment.

Entry requires 40 credits at NCEA Level 1 including 10 in literacy and 10 in numeracy, or a recognised equivalent, or a relevant qualification at Level 2 or above. Content covers haircuts, fades, wet shaves, beard trimming and client engagement, with the institutes’ public training salons used for portfolio building. One thing to check before applying, and we would rather flag it than leave you to discover it: unlike some other polytechnics, Whitireia and WelTec were not re-established as standalone institutions and remain within Te Pūkenga while working towards financial and operational viability, with a decision on their future expected during 2026. Barbering delivery in the region is clearly continuing. A Level 3 schools strand feeds into this qualification and the training salons are operating, but confirm the intake date and the programme’s status directly before committing.