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My First 5-Star Barbing Portfolio

The capstone project for Barbing & Grooming — a free Trades course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.

Start the course free Download the project workbook

The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.

What you will submit

A shareable Google Drive link containing 5 'before' and 5 'after' photos, client feedback notes for each cut, and your personal reflection.

What to do, step by step

  1. Over the next 2 weeks, practice your barbing skills on at least 5 different people (friends, family, neighbours). Aim for a variety of styles if possible, e.g., a clean shave, a low fade, a simple trim.
  2. For EACH haircut, take clear 'before' and 'after' photos using your phone. Ensure good lighting and show the front, sides, and back of the head. Ask for permission before taking photos!
  3. After each haircut, ask your 'client' for honest feedback on your work (e.g., 'Was the cut even?', 'Did you like the style?', 'Was I gentle?'). Briefly note down their comments.
  4. Compile all your 'before' and 'after' photos (10 photos total) and the client feedback into a single Google Drive folder. Make sure the folder is shareable via a link.
  5. Write a short reflection (100-150 words) on what you learned from these 5 haircuts, challenges you faced, and how you plan to improve. Include this reflection as a document inside your Google Drive folder.

Files to work with

Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 6 KB

How it is graded

CriterionWeight
Quality of Haircuts (based on photos)40%
Clarity and Completeness of 'Before & After' Photos25%
Evidence of Client Feedback & Learning20%
Quality of Personal Reflection15%

You need 70% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.

Before you submit: make your link public

If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish Barbing & Grooming before submitting the project?

Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in Barbing & Grooming is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.

How is the project graded?

An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 70% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.

Can I resubmit if I fail?

Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.

What do I actually submit?

A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 5 steps.

Is the certificate real?

Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.

More Trades projects

Ready to earn this certificate?

Barbing & Grooming is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.

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