How to Pick the Best Aesthetician Training Near Shafter California
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Shafter CA, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Shafter home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right option. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the aesthetician schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a little bit about what types of programs are available.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetician Training Programs
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 Shafter 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 Esthetics Schools
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Shafter CA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced given that many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours away from your home or commuting to and from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the school you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetics Training Classes
Below 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 Shafter home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician school 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 measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Shafter CA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Shafter CA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, 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 thought of. And last, contact the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed 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, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select 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 desire is to open a Shafter 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 ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's imperative that she or he receives help in finding that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Shafter CA businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students too. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial aid may be provided.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Shafter
Enroll in the Right Shafter Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your career as a professional esthetician in Shafter California.