Training and career opportunities for a U.K. beautician

There are numerous excellent training and career opportunities for a U.K. beautician. Many employers, schools, universities, and colleges offer training courses on a wide variety of levels that will help you expand your career. There are also numerous international shows and seminars that can help to increase your accreditations. Once you have obtained the right training, qualifications, and certifications, the career opportunities are only limited by your own imagination.

Certifications and qualifications

Different levels of certifications and qualifications are required by the various fields of employment. There is no specific standard qualification required for all beauty therapists. However, most employers are looking for beauticians with these types of certifications and qualification levels:

• NVQ/SVQ (now called QCF) levels 1, 2, and 3 in beauty therapy (National Vocation Qualifications, offered as a Further Education Course)
• BTEC in beauty therapy sciences (offered as a Further Education Course)
• ITEC diploma in beauty therapy (offered as a Further Education Course, obtained from the International Examination Board)
• CIDESCO diploma in beauty therapy (Comite International d’Esthetique et de Cosmetologie, usually obtained from a private school)
• CIBTAC diploma in beauty therapy (Confederation of International Beauty, Therapy and Cosmetology, usually obtained from a private school)

Freelance beauty therapists may especially want to have:

• City & Guilds awards, certificates and diplomas
• NCFE awards
• ITEC certificates and diplomas
• VCTC diplomas
• ECEXCEL awards, diplomas, and certificates

Employment opportunities

Once you have attained the proper training and qualifications, you’ll have numerous employment opportunities. However, you mostly have to have a minimum of a NVQ level 3 and several years of work experience to be eligible for employment in jobs outside of salons and spas.

Some possible employment locations are:

• Airlines and cruise liners
• Hotels and holiday resorts
• Medical clinics, hospitals, sports injury clinics, and care homes
• Fitness and health clubs
• Salons and spas (either self-owned or owned by others)
• Freelance, mobile, or home-based businesses
• Fashion, media, and the performing arts
• Theatre, television, film, and photography
• Sales and marketing
• Public relations
• At educational institutes as a tutor, assessor, lecturer, or inspectorate
• HM prisons and military bases
• Overseas employment

Types of occupations

With the right beauty therapy training and qualifications, you can work in many different specialised occupations. Here are some of your choices:

• Beautician/ beauty therapist/ beauty consultant
• Make-up artist
• Massage therapist/body therapist
• Industry consultant
• Salon/Spa manager
• Salon/Spa owner
• Receptionist manager
• Hair Stylist/ hairdresser/barber
• Nail technician or Nail Consultant
• Skin care consultant
• Electrologist
• Manufacturer technician

Good training, qualifications, and certifications can assist you with obtaining excellent employment. However, they can also assist you in other ways. For instance, certain certifications and qualifications can qualify you for membership in professional organisations and associations. These professional association memberships may help to reduce the cost of your beauty therapy insurance.