Dear Valued Professionals,
The Government’s Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE) is rolling on. This will have significant implications on the quality and standards of training provided to new entrants to our industry.
The NZ Board of Professional Skin Therapies wrote submissions and petitioned our industry to be recognised within the Health, Education and Social Services sector and for us to be recognised as skin therapists as a distinct industry. NZQA asked if they could use segments of the NZ Board of Professional Skin Therapies submission material in their final recommendation to the Minister of Education.
HITO (Hairdressers Industry) wanted us to stay within Creativity, Culture, Recreation and Technology which would group us with no-related industries such as game and software development, museums and amusement parks, libraries, and archiving, performing arts, film and music, hairdressing, make-up artistry, and broadcasting
Our submissions on your behalf were successful and we will come under Health, Social and Community Services.
We chose recognition within the Health sector, which includes Health care and health services, mental health and addiction, for the following reasons,
We share the same empathy and desire to improve the health and wellbeing of the client’s skin, body, physical and mental wellbeiing
As our industry evolves, we are performing more invasive treatments, use more sophisticated equipment and address clients with complicated health issues and medication regimes. Therefore, it is essential that our training develops in step to keep therapists safe in their knowledge and decision making for the wellbeing of themselves and their clients.
We wanted to be acknowledged as skin therapists
Gain more credibility to our industry when holding discussions with government agencies.
Importantly we gain the self-respect we deserve and acknowledgement of the advanced work and improvements we deliver and the difference we make to the lives of our clients
We also recognise the importance of ongoing education through professional development training
What Next…
All main skin therapy courses will come under Health category. The Creativity sector will cover make up artistry and prosthetics, generic cosmetic counter sales course in skin care for pharmacies, departments stores and spa receptions.
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) is establishing a new central collective for tertiary education called The Institute of Skills and Technology. All tertiary training courses have been divided into six Workforce Development Councils (WDC’s), who are charged with deciding what type of training structure would best suit ALL tertiary educational courses.
TEC and the WDC are holding consultations on the new training structures, but in the main, these are with existing training providers who have vested interests in maintaining the status quo of volume over quality. Our Beauty Therapy industry is mainly small independent businesses, whose voices will not be heard.
We are now at a crucial time of the reform initiative. This is where you, the business owner and therapist must speak up. Unless you do so, TEC will continue to listen to other industry organisations and the same educators that have created our present educational situation.
Without your voice, our credibility will further decline with increased client injuries and complaints [I have received several major complaints this year], destroy industry confidence, and individual reputations. Continual concerns raised by the public, has the potential for government to introduce regulations/legalisation and prohibit therapists performing skin penetrating treatments, resulting in loss of profits and possible business closures.
Please send us your ideas of what you want in training, structure, topics covered, so we can take your needs to the next round of meetings.
So fellow professionals, here is your opportunity to support our industry and have your say.
Regards, Julie Martin Chair NZBPST, e-mail admin@nzbpst.co.nz phone 021 02294638
Posted: Sat 23 Oct 2021
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