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Education Important Articles Industry Information Spa Tech Help Wanted |
The following article is reprinted by permission from Casco Bay Weeklies Help WantedDemand Soars for Licensed Spa Professionals! The 2000 Spa Industry Study commissioned by the International SPA Association (ISPA) provides the first ever, statistically based measure of the size of the U.S. spa industry. Key Factors cited were: • 95 million visits are made to spas in the United States annually generating $5 billion in revenues. Spas generate more in revenue than ski resorts ($3.1 billion) and only slightly less than box office receipts ($7.5 billion) •There are 5,689 spas in the United States. Of these, 77 percent are day spas, 8 percent are resort/hotel spas, 7 percent are club spas, 5 percent are destination spas, 3 percent are medical spas, 3 percent are mineral springs spas and 0.3 percent are cruise ship spas. •Spas in the U.S. employ 104,000 people full time and 47,000 part time. •Spas cover 38.9 million square feet in the United States. •The number of spas in the U.S. has grown 21 percent annually since 1995. •Spa industry revenues in the United States surged 129 percent from ‘97 to ‘99. •Employment at spas doubled between ‘97 and ‘99. •Spa visits in the United States have increased almost 60 percent from ‘97 to ‘99. •Consumers’ perspective on health is increasingly focused on prevention and fitness. This is particularly true among baby boomers and the aging generation that makes up 51.2 percent of the U.S. population. The Echo boomers and Generation X’ers are a growing market for the spa industry, particularly for the day spa segment, as the younger generation seeks escape from work-related stress. Consumers are increasingly seeking the spa experience as an alternative or complement to other leisure activities. Fast Forward – Portland, Maine 2003 Not just a school company, but a career development specialist, a local company is changing the way careers are managed in the exciting beauty and spa industry. In June of 2001, Career Management Systems purchased the Portland based Headhunter II School of Hair Design, in operation since 1976, from Augie and Teresa Favazza who had previously purchased the school from founder Louis Couture. In considering their selling options, the Favazza’s chose CMS because of their previous school operations experience and because the new owner could deliver a pre-packaged successful massage program. They also chose CMS because they could stay on in the capacity of School Director and Director of Cosmetology respectively. This allowed them to stay involved with the business they had worked so hard in, but not stay in it by themselves. The Portland location houses the cosmetology and massage schools as well as the corporate headquarters of the school. The facility is located at 1041 Brighton Avenue just off the Maine Turnpike at exit 8. The cosmetology school was designed by Teresa Favazza and reflects the combination of style and elegance that comes from a leader in the field. The Therapeutic and Holistic Massage programs as well as the Polarity Therapy program use the curriculum developed by the Polarity Realization Institute Educational Development Company located in Massachusetts. All classes are taught by teachers trained by Nancy Risley, founder of the Polarity Realization Institute and author of RYSE, Tools for Life. This affiliation gives Headhunter Institute well developed massage and holistic studies programs that are taught by experienced staff. For more school and curriculum information, check out Headhunter online at http://www.headhunterinstitute.com. What makes CMS different? Kris Stecker, the owner of CMS says “typically a school has a short term relationship with a student. Then they go out into the marketplace and sometimes they don’t make it. Big dreams can be smashed on the rocks when an employer is not open to real staff development. We decided to take a look from a lifelong career development perspective and piloted a special program with a local salon whereby we would assist them in providing after-graduation career mentorship.” The project with Paradiso Salon and Spa, located at 36 Market Street in Portland’s Old Port, is not managed by the school itself; but a separate venture sponsored by the parent CMS. It all begins with a 16-week orientation where the new associate learns about all aspects of the salon and spa. Upon completion, new recruits are offered a five-year employment contract with a competitive salary, 100% company paid health benefits, vacation and educational allowances. This project has been extremely successful. There are now five former Headhunter Institute graduates who have signed long-term employment contracts with Paradiso and revenues have soared over the last year. These successful mentorship techniques have now filtered down to the rest of the salon staff. All employees can now participate in this career-tracking program and can benefit from the added value of Headhunter Institute’s professional classes. Paying for School – Something for Everybody! Headhunter Institute is the only Maine spa training school approved by the United States Department of Education and qualifies to participate in the Federal Student Aid Programs. The PELL Grant is a gift given by the government as an aid for education based on financial guidelines. This is not a loan. No repayment is required unless the student violates school and federal drug policies. The government guarantees another program, the STAFFORD or GSL Loan Program. The government pays interest while the student attends school and up to six months after graduation. Low monthly payments follow. Furthermore, Headhunter Institute is also VA-approved for eligible veterans and their dependents under various educational assistance programs. Last, but not least, Headhunter is also approved by Sallie Mae financing, the largest credit based educational loan provider in America. For those who are not eligible for federal programs, Sallie Mae provides long-term repayment plans. Shortcut links to our site: |
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