Personalise my view
Cody swapped spreadsheets for scissors
The lights. The buzz. The blow-dry.
Standing on stage in Sydney at Hair Festival, one of Australia’s biggest hairdressing competitions, Cody Cuzens could hardly believe it when they announced her name.
Second place. Nationally. In the Emerging Talent Blow-Dry category.
And she’s only 21 and in her second year of training at TAFE Queensland Robina.
“I didn’t expect it at all,” Cody said.
“To be recognised on that level, it was so much fun, and honestly, a massive confidence boost.”
Just two years ago, Cody’s life looked very different. There were no blow-dryers, no foils, no colour brushes. Just spreadsheets.
“I always planned to study accounting at university,” she said.
“I took a job as a salon assistant, mainly to do the books and work the front desk.”
But behind the reception counter, something unexpected happened.
“I couldn’t stop watching the stylists on the floor,” Cody said.
“The way they transformed people, the creativity, the confidence, it sparked something in me. I realised I wanted to be one of them.”
With that lightbulb moment, Cody swapped balance sheets for balayage and enrolled in a Certificate III in Hairdressing (SHB30416) at TAFE Queensland. The same salon that once employed her as a receptionist, The Loft Hair Salon, brought her on as an apprentice.
Her first day at TAFE Queensland’s Robina campus was nothing like she imagined.
“I thought I’d be walking into a classroom,” she said.
“But I walked into a fully operational salon, with real clients. I thought I’d only get to work on mannequins, but to be working on real people it amazing.”
“And the clients are so patient and kind because they know we’re still learning.”
Still, she admits it was daunting at first.
“I came in with nothing, no equipment, no experience,” she said.
“But TAFE Queensland provided everything. The support, the tools, the guidance, it’s all there.”
Her teachers have made all the difference.
“They’re not just educators. They’re mentors. Friends. They genuinely want you to succeed," said Cody.
Cody’s found her passion in hair colouring, especially blondes.
“My favourite thing is colour work. I love working with blondes, there’s so much technique and precision involved.”
And while she still has a year left in her apprenticeship, Cody has already proven what’s possible with courage and the right training.
“If you’re unsure or thinking about it, even if you’ve never picked up a brush, just go for it. You’ll be amazed where it can take you.”