9 minute read
PB INVESTIGATION: BRIDGING THE EDUCATION GAP
BRIDGING THE EDUCATION GAP
Hannah Gay sits down with beauty educator, Samantha Elliot to discuss the apparent disparity between Australian graduate skill sets and practical performance on the salon floor.
ELECTING TO study beauty in Australia is an exciting decision. Domestic and international students alike can choose from a seemingly large pool of education providers where courses are available to complete both in-person and online.
Traditionally, beauty training is provided by a recognised public or private institution. Public courses are offered through the likes of TAFE or university. Whereas, private courses fall under Vocational Education and Training (VET) and are often referred to as Registered Training Organisations (or RTOs).
Since the pandemic, the number of education providers specialising in beauty has experienced an uptick by way of an increase in short courses. Such courses are usually marketed to beauty enthusiasts looking to specialise in any one particular area of the beauty industry, from nail artistry to tanning, cosmetic tattooing to aesthetic device usage. It has been suggested to Professional Beauty that some providers that have long been recognised in high-esteem are said to be disengaged from the changing demands of the industry.
The Australian beauty industry remains unregulated. As a result, the qualifications of beauty education providers are not clear cut. There are no set rules around who is allowed to provide beauty training and, as a result, some therapists are seen to be graduating with a lack of necessary skills required for on-the-job work. There is also ambiguity in what is taught, given there is no current industry-wide curriculum benchmark in place.
Advocacy groups such as The Aesthetic Beauty Industry Council (ABIC), Hair & Beauty Australia Industry Association (HABA), and The South Australian Hair & Beauty Association (SAHBA) are some such bodies working to provide an authoritative voice for the industry. In the interim, however, emerging beauty graduates are qualifying with varying degrees of knowledge and practical skills.
This situation has raised concerns among beauty business owners across the country. Earlier this year, clinic owner Sarah Hudson spoke with PB on her decision to develop an internal mentorship program as a means to retrain and retain incoming staff. But with the majority of business owners short on time and financial backing to take on programs of this nature, other pathways ought to be considered. Ultimately, regardless of where graduates are attaining their qualifications from, Sarah agreed more could be done to keep therapists committed.
Samantha Elliot founded SEIR Beauty School, an Australia-based RTO (45812) 12 years ago. With extensive qualifications, including multiple diplomas in beauty and training, she identifies a gap between “textbook-style” education and “industryled” training. Beginning her beauty therapy journey in the UK at age 14, she graduated with distinction but felt unprepared for the workforce, realising she lacked essential skills. “Despite my achievement at college, I was completely unprepared for the industry,” Samantha tells PB. “I realised that there were many skills and areas of knowledge I was lacking in this industry, and I found myself spending most of my time hiding in treatment rooms.” An ultimatum from her boss prompted her to take charge of her learning, leading her to become a sought-after beauty therapist.
This experience inspired her to retrain as a teacher to help others gain not just qualifications but practical knowledge for the industry. As a national educator and consultant, she aimed to provide support for aspiring beauty professionals. Her passion culminated in opening SEIR Beauty School in North Sydney, where many students travel globally to receive education that prepares them to succeed immediately after graduation.
According to Samantha, opening SEIR came about to tackle four key beauty industry education shortfalls:
1) Shifting from an educational environment to an industry environment can be a “daunting transition” for students, often “leading to a loss in confidence.” SEIR has created a purpose-built facility “that simulates all variations of beauty business environments”, including a makeup and skin counter, pedi-plunge lounges, nail bar, spa and wellness space, clinical rooms, lash and brow bar, and medical-grade suite built to spec.
2) “Beauty qualifications earned are only recognised nationally in Australia, limiting their value internationally.” As a result, SEIR’s graduate qualifications are recognised in over 60 countries.“
3) “Training often occurs in salon-chain affiliated institutions. This practice results in students being educated strictly for the needs of the brand, leading to a lack of versatility and experience if they choose to venture into different sectors of the industry.”
4) In-house training and assessment provided by a single RTO educator may lead to “biased results”; “what I call ‘box-ticking institutions’ or ‘textbook training’. It’s so important that education is hands-on, current, and industry-lead.” SEIR works with external examiners to conduct student assessments.
