How to Pick the Best Esthetician Training Near Keizer Oregon
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Keizer OR, the process begins to search for and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only provides the appropriate education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Keizer home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it's not automatically the ideal choice. There are many other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask concerning the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a little bit about what kinds of courses are offered.
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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 provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Keizer Oregon clients look and feel better. This includes improving the quality of the skin (including the treatment of skin disorders), hair removal, permanent makeup application, and facial massage. Some types of estheticians, like medical estheticians, provide highly specialized procedures that require detailed training in order for it to be done safely and effectively. Medical estheticians can help individuals suffering from serious skin disorders, burns, and other trauma, and to help with pre and post-operative surgery affecting the health of their skin. Estheticians work closely with their clients in a friendly and positive manner, so an enthusiastic attitude and desire to help people is an excellent attribute for an aspiring esthetician to possess. Some of the basic duties an esthetician may perform will include such tasks as:
- Assessing a patient’s needs
- Chemical peels
- Laser treatments
- Waxing
- Facials
- Massage of the head and neck
- Microdermabrasion
Online Esthetics Classes
Online esthetician classes are convenient for Keizer OR students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are often fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short 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 volume of material, but you're not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it's important that the program you pick can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also obtain the hands-on training necessary for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's difficult to acquire the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Training Programs
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Keizer home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt 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 several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician school you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, 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 superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Keizer OR employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent 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 testimonials 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 demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Keizer OR salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And last, check with the Oregon school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to start a Keizer OR beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Selecting a highly regarded school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty school furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician school, it's important that he or she gets assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with Keizer OR businesses that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and learn 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 available to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an alternative before you determine what financial assistance may be offered.
Find Out How to Become an Esthetician in Keizer
Enroll in the Right Keizer Esthetician Course
Choosing and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel confident about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the information you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the profession. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Keizer Oregon.