Kylie Pointon Named HITO Trainer of the Year 2026 Northern Finalist

We have some very exciting news to share from Glamour Hair Boutique.

Glamour Hair Boutique owner and director Kylie Pointon has been named a Northern Finalist for the 2026 HITO Trainer of the Year Award.

For our team here in Albany, Auckland, this recognition is particularly special because education and apprentice training have been such an important part of Glamour from the beginning.

Recognising a passion for training

The HITO Trainer of the Year Award recognises trainers who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to mentoring, inspiring and developing apprentices and contributing to the future of New Zealand’s hairdressing industry.

Kylie has been selected as one of just three Northern Trainer of the Year finalists for 2026.

But while this may be an individual nomination, Kylie sees it as recognition of something much bigger, It speaks volumes for the education culture that has been created throughout Glamour Hair Boutique.

Today, five hairdressing apprentices are training at Glamour, learning alongside our senior and master stylists and developing their skills through HITO, professional education, hands-on salon training and mentoring.

Why apprenticeships matter at Glamour

For Kylie, training an apprentice has never simply been about helping someone complete a qualification.

It’s about helping someone discover what they’re capable of.

“Hairdressing is what I teach. Confidence is what I build.”

A first-year hairdressing apprentice is at the very beginning of what can become an extraordinary career.

They go on to become a senior or master stylist, colour specialist, extension specialist, salon leader, educator, mentor, salon owner, professional brand educator, sales representative or move into one of the many other career opportunities within the professional hair industry.

And we’ve seen those pathways become reality.

Over the years, hairdressers Kylie has trained and mentored have gone on to become salon owners, professional brand educators, sales representatives, senior and master stylists and industry professionals, taking the skills and confidence developed during their training into successful careers of their own.

That’s one of the reasons developing apprentices remains such an important part of Glamour.

Five apprentices and a salon that loves to learn

Having five apprentices currently developing their careers at Glamour is something we’re incredibly proud of.

Training happens every day in our Albany salon.

It can be a formal education session, a model workshop or professional training with one of our industry partners.

But it can just as easily be a senior stylist explaining a colour formulation, an apprentice observing a consultation, practising a new technique or learning why something on one client mite not work on another.

Kylie’s training philosophy includes three phrases our apprentices hear regularly:

“There’s nothing I can’t fix.”

“Give it a go.”

“Confidence comes from being uncomfortable.”

Creating an environment where developing hairdressers feel confident enough to ask questions, try something new and learn from the result is an important part of the way we train.

Why is she Investing in the future of New Zealand hairdressing

Hairdressing has given Kylie an incredible career, that has seen her travel the world and training the next generation is one way of giving back to an industry she loves.

Every experienced hairdresser was once a beginner.

Someone taught them.

Someone answered their questions.

Someone trusted them with their first client.

And someone gave them the confidence to believe that they could turn their skills into a career.

Eventually, it’s our turn to do the same for the people coming through behind us.

When we invest in an apprentice today, we may be developing tomorrow’s senior stylist, educator, brand representative, mentor or salon owner.

That’s bigger than simply training someone to do beautiful hair.

It’s investing in the future of our industry.

A proud moment for the entire Glamour team

Being named a 2026 HITO Trainer of the Year Northern Finalist is an incredibly proud moment for Kylie, but education at Glamour is very much a team effort.

It belongs to the experienced stylists who share their knowledge every day.

To our professional educators and industry partners who continue to educate us.

To the clients and models who support developing stylists.

And especially to our apprentices, who turn up ready to learn, practise and challenge themselves.

We couldn’t be prouder of what we’re building together.

The 2026 HITO Northern Trainer of the Year winner will be announced at the Auckland HITO Graduation and Awards event in November.

Whatever happens next, being recognised for something that sits so deeply at the heart of Glamour Hair Boutique is already something worth celebrating.

Discover education and apprenticeships at Glamour Hair Boutique

Want to learn more about Kylie’s approach to apprentice training, education at Glamour and career development within the New Zealand hairdressing industry?

Read our full HITO Trainer of the Year & Education at Glamour story here → https://www.glamourhairboutique.co.nz/award-winning-salon-north-island-trainer-of-the-year-2026/

Glamour Hair Boutique
Albany, Auckland’s North Shore
New Zealand

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