Beauty Skills Academy - Make-up and beauty training in the heart of Southend

BEAUTY SKILLS ACADEMY Makeup & Beauty Training in the heart of Southend

A stunning academy offering the very best in beauty training alongside make-up for film and TV is proving popular with learners across South East Essex.

Beauty Skills Academy, part of Central Training Group, used to be based in Canvey but moved into its new home on Alexandra Street, Southend just over a year ago. The beautifully refurbished facility incorporates a beauty salon with six couches alongside a hair and make-up salon with 12 work stations. There is also a dedicated theory room. Right now 33 learners, who range from 16 upwards, are working within the Academy.

Sue Farrow is the Director of the Academy, a role she has held for four years, and she believes the training on offer is much needed in the area. As well as offering traditional beauty therapy courses for level 2 and 3 learners, there is a hair and beauty skills training course suitable for level 1 learners. Adult learners are also welcome and some are eligible for funding depending on circumstances.

Sue explained: “We get a lot of older learners who are keen to train for a new career perhaps after a break away from the workplace.

“It’s great to see so many students of different ages coming together all wanting to gain the necessary skills for a successful and fulfilling career in beauty and make-up artistry.” And, just as the training and facilities have evolved, so has the perception of a career as a beauty therapist or make-up artist.

“Beauty used to be something that was perceived as pretty unchallenging in an academic sense, but the courses now are very detailed when it comes to anatomy and physiology.

“The learning really stretches our learners, which they love and they find out how the body works in order to deliver the best treatments possible,“ said Sue.

With beauty therapy level 3 incorporating the use of electrical treatments and hot stone massage to name but two, the course successfully builds upon the learning delivered in level 2.

Allowing learners to develop and progress is vitally important to Sue and her team and, with this in mind, in 2020 a new course – Theatrical, Special Effect and Hair and Media Make-up Level 3 - was added.

Sue said: “The learners on our hair and media make up level 2 course were keen to progress with their learning, so we decided to introduce the new course which offers a really in-depth training in creating hair, make-up and special effects for the world of TV and film.”

The new course, led by seasoned professional TV and fi lm make-up artist, Sherrie Warwick has been a big success with learners who love the chance to use prosthetics and bald caps to produce complete transformations and create characters.

Sue has a dedicated team of fi ve tutors and two learning support mentors who help her ensure that every learner gets the most out of their training at Beauty Skills Academy.

Sue added: “All the team have huge experience in lots of diff erent areas of beauty therapy and have spent years working professionally within the industry.”

While some learners are based in salons who support the training delivered at the Academy with in-salon training, others spend up to three days at the centre.

For Sue, running the busy Academy and helping learners of all ages take their fi rst steps towards a professional career in beauty and make-up is hugely rewarding.

She added: “I feel very fortunate to be able to help set our learners on the right path. We can off er them the very best when it comes to training and it is great to be able to see via social media what they go on to achieve in their future careers.”