Bellus Academy
Located in sunny California and near some of the best spas and salons in the country, Bellus Academy offers a cosmetology education that seeks to surpass industry standards.
Military personnel and their spouses can choose from educational programs in cosmetology, esthetics (skin care), spa nail technician, holistic health practitioner (massage therapy), and makeup artistry, or get certified in a combination of fields at the same time. Best of all, you can complete all of these programs in less than a year and use military education benefits to help pay for them.
Bellus Academy has three campuses throughout San Diego County in:
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At Bellus Academy, your courses go above and beyond beauty education standards to ensure you have the most advanced career training possible. For instance, in the 600-hour spa nail technician course, along with learning the basic skills about manicures, pedicures, and acrylics, you'll also study spa nail protocols, aromatherapy, and reflexology for the hands and feet.
The esthetics program, on the other hand, combines European and American techniques, making it ideal for those who may need to compete for jobs internationally during a spouse's deployment. Your courses may include:
The 1600-hour cosmetology program, one of the most comprehensive courses of its kind, teaches students the latest in coloring and cutting techniques. The cosmetology program focuses on inspiration-based design and the creative side of cosmetology rather than just the tools of the trade. When you graduate, you'll have a professional portfolio ready to help you get your first job.
You can combine any of those degrees with coursework in makeup artistry, or you can study makeup on its own. You could also combine the esthetics degree with massage technician training to expand the services you can offer your clients.
Finally, there's a 1000-hour holistic health practitioner program that covers massage and wellness. You'll learn advanced Western techniques and traditional Eastern practices, gaining an understanding of the body, posture, and movement. Bellus Academy also teaches you about body wraps, exfoliation, and how to give specialized massages to clients like the physically disabled, terminally ill, or abused.
Bellus Academy: Career Focused Training
While training in the fundamentals of cosmetology or esthetics is critical to success in the beauty industry, hands-on experience is where you will hone your eye for style and develop critical customer relations skills. All three Bellus Academy campuses offer student salons where you can practice your skills in an environment that mirrors an upscale salon or spa.
For further experience, Bellus Academy partners with top area salons to provide students the opportunity to complete an 8-week externship.
As part of your well-rounded education, Bellus Academy includes business courses with all of its programs. In these courses, you can learn sales, marketing, and retail techniques. Success in the beauty industry involves developing a loyal clientele and continually attracting new clients. Bellus Academy gives you the skills to market yourself through courses like:
These useful business skills can help military spouses or veteran personnel to launch and maintain a cosmetology career. Knowing how to get your business off the ground can come in handy if you need to move frequently and gain new clientele in each new location.
The beauty and cosmetology industry is an excellent career choice for military personnel and their families. It's relatively easy to transfer a cosmetology license from one state to another, so military spouses who move frequently can develop career skills that move with them. And nearly half of all personal appearance workers are self-employed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), so you don't waste time job-hunting when you arrive in a new city--you can simply set up shop and start work.
Because Bellus Academy is part of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it can also offer job placement services to military spouses who are relocating to a different city or country by reaching out to the career service departments of other schools in the AACS.
With training from Bellus Academy, your education crosses international borders as well. Bellus Academy is the first and only school on the West Coast to offer ITEC approved training. ITEC certification is recognized in 33 countries, allowing Bellus Academy graduates to find work throughout the world as well as on international cruise ships. ITEC certification is available in cosmetology, spa nail technician, esthetics, master esthetics, or holistic health practitioner (massage therapy).
Military Education Benefit: The Montgomery GI Bill
Military personnel and their families can take advantage of numerous education benefits, whether you or your spouse are on active duty, in the Reserves, or are a veteran. The Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) can help National Guard soldiers and active duty or Reserve soldiers in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard pay for all types of education, including college, technical or vocational school, some licensing and certification tests, and even graduate school. Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, these benefits may be transferred to military families.
To get the maximum Montgomery GI Bill benefits, you need to serve on active duty for at least three years. Reserve soldiers also qualify for certain Montgomery GI Bill benefits at reduced rates. Depending on the amount of time spent mobilized on active duty, members of the Reserves may qualify for REAP, which increases the amount of benefits for which they are eligible. Both active-duty and Reserve personnel can use MGIB benefits for up to ten years after their last day of service.
Additional Military Tuition Assistance Programs
Depending on whether you're still serving or are a veteran, you there are several assistance programs from which you can choose. Programs for veterans and their families include the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Veterans Assistance Program (VEAP), and Veterans Upward Bound (VUP).
Some education benefits can be used during your free time while you're still in the military, either through campus-based courses or online education programs. You can also earn credits that are transferable to colleges through programs like DANTES that can help you earn your degree faster.
Still other programs are in place to help military spouses and college-age dependents attend school or earn degrees. These include:
Thanks to these programs and more, military spouses and families have lots of financial assistance to earn an education from Bellus Academy.
Along with job placement services and externships available through Bellus Academy, students get the benefit of working in the cosmetology field itself: it's one of the few growing fields in this economy. US News & World Report named cosmetology as one of the "best careers for a changing job landscape." The beauty industry is growing rapidly, and employment for personal appearance workers is expected to grow by 20 percent from 2008-2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics--much faster than the national average for all occupations.
As people continue to use skin treatments for medical purposes in addition to relaxation, more jobs should appear. Employment opportunities are also on the rise for estheticians, hair stylists, massage therapists, and nail technicians.
Once you have your cosmetology license, you could also choose to work at a cosmetology school to help educate the next generation. Some employees in the beauty industry go on to work for beauty and wellness product corporations or become the artistic director for a company. Still others opt for the flexibility of starting their own business.
With Bellus Academy's network of schools and salon partners, you can receive help finding a job almost anywhere. "The beauty industry is a collaborative community," says Bellus Academy President Lynelle Lynch recently. "It's common for us to work together to help students."
This easy, 10-step cheat sheet will guide you through the new GI Bill:
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