Start Date
- September 2025, Full Time
Summary
There are two routes to the level 3 qualification depending on the type of career you would like in the future. On both routes you will study units which cover client care & communication, retailing products & services, client consultation, anatomy and physiology and health & safety in more detail.
Beauty techniques route cover Swedish body massage (including figure diagnosis/body analysis), facial electrical treatments, body electrical treatments, self-tanning, micro-dermabrasion, stone therapy & electrical epilation, hydro-therapy and there is the option to choose to do massage with pre-blended oils or Indian head massage. You will also study for the level 2 award in male skin care and the level 2 award in thermal auricular therapy. This route is the more academically difficult of the two. It is recommended that you take the beauty techniques diploma if you wish to pursue a career in 5* salons and destination spas. Students coming onto this route must have GCSE grade C/4 in both English and Maths.
Body and Spa therapy route. Technical units cover Swedish body massage (including figure diagnosis/body analysis), massage with pre-blended oils, Indian head massage, self-tanning, stone therapy, hydro-therapy & body wraps. Students who complete these units early can choose to study either the facial or body electrical unit at the end of their course to add value to their qualification. This qualification is suitable for those who wish to set up their own business or work in salons or spas which specialise in massage. You could also work on the cruise liners as a massage therapist. Your timetable includes a mixture of both practical and theory lessons. Initially you practice the treatments on each other; this is important as a beauty therapist needs to know what the treatments feel like in order to have empathy with their clients. You will then go through pre-observations and final assessments.
Why Our College?
Real Salon Environment
Our training salons are open to the public which gives you the chance to experience working on real clients before you start work.
Entry Requirements
Successfully achieved Level 2 Diploma in Beauty Therapy.
Assessment
All students also have a weekly shift in our training salon, Solutions, in order to experience working on clients and to perfect their customer care skills. Solutions, is run as a fully functioning commercial salon offering a full range of professional consultations and treatments using top brands such as Louise Young, Dermalogica, St Tropez. You will have opportunities to participate in College events such as fashion shows, the Royal Norfolk Show, hair and beauty shows and other off-site activities to build practical experience. We regularly participate in competitions such as World Skills UK. Students are offered enrichment such as trips to Professional Beauty and extra courses for example, ear piercing, threading, gel nails etc. and Dermalogica skin care training. Good English and maths skills are essential for most jobs and courses you will progress onto. The Government has made it a priority for students to improve these skills and your course programme will reflect this key aim. Depending on your grades when you start your course, you could either study Functional Skills or GCSEs alongside the other parts of your course programme.
The course is assessed practically by means of pre-observations and final assessments in each unit. All assessments include customer care, consultation & aftercare as well as the technical skills. Theory is assessed by on-line tests for each unit. Please note that personal appearance is an extremely important part of this course as we are preparing students for a very demanding industry. Students must be in full uniform for all practical lessons, this includes wearing tights, full make-up, and hair in a tight bun, with short, unvarnished nails. Nail extensions and visible piercings/jewellery are not allowed. Students are also advised that visible tattoos will severely restrict their job opportunities in the beauty industry.
Progression
Students who have successfully completed level 3 can progress onto Level 4 Advanced Techniques and Management in Hair and Beauty Therapy. However we would strongly recommend that students go out into the industry to gain experience and use the skills they have learnt before this.
Career Progression
The Hair and Beauty industry is a vibrant, dynamic and creative sector offering fantastic employment and training opportunities. This sector alone employs nearly a quarter of a million people and is worth over £6 billion to the UK economy. There are a wide variety of jobs for qualified beauticians, including salon and spa work both in the UK and abroad. Beauticians also work in hotels, on cruise liners, in hospitals and health clubs. With further experience, they can also become salon owners or follow careers in photography and fashion, teaching and training and work for manufacturers of beauty products as a technical advisor. Students could also look to set up as self employed.
For further information check the National Careers Service;
- Beauty therapistHairdressing and Beauty Industry Authority (HABIA).
Fees
For UK students aged under 19 years old on the 31st August prior to the start of your course, your tuition fees are free. In addition to this there will be costs for equipment, uniform and trips. Financial support could be available depending on your circumstances. Approximately £79.00 - £98.00 for uniform if you would like a new one, £47.79 for the textbooks Please check our Finance pages for fee information and any financial help that may be available.
Where Next?
Why Our College?
Real Salon Environment
Our training salons are open to the public which gives you the chance to experience working on real clients before you start work.
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