During this year Ministry of Education and Workforce Development Council (WDC) are looking at restructuring vocational education and restructuring the polytechnic and apprenticeship organisations to becoming under one umbrella.
These changes affect the NZ education standards covered by these providers which includes the beauty/skin therapy industry.
By chance I, Julie Martin, was invited to a zoom meeting last Wednesday (30th September 2020) with Vitoria Spackman from Interim Establishment Board to hear the movements from WDC on the new Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE) initiative. Along with myself present at this meeting attended:
➢ Oonagh Wolfcamp from the Beauty therapy association,
➢ Key Nelson CEO- Hito,
➢ Niq James – president of the Hairdressing association and
➢ 3 other representatives from hairdressing.
I soon discovered that our industry has been categorised under, The Creative, Cultural, Recreational & Technology group, which had been discussed between the NZARBP & HITO earlier in the year.
PROTECTING
OUR BEAUTY INDUSTRY
According to WDC’s information, “this new category is designed to enable students who have been under-served by education, to be given a second chance at achieving some tertiary skills.” Loosely translated, as our profession requires no prior qualifications under level four, meaning anyone can gain access to beauty therapy training as the Ministry of Education now identifies us as simply glamour artists no more.
Do you feel this Education Category is an appropriate fit for our industry?
Here are exerts from the RoVE information sheet.
The Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE) is a bold, once-in-a-generation, trans-formational change that aims to create a strong, sustainable, unified vocational education and training system, capable of delivering the skills that learners, employers and communities need to thrive.
Six Workforce Development Councils (WDCs) will be established and will be at the heart of this new system. The WDCs will enable industry to take a lead in making Aotearoa New Zealand’s workforce fit for today and for future employment needs. WDCs will be industry’s channel to influence training for its people.
Toi Hangarau / Technology including:
Creative Technologies including VR/AR, Gaming, Interactive Design and Digital Media
Emerging Technologies including AI, Data, Analytics & Data Science and Quantum Computing
Networks, Distributed and Communication Technologies,
IT Hardware, Software, Infrastructure, Architecture and Cyber Security
IoT, Biometrics, Sensors & Geo-spatial Technologies
Robotics, Automation, Drone & UAV Technologies
Toi Auaha / Creative and Culture including:
Cultural
Design
GLAM
Hair and Beauty
Performance
Screen
The Arts
Multi-media platforms, publishing and journalism
Literature
Crafts
Toi Tāngata / Recreation including:
Amusement Activities
Gambling, Horse and Dog Racing Activities
Parks and Gardens
Sports and Physical Recreation Activities
As the NZBPST works hard to represent you, we need to know where industry stands with being place in this category?
The New Categorisation will be mandated and become law very soon.
HOW WILL THIS AFFECT US?
Given that this educational change will be mandated (made law) and together with Ministry of Health (Remit 24) and Ministry of Education, we will come under this new classification. With the complaints and injuries that occur within industry due to malpractices with skin penetration etc, there is a future potential that as industry we could then be accused of not being capable of advanced skin treatments due to not being trained under the umbrella of a health or allied health provider ensuring industry is trained and registered to work at a deeper level of the body than just surface.
Councils could then have the mandate to prevent beauty therapists from all treatments that pierce the skin and give these treatments to nurse aestheticians only and leave us doing simple glamour treatments, because of how WDC’s categorises us and coupled with the potential controls of remit 24 imposed by LGNZ.
(From the NZARBP initiative lead by Michella Messenger, for the Government to develop and implement national guidelines, policy, or regulations to achieve national consistency for the largely unregulated ‘health and beauty clinic’ industry meaning LGNZ (Local Government NZ) will have the potential to alter any aspect of our industry and implement any controls they see fit without necessarily speaking with industry).
Alternative category available for Beauty/Skin Professionals:
Allied health in the Health category
At NZBPST we believe modern industry professionals are much more than Glamour Artists and we SHOULD therefore be categorised under Allied Health in the Health Category.
Why?
➢ Because highly qualified therapists perform advanced skin treatments that require a high level of skill and knowledge and make major physical and emotional changes in our client’s health and well-being
➢ No one else have these qualifications, skill, and knowledge to perform these treatments
➢ Anatomy and Physiology knowledge to entry nursing is required.
➢ We not only treat acne, Rosacea, Psoriasis, Eczema, Dermatitis, pigmentation, and damaged skin but manage clients with health issues as well.
➢ With the rapidly evolving developments in technology and equipment that we use, we require fine-tuned skills and knowledge to operate it.
➢ Our ever-changing industry is advancing rapidly introducing more and more treatments which penetrate the skin deeper to improve skin health.
➢ We educate clients to have Melanoma checks, mammograms health checks and other wellness initiatives.
➢ We are identified as health care providers under HDC, Health Act. We are responsible to provide a duty of care to our clients.
➢ To re-categorize our profession as creative and recreational will destroy our credibility and the confidence that our clients have in us and the advice we recommend.
Once this decision is finalised it will be challenging and nearly impossible to change.
What Can You Do?
To change to the health category, we must convince WDC that the Beauty/Skin Industry wants to be recognised under the Health Education Category.
WE MUST ACT FAST as we only have until Thursday 8th October to push this change!
TO ACT NOW:
➢ Sign our petition
➢ Fill out our survey
➢ Fill out WDC’s survey see link &
➢ Write a submission of your experiences and why we should be under the health category.
Please support us so we can support you and protect your industry credibility, profession, and future.
#NOTJUSTGLAMOUR Movement!
Voting has now closed.
Thank you for your time in this matter!
We can not do this without your help!
Should you need more information or need help to complete any of the above mentioned steps,
please reach out to one of our board members.
For more information please visit our website : www.nzbpst.org or get in touch.
Kind regards,
Julie Martin
Founder and Chair NZBPST
admin@nzbpst.co.nz
02102294638
www.nzbpst.org
Posted: Fri 23 Oct 2020