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How to Select the Right Aesthetician Training Program Near Castro Valley California

Castro Valley California aesthetician performing facial treatment with machineSince you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Castro Valley CA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate training for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Castro Valley home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when assessing potential schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. There are several other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what kinds of programs are available.

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Esthetics Training Programs

Castro Valley California aesthetician performing wax treatmentAn 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 Castro Valley California nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.

Online Esthetician Schools

Castro Valley California woman taking aesthetician courses onlineOnline esthetician classes are convenient for Castro Valley CA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it's important that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also receive the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

What to Ask Aesthetician Trade Schools

Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Castro Valley residence, as well as the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have collected some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Castro Valley CA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Castro Valley CA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a Castro Valley CA beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided?  Learning and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing talents on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for other schools that provide this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that he or she receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Castro Valley CA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial aid may be available.

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Enroll in the Best Castro Valley Esthetician Program

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is important to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Castro Valley California.



 

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