Cayman Career Academy – meet the new students!

By Christopher Tobutt

Ten new students began a three-month fully accredited Manual Facial Certificate at Cayman Career Academy. They are being sponsored by WORC (Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman). WORC’s Head of Labour Demands, Development & Training, Katherine Whittaker, said, “There is quite a lot of demand for Caymanians getting into this field, and the market itself is very lucrative.” Ms. Whittaker liked the fact that the course is accredited by CIDESCO, one of the top accreditation bodies in the world, thereby giving the students the chance to not only gain employment, but start their own beauty spas too.

Nadia Smith, one of the new students, developed a keen interest in skincare treatments using natural ingredients, and wants to use the knowledge she will gain to eventually launch her own skincare service, using products she has developed herself. ”I’ve always had problem skin and I also have a daughter who has problem skin. I really wanted to know more about how you treat and control certain skin conditions, because skin problems weigh heavily on someone’s self-esteem and confidence,” she said. The great thing about the certificate courses offered at the Cayman Career Academy is that they can build into a full, professional diploma, and Ms Smith believes she might like to do this, in the longer run.

Cadence Harris is just 16 and still at school, but she is managing to fit-in the 3-month Manual Facial Certificate, too. “I found I was interested in skincare, and doing makeup for myself and my friends,” she said. “I would like to be employed, and then save up and start my own business.’

Cayman Career Academy’s Principal, Jacqui Smith welcomes WORC’s support for the students and believes that the Academy offers a great opportunity for local people, especially in view of their 100 percent pass-rate, both in September’s exams last year as well as February’s this year. She is also glad that the Department of Education’s Scholarship Secretariat has formally recognized the Academy as being eligible for its TVET scholarships, “You need that financial assistance to keep the school going,” she said, adding that she hoped now that the Academy was recognized, that they would be able to benefit from the same support that other TVET-recognized schools enjoy.

Lecturer Hannah Taylor said, “We’re so excited to have a new intake of students they are all enthusiastic and eager to be educated. I look forward to guiding them on that journey.”

Since it began, Cayman Career Academy has gradually added more courses, and students can choose from: Beauty Therapy Diploma; Post-Graduate Beauty Therapy Diploma; Spa Management Diploma; Electrical Epilation Diploma; Certificate in Esthetics; Certificate in Body Therapy; Certificate in Skin Care, and a Manual Facial Certificate. Students can also build their qualifications modularly, for example they can do the certificate in Body Therapy and the Certificate in Esthetics, and the two of those together equals the Diploma.

 “Then this year we got a second accreditation through UK-based EduQual, and so we are now offering a diploma in Massage Therapy, as well as an award in facial waxing, body waxing and specialty waxing. But that is not all. “The other thing I feel proud about is we have given back to the community by going to Fairbanks to educate some of the ladies there at half the cost,” she said.