How to Select the Right Aesthetician Training Near Beckley West Virginia
Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Beckley WV, the task starts to locate and enroll in the ideal program. It's imperative that the school you pick not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your preliminary search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Beckley home. Tuition will likewise be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it's not necessarily the right choice. There are various other factors that you should weigh when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetician 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 Beckley West Virginia 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 programs are convenient for Beckley WV students who are employed full time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty schools are typically fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering 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 vital that the training program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required 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 industry. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
What to Ask Esthetician Schools
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Beckley residence, together with the expense of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled 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 college you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Beckley WV businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Beckley WV salon owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention 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 Beckley WV 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 rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's crucial that he or she gets support in finding that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance develop relationships with Beckley WV businesses that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at 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. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved 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 satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not eliminate it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be available.
More Info on How to Become an Esthetician in Beckley
Enroll in the Right Beckley Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel positive 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 utilize that information to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the academy and program you select are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your career as a professional esthetician in Beckley West Virginia.
Beckley Aesthetician Schools Near Me | Beckley Esthetician Schools Near Me