Source: Eastern Institute of Technology
25 seconds ago
A Napier barbershop owned by an EIT graduate has given two newly qualified barbers from the same programme their start in the industry.
Boxed Out Barbershop owner Brad Warren completed the NZ Certificate in Barbering (Level 3) at EIT’s Hawke’s Bay Campus in Taradale.
He now employs fellow EIT graduates Nich Allen (Ngāti Porou) and Declan Wong, who completed the NZ Certificate in Commercial Barbering (Level 4) in 2024 – a programme that was not available during Brad’s time of study.
Boxed Out Barbershop owner Brad Warren is not only an EIT graduate himself but has continued his connection with the polytechnic by employing a number of barbering graduates.
Brad, 34, came to barbering after working as a glazier and in boat building. He credits his time at EIT as crucial to his success, particularly the support he received from his tutors.
“At one stage I was going to pull out of the course, but my tutor Jen encouraged me to stay,” Brad said. “She saw the talent in me before I knew there was talent there. I loved EIT and didn’t want it to end.”
Brad has maintained his connection with EIT, occasionally visiting classes to speak with current students. When it came time to hire staff for the barbershop, he turned to the programme that had launched his own career.
“Jen would give me a message and say, ‘I’ve got some students who are really skilled barbers and are looking for work, can we send them in?’” Brad said. “They’ll come in and do a haircut, and I’ll be like, wow, they’re actually a good barber.”
The approach has worked well. Brad previously employed another EIT graduate for two years and had a student on work experience while studying last year.
Nich Allen (Ngāti Porou) studied the NZ Certificate in Commercial Barbering (Level 4) in 2024 and now works at Boxed Out Barbershop in Napier.
Nich, 23, originally from Gisborne, has been working at Boxed Out Barbershop for about a year.
“It’s a really positive space. The people make it a great place to learn and work,” he says.
He says the programme at EIT helped him find direction after leaving school unsure of what he wanted to do.
“I didn’t really know where I was heading at the time. The course helped me build confidence and gave me something to work towards.”
EIT graduate Declan Wong studied the NZ Certificate in Commercial Barbering (Level 4) in 2024 and now works at Boxed Out Barbershop in Napier.
Declan, 20, began at the shop as a work experience student about a year ago. He is now a qualified barber working full-time.
“It doesn’t really feel like work when you enjoy what you are doing,” he says.
Declan says work experience was one of the most valuable parts of the programme.
“Being able to go out into real barbershops helped me understand what the industry was actually like. It made stepping into full-time work much easier.”
He says working alongside other EIT graduates has helped him continue learning while building confidence behind the chair.
For Brad, seeing graduates now building their careers in his shop feels like a full-circle moment.
Boxed Out Barbershop Owner Brad Warren has employed EIT NZ Certificate in Commercial Barbering (Level 4) graduates Regan lusis, Nich Allen and Declan Wong.
“We’ve all come through the same training pathway, so it’s pretty special to now be working together.”
Paula Morris, Assistant Head of School – Health & Sports Science, said the success of the barbering programme relies on strong, genuine partnerships with the barbering industry.
“The relationship between our programme and Boxed Out Barbershop is a perfect example of this. When graduates return to the sector not only as skilled barbers but as employers who actively support the next generation – just as Brad has done – it creates an invaluable cycle of mentorship and opportunity.”
She says having barbershops welcome students for work experience and then employ graduates ensures learners gain the real-world exposure that simply can’t be replicated in a classroom.
“It enables them to build confidence behind the chair, understand the expectations of a professional shop, and develop the interpersonal skills essential to the craft.
“This level of industry support does more than help individual students – it elevates the whole programme. It keeps us connected to current practice, strengthens the training environment and ensures we are developing barbers who are truly ready to meet the needs of their clients. We are incredibly proud to see the full-circle impact that Boxed Out Barbershop continues to have on our learners and graduates.”