Samantha identifies an RTO as a “recognised and regulated education provider” granted the ability to “reward a student with a formal qualification, also known as a statement of attainment Certificate II, III or Diploma, upon successful completion of training”. An RTO can be traced by its number, which can be cross-referenced on the www.training.gov.au website. “I would also recommend individuals head into the organisation, meet the educators and undergo a campus tour.” She says SEIR offers complementary workshops to those eager to test the waters.
Samantha sees that the existence of non-registered, or falsely labeled training providers is “a pressing issue that demands immediate attention”. Conversely, where some training institutions are proving “deficient” in training in current skills and trending services, “there are individuals that have spent years honing their craft, sharing their knowledge and training people, only to be denied any formal qualification. A balance between the two is crucial,” Samantha says.
“Alarmingly, there are instances of people investing in their personal growth, only to discover that the qualification they have received isn’t nationally recognised. Meanwhile, beauty businesses are recruiting team members with the right qualifications on paper, but who are lacking practical industry experience, forcing the owners to invest heavily in supporting, upskilling and retraining. The matter of online courses handing out automated certificates is equally troubling,” Samantha argues. “Who is conducting the training and assessment? A quick scroll to the end and suddenly, you have your certificate.”
“There’s also a world of difference between being taught by a skilled educator and learning from someone who can merely perform the task.” Her view is that the provider should be accredited with an RTO number. “It’s about more than just acquiring knowledge, and not every education provider can confer a nationally recognised qualification.” Consideration of an individual student’s preferred learning style should also be factored in, with Samantha inferring that online-only courses may not be the right choice for learners that benefit from visual and tactile learning experiences.
The flow-on effects of undertaking work in the beauty sector with education gaps are innumerable. Emerging therapists may be vulnerable to legal oversight, performing in a manner that defies regulatory standards or general health and safety objectives either domestically or overseas. Samantha says what’s more shocking is that such individuals are often entirely oblivious to the fact that they lacked the appropriate training. “They have been led to believe they had received proper training from a seemingly reputable provider but in reality, it was not the case. This scenario underlines the importance of ensuring you have the right qualifications before offering any professional services.”
BEAUTY BUSINESSES ARE RECRUITING TEAM MEMBERS WITH THE RIGHT QUALIFICATIONS ON PAPER, BUT WHO ARE LACKING PRACTICAL INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE, FORCING THE OWNERS TO INVEST HEAVILY IN SUPPORTING, UPSKILLING AND RETRAINING.
Regardless of where training is conducted, Samantha adds that educators across the board should seek to “maintain industry currency by upskilling and performing treatments on the public to remain in-touch with the current skills”. To provide emerging therapists with the best possible outcomes for growth, Samantha recommends individuals undertake extensive research around their elected beauty education provider.
The employer also bears responsibility; Samantha advises that hiring should consider not only candidates’ qualifications but also their training locations. “It’s unfortunate but true that many employers have had to retrain employees to meet industry standards - an avoidable scenario if improper training was initially received.” She reminds existing salons that outdated qualifications may provide insurance companies with a loophole to deny coverage for their business or employees. “It’s not just about having a qualification - it’s about ensuring that qualification is current and relevant to the industry, as it is not just for today but for the future.”
The benefit to undertaking study through an RTO, Samantha explains, is that the content and assessor should be governed by The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). “ASQA regularly audits the RTO to ensure the highest standards in education, safety, and compliance. This includes the qualifications and industry experience of the educators, the support provided to students, and the quality of the training and assessment strategies in place. They also reach out to past students and gather their feedback to make an informed decision. It’s a rarity for an organisation to pass an audit without any rectification process.”
SEIR offers a staggering 54 industry-leading beauty qualifications with a key incentive being that graduates are deemed “self-sufficient” by time of graduation, Samantha says. “At SEIR, we’ve been working diligently to meet every student’s unique learning style and aligning our outcomes with what employers expect from our graduates moving into the industry while teaching qualifications in the shortest amount of time with maximum skill on a flexi learning basis where required.”
“The key to success in this industry is not just about what qualifications you hold, but also about the career pathways they unlock. My nationally and internationally recognised Diplomas of Beauty have been instrumental in advancing my career.”
Samantha is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Nursing to add to her own education credentials, “because education is a lifelong process, and knowledge is power.”
