Department Focus: Beauty Therapy and Wellbeing
During the COVID-19 pandemic, beauticians were up there with one of the most missed things from our life. With the news of salons being able to re-open, we caught up with Suzanne Miller from the Beauty Therapy and Wellbeing team for this month’s Department Focus. From entry level Access to Beauty Therapy, and from NQ Wellness Therapies through to Higher National Diploma (HND) in Beauty Therapy, Perth College UHI provides and delivers a number of courses and units which ensure that students are meeting the ever-changing industry sector needs.
“Do you know that the main career routes into and through the beauty therapy and wellbeing sector are not confined to traditional job roles as they once were? Whilst we have the traditional routes, and key main jobs, which include: Beauty Therapist; Spa, Fashion and Photography; Theatre and Media; Airline services; and Education and training - new and interesting routes have been opened within our industry. These include pathways into careers such as: aesthetic nurse; non-surgical beauty technician; mortuary make-up artist or cosmetologist; semi-permanent make-up artist; and a variety of roles supporting rehabilitation and palliative care. Who knows where your path may lead?!
“Emerging developments within the industry are also now focused on a more holistic approach to beauty services and products. When it comes to wellness, Google searches for ‘self-care’ have risen dramatically in the last five years - with conversations around mental health being one of the biggest talked about subjects. It is predicted that mental health will become a bigger focus for services and treatments within the beauty therapy and wellbeing industry moving forward. The courses we offer at Perth College UHI, are a part of this trend moving forward. With a focus on making individuals feel positive about themselves - both from the outside to the inside - whilst ensuring the students gain and develop the skills, knowledge and understanding that goes with being a professional therapist.
“A large focus in the department is on employer engagement, partnerships and the industry sector - to ensure that our students have access to opportunities from a local, national and international perspective. A successful Employer and Industry Sector Event that took place in November saw a number of employers attend. This allowed the students to have the opportunity to recognise and know about employment and work experience opportunities that were available to them. It also allowed employers to promote any employment vacancies and opportunities for work experience within their company, and gave employers and industry sector companies the opportunity to promote their services and products to students. This event also provided the opportunity for former students to share their stories, successes and promote their business to current students - instilling enthusiasm and aspirations. Success is something that we value very much within our department, and we were very pleased when there was national success for two former Perth College UHI Beauty Therapy students when they won prestigious awards at the Scottish Hair and Beauty Awards 2109 for their commitment and standard of service: J Elliot -Scottish Beautician of the Year; J Elliot – Best Beauty Salon (Central); E Donaldson - Scottish Semi Permanent Specialist of the Year. Hard work, enthusiasm, commitment and professionalism really do pay off!
“Based in the Academy of Sport and Wellbeing, The Retreat offers three fully equipped commercial and training beauty and wellbeing salons that are open to both students and the public, Monday to Friday during term time. Students are supervised by qualified and professional teaching staff, so clients and students can be rest assured that their treatment and training will be handled with the utmost care and professionalism. Staff within the department have a wealth of knowledge and experience which spans across a variety of industry sectors - including self-employed businesses, company product trainers, spa, salon and holistic therapies. The salon environment allows our students to gain and develop an awareness of industry standards and professionalism whilst also developing a skill set that is current and relevant to the ever-growing industry sector. “
