Opportunity Knocks For Those In Need of A Hand

Four women will now have an extra boost in a tough job market.

The Beauty and Health Institute announced recently that it has awarded four scholarships to women struggling in the job market. The school reached out to the Centre, a Tampa nonprofit organization whose services include individual and family counseling, employment preparation for women, and substance abuse treatment, to find worthy recipients for the scholarships.

Those selected will receive hands-on clinical training and classroom study under the guidance of a licensed esthetician. The scholarship recipients will complete the program in mid-July.

“We wanted to reach out to women struggling in this job market and give them the professional training and skills they need for careers in spas, salons and resorts seeking facial and skincare specialists,” said Rita Kruse, director of the Institute, located at 11309 Countryway Blvd in the Westchase area.

The women will be armed with skills for careers in electrolysis, laser hair removal, medical aesthetics, facial/skin care, massage therapy, permanent makeup and lymphology.

Florida has the second highest employment level for skincare specialists in the country, with annual mean wages of $31,200, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2011).

“For these women, who are eager to work in this field but lacked the resources to get the necessary training, Beauty and Health Institute’s training scholarships are invaluable,” says Alice Thompson, employment services manager for The Centre.  “With the short-term training they receive, they can be job-ready in just a few months.”

**An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the Centre provied the scholarships. Patch regrets the error**