When Ally De La Rosa moved from Mexico to Australia on her own at 20, she brought with her a creative spirit, a formidable work ethic and a love for storytelling through hair and makeup.

After two decades working in film, she reinvented herself at 43 with the aim to deepen her craft in hair so she could step onto sets and into salons with greater confidence and range.

Enrolling in hairdressing (and later barbering) at Kangan Institute, Ally found herself captivated. What began as upskilling quickly became something more. Techniques that once felt unfamiliar became a new language she couldn’t stop speaking.

“I didn’t think I was going to love it that much, and now I’m obsessed with hair. I love it,” she said.

While studying, Ally discovered a learning environment that mirrors industry: diverse peers, complementary teaching styles and facilities that feel like a working salon. 

 Ally soon took on an apprenticeship at a local salon and embraced the humility of being a beginner, sweeping floors and cleaning stations. 

“It’s not exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I had to start again,” she said. “I wanted to feel more confident, and learning made that possible.”

With two teenagers at home, Ally needed flexibility and grit. She added pre-dawn shifts at ABC News two days a week doing hairstyling – 3:30am starts that let her study and work in the salon later in the day. Three worlds that fed into each other: the precision and pace of live news, the technical focus in class and the client care refined in the salon. 

That determination and the way she has translated learning into impact has earned her Kangan Institute’s 2026 Student of the Year award.

For Ally, craft and community go hand in hand. She and her partner are in the process of converting a van into a mobile salon, a project designed to bring free haircuts (and even face painting for kids) to orphanages and community centres.

It’s a way to take high-quality, dignity-affirming services to people where they are.

“It’s not about the skills I’m getting, it’s what I can do for communities,” she said.

“I thought that maybe because I was older, it was too late to learn something else. It’s the opposite. Because I really wanted it, it became an obsession,” she said.

In addition to the Kangan Institute Student of the Year, Ally was also awarded:

• Outstanding Student: Certificate III in Hairdressing, sponsored by Haircare Group

Ally studied Certificate III in Hairdressing (SHB30416)

You can watch Ally's story here: https://youtu.be/JwPectiUz3Y