Northern Enterprise Awards 2020

22 | Northern Enterprise Awards 2020 Oct20496 Best New Beauty Education & Training Academy - North East The National Beauty Academy prides itself on being small enough to offer a personal and friendly service, but big enough to provide the appropriate high standard of facilities necessary. Devoted to ensuring that learners leave with the high skill levels needed for this fast-paced and every-changing industry, as well as the ability to set up their own business, The National Beauty Academy offers a multitude of different courses to suit learner needs and help them forge new career paths. The Academy has built its foundations on the outstanding VTCT Funded Level 3 Diplomas it offers, from Nail Technology, Make-up Artistry and Beauty Therapy Massage. All of which are 22 weeks in total with learners coming into the academy once a week which allows the perfect balance between a home and working life. “I believe this is what truly sets us apart,” says Centre Manager, Laura Phelps. “It creates flexibility in what is now a non-stop millennial lifestyle.” The Academy also differs from other training establishments located in the North East due to its collaborations with different brands and organisations. Recently it has teamed up with US mega-brand, Morphe, in Newcastle, for its level 3 make-up kits. “This collaboration means that, when Government restrictions are lifted, the Academy will be able to go into the Morphe store and have a masterclass with the team. This will then be live streamed to social media and the screens instore.” New to the academy this Autumn are a range of Fast Track day courses, where learners are given the opportunity to take their skills to the next level quickly by experienced and professional tutors. Each tutor specialises in the subject they teach and has many years of teaching practice, with some running their own successful beauty businesses. Laura explains that the Academy is constantly looking for new ways to stay ahead of the game and to interact with its learners and increase its visibility. “Social media is a very big thing at the moment and is fantastic for creating awareness. We frequently run in-house competitions to encourage the learner’s creative side and, in turn, we showcase their work on our social accounts, linking their pages for visibility.” The recent pandemic has been incredibly tough for nearly every industry with the beauty and education sector being affected. But Laura and the team have adapted well, utilising technology as much as possible to prevent the learner from falling behind, as well as ensuring the premises is a safe and secure place to attend. “We now send out videos to learners that are unable to attend their session to help keep them on track for the next session,” she says. “Inside the Academy, we are Covid safe and ensure that all learners wear a face covering or face shield. We ensure that social distancing is maintained in the training tooms and we have currently reduced the numbers in each class to allow for this.” Despite forthcoming projects between the Academy and the Prince’s Trust being out on hold due to Covid-19 restrictions, Laura can foresee a brighter future, although with some potentially different ways of working being incorporated. “I can foresee with the current climate that more and more courses will go online which in itself provides its own set of challenges but that is something we feel prepared for now. “Another development could be that Level 3 Diplomas are split into units as separate qualifications instead of a singular one. This will allow students to enter the industry quicker, helping to rebuild the economy, on a learn-while- you-earn style programme.” Company: The National Beauty Academy Contact: Laura Phelps Website: www.thenationalbeautyacademy.co.uk The National Beauty Academy offers a range of high-quality and professional beauty courses to suit clients’ needs and fit in with their lifestyle. Whether a beginner looking to start a new career or an existing therapist wishing to update skills, the courses offered are designed to cater for all.