Do you go to the spa? The response may well be “yes.” Spas used to be for the wealthy and celebrities, but now they are a more diversified business serving a wide range of incomes and ages with different time commitments, and offering their reviving benefits to everyone. The expanding spa business brings in .7 billion in revenue every year, the International SPA Association (ISPA) says.
There has been immense growth in the spa industry during the past decade; therefore, spas are having a hard time filling the empty spots for estheticians, technicians that do nails, cosmetologists, and other people who specialize in beauty. People with experience in the spa business are called upon when a new spa opens up or an older spa remodels to make more space; many of the openings are in places like exotic islands in the tropics or exciting ski resorts.
For future employees and people presently employed in the beauty profession, the U.S. Department of Labor tells us that employment in the personal appearance field will grow by 14 percent by 1016, with most of this growth being in full-service day spas.
Spa visitors are unwilling to relinquish the beauty services that make them look and feel fabulous even if they decide not to splurge on fancy vacations or new cars. One American out of four has gone to a spa, says the ISPA, as new people arrive everyday; later on they will be loyal customers who know that it is necessary to take care of themselves and that it is affordable.
Spas have expanded their locations from your neighborhood mall to gyms, cruises, hotels, wellness centers, sports centers and have expanded their services to include not only facials and massages but also body waxes and exfoliation among other practices. The spa industry has changed directions towards more holistic health and beauty avenues. This allows for more people, both women and men, to seek other types of beauty treatments. They are coming in for things like after-work manicures and stress-reducing hair treatments, or even just to get made up for a date. Hair stylists, colorists, massage therapists, make-up artists, nail technicians and other cosmetologists are all in high demand because of the expanding spa world.
The spa industry has a shortage of labor, but this does not mean that there is a need for workers without skills, say industry insiders. No matter where they work, spa employees are expected to have gone through training at a school with the proper accreditation and to be highly skilled at whatever service they provide. Customer service skills are an important part of creating and keep clients, so spa employers require that spa and beauty experts have excellent communication skills with people.
The spa industry is a lot different than in the past when it revolved around mineral springs that people saw as social areas with healing properties. The increased appeal of the spa experience in recent years has resulted in an increase in consumers venturing into establishments, driving the industry to the position of fourth largest in the leisure category. Spa-ing is now a lifestyle; it is its own mini-vacation, a journey to shed stress and enjoy a health-and-wellness experience. Are you a “spa”-er? Now is the perfect time to not only “spa”, but to be one of the experienced staff that helps other “spa”.
ABOUT SALON SUCCESS ACADEMIES (SSA)
Salon Success Academies have five campuses located in California’s Inland Empire: Redlands, Fontana, Upland, San Bernardino, and Corona. SSA’s philosophy is to treat each student as a part of the family, providing them with every opportunity to complete their studies at the lowest cost possible. SSA combines hands-on practical application with cosmetology, skin care, or nail technology concepts. The school partners with the beauty industry to enable students to graduate with technical excellence in their profession as well as strong customer service skills. To learn more and request free information, visit www.inlandempirebeautyschool.com.
