How to Find the Right Aesthetician Training Near Birmingham Alabama

Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Birmingham AL, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right program. It's important that the school you pick not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Birmingham home. Tuition will likewise be an important factor when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the best option. There are a number of other factors that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of training programs are offered.

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Esthetician Training Programs

An esthetics program may be found in a school of cosmetology, a dedicated esthetics school or, in some cases, a junior college. An esthetics program’s length is generally determined by the state in which it is located, as each state board of cosmetology sets minimum requirements for the number of hours of training an esthetics program must provide to meet the state’s licensing requirements. However, it is also quite common for esthetics programs to offer more extensive study beyond what is required for licensing purposes. In general, an esthetics program consists of about 600 hours, a common requirement in many states. However, a number of states require less than 600 hours and perhaps just as many require more than 600. Most state boards of cosmetology maintain lists of approved programs of esthetics within the state, while others recognize all programs that meet the state’s minimum clock-hour requirement. A comprehensive esthetics program includes instruction not only in esthetic treatment procedures and services, but in areas such as the structure of the skin and its function, disorders of the skin, and professional business skills.

Esthetician Job Description

An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as Birmingham Alabama nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.

Online Esthetics Training

Online esthetician classes are convenient for Birmingham AL students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced since many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With internet programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. However, it's vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Birmingham residence, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the esthetician school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Birmingham AL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation?  Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Birmingham AL salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Alabama school licensing authority to see if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your aspiration is to start a Birmingham AL beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program furnishes minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore search for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that he or she gets help in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Birmingham AL employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  The majority of esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be provided.

Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Birmingham

Enroll in the Best Birmingham Esthetician Course

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Birmingham Alabama.

 

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