David Tiumalu

David Tiumalu teaches the New Zealand Certificate in Commercial Barbering (Level 4) at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s Tauranga Campus. Throughout his career, he has supported more than 500 ākonga (learners) into careers in the barbering industry.

David joined Toi Ohomai in early 2026 after more than a decade teaching at a private tertiary education provider in Auckland, where he also worked as a team leader. 

With more than 20 years of industry experience, David has worked in barbershops across Auckland, contributed as an industry guest judge at national barbering competitions, and contracted as a barber on film sets. In 2016, he was named the overall Classic Cut Winner at BarberCraft – New Zealand’s premier grooming event.

David says his teaching style is all about keeping things simple to help ākonga master the basics first. He also works hard to create a collaborative learning environment for all.

“I break things down into smaller steps to help students build confidence early on. Understanding the fundamentals of barbering is essential before learners can move on to trying more technical or creative styling.”

David believes barbering offers rangitahi (young people) a strong career pathway, as demand for barbering services continues to grow and social media shines a spotlight on the vocation. 

“Influencer barbers on TikTok and Instagram have helped boost the industry’s popularity. Barbering can be lucrative too, depending on the direction you take. You can work in a studio, open your own barbershop, become a personal barber to high-end clients, or contract to events and projects,” David. 

“It offers flexibility, and you meet so many different people every day. Those connections can open unexpected doors as well. I know barbers who’ve moved into a variety of new industries simply because of the networks they’ve built behind the chair.”