Q&A with Timara Eriha, Northern Beauty Apprentice of the Year

“Becoming an apprentice has been the best choice I made. Being able to study and learn on the job in my home town with whanau support has been a huge help and kept me on track from start to finish.”

Can you tell us about yourself?

Kia ora, my name is Timara Eriha, and I am from a small town Wairoa, located in Hawkes Bay. I am a family-oriented person, hence having 17 people at my graduation with me, and love to spend time with my nieces, nephews and siblings when I am not working. Along with shopping!

Why did you choose to become an apprentice? 
Becoming an apprentice, I actually had no idea what an apprenticeship was. I rang my Mum when I was offered this position and asked her whether I should say yes. But becoming an apprentice has been the best choice I made. Being able to study and learn on the job, being in my hometown with whanau support, has been a huge help and kept me on track from start to finish.

What attracted you to this industry?
I have always had a thing for makeup and the pretty side of the industry, but knowing I would be able to help people every day was another part that attracted me to it. I love being able to help people, no matter what it is.

What has been a memorable moment in your apprenticeship? 
A memorable moment for me during the apprenticeship was my first conference I attended, being the youngest person in the room and seeing all the business women made me feel excited to be apart of the industry and made me grateful to be a part of the experience, being able to take in the knowledge from other people and take that home with me and applying what I had learnt.

What’s your favourite skill or technique that you’ve mastered during your apprenticeship?
My favourite skill I have mastered is being patient. To be patient with clients, treatments and just the whole job itself. Learning to be patient has allowed me to slow down and just be in the moment.

What are your career goals and aspirations after completing your apprenticeship?
A career goal I have set for myself is to upskill myself in any aspect possible, from learning admin jobs to treatment rooms. By continuing to upskill and grow, this allows me to stay with an open mindset, which comes in handy in the beauty world as we are forever having new trends evolve.

Who has been your biggest inspiration throughout your apprenticeship journey?
My boss Amber has been my biggest inspiration throughout my apprenticeship. She juggles her everyday work life, whanau life and everything else that comes with it. She built Beauty Antix from the ground up, and no matter what gets thrown at her or happens, she stays consistent and perseveres. Amber is a great friend to have, along with being a boss and has pushed me every day with my apprenticeship, even to the point of us sitting at her dinner table doing papers because she knew I had it in me to push through and complete the apprenticeship. Whenever I get stuck at work, I say to myself, “What would Amber do?’ and before I know it, I’m ready to go again with the solution to my problems.

What advice would you give to someone starting a HITO apprenticeship?
Stick to a plan, make sure you stick with a routine with studying so you don’t fall behind, and mark off your wall planner to keep track of your progress. Take every opportunity that comes your way, have an open mindset and allow yourself to grow every day, from learning new techniques to learning new routines. Don’t ever stop learning.

What does being awarded Apprentice of the Year mean to you?
Being awarded Apprentice of the Year means so much to me, a feeling of being proud of myself, along with knowing everyone in my town is proud of me. Being able to come home and tell my clients that I won and seeing them happy and excited makes the whole experience 10x better. I never would of thought I would win an award in the industry. But it is something I will forever be proud of and will cherish the experience of not only the award ceremony but the graduation itself.