Do you “spa”? Chances are, the answer is “yes.” The relaxing, rejuvenating, and refreshing powers of a spa are no longer just for the pampered rich and famous—spas are big business, serving everyone from the preteen prom-goer to the lunch-hour businessman. The booming spa industry generates .7 billion in annual revenue, according to the International SPA Association (ISPA).
With exponential growth in the spa world in the last decade, spas are scrambling to fill vacant spots for estheticians, nail technicians, cosmetologists, and other beauty specialists. Spa professionals are regularly recruited for a new spa opening or an older spa expanding, with openings even in locales such as exotic tropical islands or bustling ski resorts.
For aspiring or current beauty professionals, this means that job opportunities will grow rapidly, as predicted by the U.S. Department of Labor, which says that personal appearance worker employment will increase by 14 percent to 2016, with much of this demand attributed to the growth in full-service day spas.
Even in uncertain economic times, spa visitors are unwilling to relinquish the beauty services that make them look and feel fabulous. “They may not splurge on fancy vacations or a new car, but they faithfully knead, scrub, and exfoliate their stress away at beauty salons and day spas,” says one spa expert. One in four Americans has been to a spa, says the ISPA, with newcomers arriving daily, becoming loyal customers who realize that personal care and treatments are an essential affordable luxury.
With the typical spa offering facials, massage, waxing, body treatments and skin exfoliation, estheticians in particular are especially needed in spas, which are opening everywhere from the local malls and department stores to cruise ships, health clubs, hotels, sports organizations, and even medical clinics. The spa industry’s shift to holistic health and beauty approaches also means that more women—and men—are getting other types of beauty treatments as well, such as after-work manicures, stress-reducing hair treatments. or make-up application before a big date. This means the expanding spa world is a team of hair stylists, colorists, massage therapists, make-up artists, nail technicians, and other cosmetologists, all in high demand.
But the labor shortage in the spa industry does not equate to a need for unskilled workers, say industry insiders. Whether it’s a boutique hotel or five-star resort, spa specialists are highly skilled professionals with hands-on knowledge and expertise in their field, with specialized training from an accredited beauty school. Since customer service skills are such an integrated part of building and maintaining a clientele, spa employers also expect spa and beauty professionals to be at the top of their people-skills game.
Spas have come a long way since the primitive mineral springs plunges that were healing sanctuaries and social centers. The spa industry is the fourth largest leisure industry in the United States, with more and more consumers embracing the spa experience. Going to spa is now a lifestyle; a spa vacation, a de-stressing journey, and a health-and-wellness experience. Do you “spa”? Because, now, more than ever, is the time to not just spa, but to become a spa professional.
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.gotobeautyschool.com.
