Spa & Resort Therapy
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Those who aspire to a career in spa and resort therapy must demonstrate a passion for providing high-end beautification procedures, techniques, and experiences for clients. Professionals in this field work to help clients feel less like members of a business transaction, and more like honored guests who are being treated to an amazing holiday. One of the most visible places that would enlist the services of a spa and resort therapist is a resort spa, also known as a destination spa. These types of resorts are offer services that are intended to boost health and wellness. Many high-end spas are located near natural wonders, such as near sources of mineral waters or natural hot springs, or in exotic and attractive locales.
Exercise and fitness courses, freshly made healthful meals, and occasionally educational programs are also staples of the spa resort. Therapists are enlisted to help out with the treatments of the facility, which can include aromatherapy, waxing, massage, facials, manicures and pedicures, and skin exfoliation procedures.
The educational process for work as a spa and resort therapist primarily takes place through the vocational program system. Training for estheticians, those who work in skin care related positions, takes place at cosmetology schools or in community colleges that offer the specialty. Masseuses and masseurs can take up massage therapy training at similar institutions. Aromatherapy aspirants can locate aromatherapy schools for their edification. Most, if not all, spa and resort therapists will need to secure licensing often administered by the state before obtaining a paid position. The job outlook for positions in spa and resort therapist hinges greatly on the specific type of professional one would like to become. Estheticians, for example, are due to experience a huge boom in demand for their services.
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Career Specializations
- Massage Therapy: This is one of the most popular and standard offerings in any spa and resort, in which professional massage experts knead the stress and anxiety out of their clients.
- Esthetician: Estheticians are hired by destination spas and the like to offer services in waxing, facials, laser hair removal, and makeup for guests.
- Manicurist and Pedicurist: These experts take great care of guests' feet and hands, using the latest techniques to soothe these body parts and leave them gleaming.
- Fitness Trainer: Some spas and resorts enlist fitness professionals in cardio, yoga, Pilates, or other techniques, helping guests get in relaxing shape.
- Chef: Food professionals trained in the craft of preparing incredibly healthy yet tasty meals are recruited by resorts for their nutritional contributions.
- Aromatherapist: Guests are often intrigued by and attracted to the work of these experts, who employ smells to bring about improved feelings of health.
Degree Levels
Most of the training for the therapy offerings provided by health spas and resorts conclude with the awarding of a certificate. Earning this certificate can take anywhere from a few months to a full year.
Education & Certification Requirements
Each specialized career for a spa and resort therapist demands a different type of practical preparation. The successful completion of a high school career, culminating in a diploma, links all these careers as a mandatory requirement. Chefs, massage therapists, estheticians, manicurists and pedicurists, and aromatherapists should pursue training through either culinary school, or a community college or vocational school, in order to pick up the necessary skills. After having completed the necessary requirements to earn their certificate in the field, many of these students will need to obtain a license from the state in which they'd like to work; massage workers, skin care professionals, and manicurists and pedicurists are definitely required to get this.
Fitness workers will need to be certified in personal training, yoga, or Pilates in order to be hired by spas and resorts. The Pilates Method Alliance and the Yoga Alliance provide this distinction for fitness workers. Aromatherapists should consider certifying with the Institute of Spiritual Healing and Aromatherapy in order to stand out to potential spa and resort employers. (BLS)
Salary Information
Again, salary points vary between the different possible specializations. Most fitness trainers earn around $30,000 a year, but spas and resorts may offer substantially more to their chosen professionals, particularly because of competition being so high for the position at times. Estheticians can expect to take in $14 hourly, including tips; manicurists and pedicurists receive $9.50 per hour, on average. Working in special food services, spa and resort chefs can net more than $40,000 in salaried pay. Another important variable to consider for compensation as a spa or resort therapist is the nature of the particular resort or spa; the more luxurious the operation, the more one may be able to expect in terms of salary or hourly wage. (BLS, BLS)
Job Outlook
Estheticians seem to enjoy the most auspicious figures for their future employment in all industries, including spas and resorts. Estimates predict that these particular employees will experience a boom in demand of nearly 40 percent by the year 2018; manicurists and pedicurists can expect a 19 percent growth for their profession. Jobs for chefs will increase by six percent, while fitness workers revel in an anticipated 29 augmentation in the number of employment opportunities for them. The best way for any spa and resort therapist to capitalize on these positive figures is to train with a highly noteworthy institution, to secure job experience before seeking out work with a destination spa or resort, and to certify themselves as indicated. (BLS, BLS)
Related Careers
Physical therapy might be an ideal career path for anyone focused on the healthfulness of spas and resorts to consider. These healthcare professionals work to help speed the physical and motor recovery of those who have experienced accidents, injuries, illness, or other ailments that cripple their functional skills and activities. A postgraduate degree -- e.g., a master's or PhD -- is now required to embark on a career in this field.
