15 January 2025
Stephanie Ellison-Judge has lectured at South Metropolitan TAFE (SM TAFE) for the past 12 years, training hundreds of students to become qualified beauty therapists.
Based at our Mandurah campus, she loves seeing trainees graduate with skills to be able to make their own imprint on the industry, which is ever-changing, advancing and evolving. We caught up with Steph to talk all things learning beauty.
"We’re absolutely thrilled with our new facilities; hairdressing is downstairs and we have apprentices in there and then the upper level is all for beauty.
"We have beauty training rooms, one which we use as a clinic, we have another multi-purpose room then we have the specialised make-up room. It’s all very modern, with the latest equipment for more specialised treatments."
Steph Ellison-Judge
SM TAFE Lecturer
Q1) What is the most rewarding part of being a lecturer?
A) Being in the classroom with students who may not have had any experience whatsoever, but they have got the interest. Seeing them go from having no knowledge and nurturing them so that when it comes to the end of the course they are confident, they are happy, they’re full of knowledge and they’re excited about going into the beauty industry.
Q2) Any memorable moments you can share?
A) Just having a student going from being a VET (vocational educational and training) student who comes one day a week from school in year 11 or 12; they might be very quiet and timid but really interested. Seeing them progress into a Certificate III, on to a Certificate IV and then into a Diploma, and coming out with a Diploma to go into industry and a job that they love.
Q3) Tell us a bit about the hair/beauty training facilities students learn in at SM TAFE Mandurah?
A) We’re absolutely thrilled with our new facilities; hairdressing is downstairs and we have apprentices in there and then the upper level is all for beauty. We have beauty training rooms, one which we use as a clinic, we have another multi-purpose room then we have the specialised make-up room. It’s all very modern, with the latest equipment for more specialised treatments.
Q4) How do the students get prepared for industry?
A) We do live clinics with clients coming in who are paying for their service. Students perform a range of treatments such as manicures, pedicures, mini-facials and all things waxing and tinting. Our more advanced students do skin-needling, peels, microdermabrasion, massage and eye treatments. We’re getting students ready for industry by working on clients in a salon situation.
Q5) What advice would you give someone looking at taking the very first step to a career in beauty?
A) I would say, go for it! It’s such an enjoyable industry to be in, there are constantly new products and technologies. We as lecturers educate ourselves on an ongoing basis to keep industry current. It’s a wonderful industry to be in, it’s really exciting.
Q6) What sort of job roles can students gain at the end of your course?
A) Working as a beauty therapist in a salon or at a home salon, working in a retreat, a spa, overseas, on cruise ships, there are lots of different opportunities!
Want to be more and bloom your career in beauty?
With the arrival of the new year, it’s the perfect time to take the first step. The SHB30121 Certificate III in Beauty Services is a great entry point into the beauty industry, providing the fundamentals of beauty treatments, covering everything from nails to lash extensions.
The SHB40121 Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy is a slightly higher-level course, and the SHB50121 Diploma of Beauty Therapy is the most advanced course including specialised skin care treatments. The Certificate III, Certificate IV and Diploma courses are offered at Mandurah and Murdoch campuses.
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Check out the SHB40121 Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy(opens in a new tab) and the SHB50121 Diploma of Beauty Therapy. (opens in a new tab)
Brand-new course!
Our dedicated beauty therapy page(opens in a new tab) has info on all course offerings, including the brand-new course the SHB30221 Certificate III in Make-Up offered at Mandurah campus, which will prepare you for work in the professional make-up industry.
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Check out the new course SHB30221 Certificate III in Make-Up(opens in a new tab) .
You can visit our Hair, Beauty and Massage student clinics(opens in a new tab) page or follow the clinics on facebook.(opens in a new tab)
Also, grab a minute to read about one of our award-winning beauty therapy students - SM TAFE courses can take you places!
Applications are still open for Semester 1, 2025.
Steph loves seeing students progress into industry.
The entry to the hair and beauty training environment replicates a real-world salon.
The new beauty therapy training facilities at Mandurah campus are modern and industry current.
The dedicated hairdressing training space at Mandurah campus.