How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Centralia WA

How to Choose an Esthetician Course near Centralia Washington

Centralia WA esthetician client with cucumber facialOnce you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Centralia WA, the process starts to search for and enroll in the ideal program. It’s essential that the program you select not only provides the proper instruction for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a little bit further regarding that in the following section. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to choose a school that is within driving distance of your Centralia home. Tuition will additionally be a critical consideration when reviewing potential schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Centralia WACosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that improves the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Centralia WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, open their own shops or salons. Others will start servicing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

  • Estheticians
  • Hairdressers
  • Hairstylists
  • Beauticians
  • Barbers
  • Manicurists
  • Nail Technicians
  • Makeup Artists
  • Hair Coloring Specialists
  • Electrolysis Technicians

As earlier mentioned, in most states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for instance hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetics Degrees

Centralia WA esthetician client with face maskThere are essentially two options available to obtain esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training in order that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Centralia WA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whatever type of training program you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. Many states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Centralia WAOnline esthetician schools are advantageous for Centralia WA students who are working full time and have family commitments that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous online cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty schools are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the program you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to obtain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Classes

Centralia WA models benefit from esthetic treatmentsFollowing is a list of questions that you will want to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Centralia residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 98531 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Centralia WA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation?  Every esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Centralia WA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Washington school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty?  Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you decide on a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a Centralia WA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you need.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided?  Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. Some schools have salons on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the best option for acquiring your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s essential that he or she receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Centralia WA employers that are searching for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available?  The majority of esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you find out what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Centralia WA?

Perhaps you live in the Centralia Washington area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend.  Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.

Centralia, Washington

In the 1850s and 1860s, Centralia's Borst Home at the confluence of the Chehalis and Skookumchuck Rivers was the site of a toll ferry, and the halfway stopping point for stagecoaches operating between Kalama, Washington and Tacoma. In 1850, J. G. Cochran and his wife Anna were led there via the Oregon Trail by their adopted son George Washington, a free African-American, as the family feared he would be forced into slavery if they stayed in Missouri after the passage of the Compromise of 1850. Cochran filed a donation land claim near the Borst Home in 1852, and was able to sell his claim to Washington for $6000 because unlike the neighboring Oregon Territory, there was no restriction against passing legal ownership of land to negroes in the newly formed Washington Territory.

Upon hearing of the imminent arrival of the Northern Pacific Railway (NP) in 1872, George Washington filed a plat for the town of Centerville, naming the streets after biblical references and offering lots for $10 each, with one lot free to buyers who built houses. Finding that another town in the south-central part of the state bore the same name, the town was officially incorporated as Centralia on February 3, 1886, so dubbed by a recent settler from Centralia, Illinois. The town's population boomed, then collapsed in the Panic of 1893, when the NP went bankrupt; entire city blocks were offered for as little as $50 with no takers. Washington (despite facing racial prejudice from some newcomers) made personal loans and forgave debt to keep the town afloat until the economy stabilized; the city then boomed again based on the coal, lumber and dairying industries. On his death in 1905, all businesses in the town closed, and 5000 mourners attended his funeral.

The boom lasted until November 11, 1919, when the infamous Centralia Massacre occurred. Spurred on by local lumber barons, American Legionnaires (many of whom had returned from WWI to find their jobs filled by pro-union members of the Industrial Workers of the World), used that day's Armistice Day parade to attack the IWW hall. Marching with loaded weapons, the Legionnaires broke from the parade and stormed the hall in an effort to bust union organizing efforts by what was seen to be a Bolshevik-inspired labor movement. Though it remains a point of controversy as to who fired first, IWW workers including recently returned WWI veteran Wesley Everest engaged and killed four Legionnaires; Everest was captured, jailed and then lynched, and other IWW members jailed. The event made international headlines, and coupled with similar actions in Everett, Washington and other lumber towns, stifled the American labor movement until the economic devastation of the 1930s Great Depression changed opinions about labor organizations.[5]

Enroll in the Right Esthetician School near Centralia WA

Choosing and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to organize all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Centralia WA.

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    Business Results 1 - 10 of 108

    Hip N Humble
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