How to Select the Best Aesthetician Training Near Santa Clara California
Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Santa Clara CA, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Santa Clara home. Tuition will additionally be a critical aspect when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the right choice. There are several other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what kinds of training programs are available.
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Esthetics Training Requirements
Esthetics school is an investment of time, energy, and money. Requirements vary from state to state, but the majority of states require that you complete at least 600 hours of training. Full-time school can take an average of six months to complete, and part-time school can take anywhere from 9-12 months. The primary purpose of esthetics school is to get you ready to pass the state licensing exam. They also teach basic skills that you will need to perfect through experience and sometimes additional classes, such as giving facials, body treatments, and performing waxing. More advanced training includes learning to work with machines, such as IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and Lasers used to rejuvenate the skin and permanently remove hair.
Esthetician Job Description
Estheticians (or aestheticians) are skin care specialists who typically work in Santa Clara California spas and salons as well as resorts and medical facilities to provide a variety of treatments for their clients. Some of the typical duties of an esthetician include performing deep skin cleansing and treatments, hair removal, and massages. Estheticians also recommend skincare treatments, products, and regimens to their clients. Many estheticians are self-employed, which allows them to set their schedules and work where they wish. However, these professionals still often need to work evenings and weekends. These skin care specialists also spend much of their time standing and may be exposed to harmful chemicals. Certified estheticians have excellent customer service and communication skills. They're adept at time management, observation and monitoring and are competent in understanding and using the tools necessary for facial procedures and extractions. Certified estheticians are familiar with medical, spreadsheets, and word processing software. They present a professional appearance and have the physical fitness to stand for prolonged periods of time. A career in esthetics generally requires working evening and weekend hours.
Online Esthetician Programs
Online esthetician classes are advantageous for Santa Clara CA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended via a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced given that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not devoting numerous hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's imperative that the program you choose can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's impossible to acquire the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Programs
Below is a list of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Santa Clara home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Santa Clara CA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Santa Clara CA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, consult the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your goal 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 desire is to open a Santa Clara CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Enough Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that she or he receives assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Santa Clara CA businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you find out what financial aid may be available.
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Enroll in the Right Santa Clara Esthetician Training
Picking and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Santa Clara California.
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