TAFE SA beauty therapy student Kira Jevnikar’s enthusiasm and work ethic have been rewarded with a traineeship and an award in her first year in the industry.
With an interest in makeup and a desire to work with her hands, Kira began studying the Certificate III in Beauty Services at TAFE SA’s Adelaide Campus in February 2021.
She impressed her lecturers with her eagerness to learn and when a traineeship with Endota Spa Mawson Lakes became available, she was encouraged to apply.
Kira won the role and now combines her study at TAFE SA with paid work at the salon where she enjoys the opportunity to put her new skills into practice.
TAFE SA’s city campus has a hair and beauty training salon, which provides services to the public, and students gain valuable experience working in the salon under supervision.
Kira says the teamwork and reception skills she developed in the training salon have stood her in good stead at Endota Spa, where she works on reception and in the treatment rooms.
Her role covers a range of services from tanning and waxing to facials and massage, and she says her favourite part of beauty therapy is the positive impact she has on her clients.
“It’s great to see people really happy,” Kira says.
“I like talking with clients and doing treatments. A lot of people don’t realise how much a spa treatment can help them relax and feel better.”
Kira’s dedication to her role saw her named Beauty Therapist of the Year at her salon of 10 staff at the end of 2021.
She says the award, judged on a range of factors including client feedback and product sales, provided recognition for her work and encouraged her to keep improving.
At the start of the year, Kira enrolled in the Diploma of Beauty Therapy at TAFE SA to extend her knowledge, while she’s also hoping to do some work on the marketing side of beauty therapy for Endota Spa.
“I’m also being trained in advanced facials at my salon and I like spending that extra time with the clients,” she says.
“You go in as strangers and come out knowing them so much better.”
For more information about beauty therapy courses, visit the TAFE SA website.