How to Enroll In the Best Aesthetician Training Program Near Durham North Carolina
Since you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Durham NC, the task starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It's important that the program you pick not only furnishes the necessary instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Durham residence. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it's not automatically the right option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what types of 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 Durham North Carolina 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 Training
Online esthetician schools are convenient for Durham NC 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 online beauty school programs available that can be attended by means of a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are typically fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not spending numerous hours outside of your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Programs
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Durham home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician training program you pick 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 comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Durham NC businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to outstanding reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Durham NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. Finally, check with the North Carolina 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? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically 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 open a Durham NC beauty salon, then you need 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 pursuing will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty classes you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for developing your skills. So search for alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it's imperative that he or she gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Durham NC employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? 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. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications except for expense, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.
Learn How to Become an Esthetician in Durham
Enroll in the Best Durham Esthetician Program
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician college is essential to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to contrast schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Durham North Carolina.
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