Student Spotlight: Zac Scarff
From the Barber Chair to Community Care
From the Barber Chair to Community Care
After spending 8 years working as a barber in Melbourne, Zac Scarff knew he wanted a career that focused more deeply on helping people.
Now studying a Diploma of Community Services (CHC52025) at GOTAFE, Zac is building a new career focused on supporting others and making a difference in the community.
“I realised the part of my job I liked the most was the people aspect,” Zac said.
“There’s always the joke about barbers being armchair therapists, and a lot of my clients actually worked in community services. They’d always say, ‘You’d be perfect for this kind of work.’”
After relocating from Melbourne to Shepparton, Zac decided to pursue his passion for helping others and enrolled in a Certificate IV in Community Services (CHC42021) before progressing into the diploma.
“The transition into the diploma has been really easy,” he said.
“They apply credit from previous study, so you’re able to transfer over pretty quickly.”
Zac says the supportive learning environment at GOTAFE has played a major role in his experience so far.
“They’re really receptive to students from different backgrounds and different challenges,” he said.
“They’re very good at tailoring support to each student individually.”
For Zac, one of the biggest highlights has been learning alongside people with diverse life experiences.
“That’s the beautiful thing about community,” he said.
“Everyone comes from different walks of life, so perspective is really important. You learn a lot just from having conversations.”
Alongside his studies, Zac has already secured an opportunity working in peer navigation and supporting others through lived experience and advocacy.
“Counselling is my long-term goal,” he said.
“I’ve just received a job offer in peer navigating, which is all about using your own experiences to support someone who might be going through similar circumstances.”
Looking back, Zac says making the shift from barbering into community services felt like a natural progression.
“There’s no such thing as a bad learner; there’s just different ways of learning,” he said.
“If you engage with people, ask questions and use the support around you, you’ll get so much out of it.”