Q&A, Vicki Ter Haar Apprentice of the Year

“Be open, be teachable, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. The beauty of an apprenticeship is learning hands-on in real time — so take every opportunity to practice and grow. And remember, progress isn’t always fast, but it’s always worth it.”

Can you tell us about yourself?

I’m Vicki. My first career was in hairdressing, and at 22 I moved to London where I landed my dream job at L’Oréal Paris as a Salon Technical Consultant. I met my husband—also a Kiwi—in a London pub, and the two of us eventually bought a van and moved to France, where we lived for nearly four years while travelling around Europe.

From there we made our way to Sydney, after spending three months travelling through Indonesia on motorbikes. I worked for Goldwell/KMS in Sydney before we finally returned to New Zealand after 14 years abroad for a career opportunity for my husband in Queenstown. We now have two girls, Mila (9) and Layla (7), who keep life full and fun.

Why did you choose to become an apprentice?
When I reached out to Amy at Zenith, she suggested that an apprenticeship would be the best fit. She explained that sometimes courses can leave you very theory-heavy, while an apprenticeship allows you to learn and apply skills in real time. Learning on the job made sense to me – it felt practical, grounded, and the right way to grow in this industry.

What attracted you to this industry?
I’ve always had a love for beauty and have been surrounded by it my whole working life. I completed my hairdressing apprenticeship when I was young, which opened the door to working for brands like L’Oréal Professionnel, Redken, Matrix, and later Goldwell/KMS in Sydney.

While in London I also worked as an assistant to makeup artist Linda Johansson, doing runway work for Miss Selfridge and editorial shoots for magazines. Beauty has always been a passion of mine – coming back to it felt right.

What’s your favourite skill you’ve mastered during your apprenticeship?
To help support my apprenticeship with Amy, I started out by doing a basic nail course so I could contribute by offering manicures and pedicures. I’ve now worked my way up to BIAB manicures, which I really enjoy.

And the biggest milestone for me personally is working my way up to taking bookings for facials – something I’m incredibly proud of.

What advice would you give to someone starting a HITO apprenticeship?
Be open, be teachable, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. The beauty of an apprenticeship is learning hands-on in real time — so take every opportunity to practice and grow. And remember, progress isn’t always fast, but it’s always worth it.

What has been a memorable moment in your apprenticeship?
Winning Southern Apprentice of the Year – absolutely a standout moment! I still can’t quite believe it.

Who has been your biggest inspiration throughout your apprenticeship journey?
I’m very lucky to work alongside Amy and Steph, who each bring over 20 years of experience. Their knowledge, skill, and generosity with their time have all been incredibly inspiring. Zenith Beauty won two industry awards this year with Prologic. So, I’m in good hands.

And I have to give a special mention to my mother-in-law, Ellie. She’s been such a guiding force for me, and it was her encouragement that pushed me to submit my video for Apprentice of the Year. She inspires me in so many ways.

What are your career goals and aspirations?
My love for skin – and helping others feel confident in theirs – is what inspired me to pursue beauty therapy. Once I’m qualified, I want to keep building my knowledge and work towards advanced skin treatments such as skin needling. Skin health is where my heart is.

What does being awarded Apprentice of the Year mean to you?
Honestly, it means everything. Before I started this journey, I felt a bit lost. Both of my girls were in school and I kept wondering, What about me? What do I want to do next?

Listening to that voice telling me to pursue beauty again was scary. Becoming a student as an adult with two young kids wasn’t easy. The juggle is real. But I committed to it: early mornings studying, school runs, work, learning… and winning this award has made every bit of it worth it.

It’s an amazing feeling to be recognised for the mahi, and a reminder that it’s never too late to start something new. Thank you, HITO.