The Kerala Academy of Skills Excellence (KASE), the State government’s nodal agency for all skill development activities, has come together with the Natura group to set up the School of Wellness, a centre for the study of spa management and therapy.
The centre, situated at Jagathy, was inaugurated by Minister for Labour and Excise T. P. Ramakrishnan on Wednesday. Mayor V. K. Prasanth was the chief guest at the ceremony presided over by V. S. Sivakumar, MLA.
Set up with the aim of creating highly skilled and professional workers for all levels of the spa industry, the centre offers two courses that have been accredited by KASE, including a post graduate programme in spa management and an A-Level programme in spa therapy. While the post graduate course is open to graduates with medical backgrounds, the A-level programme is open for those who have completed the Std. X.
There is a rising demand for qualified personnel in the wellness industry, V. N. Roy, vice-chairman of the School of Wellness, told The Hindu .
For instance, a number of employees who were trained on the job at Natura’s spa were later given lucrative offers by large-scale enterprises, which motivated Natura to offer professional training in spa therapy and management.
The courses at the School of Wellness have been designed to equip the students with relevant knowledge of the human physiology, along with theoretical and practical bases of spa therapies. Traditional and modern therapy techniques from various countries, including India, Thailand, Sweden, Japan and Bali, will be taught at the centre.
According to Mr. Roy, placement is certain after training at the centre, given that it equips the students with the required background to approach the global spa industry.
The first batch of classes are set to begin in January 2017. Forty students each will be admitted to the two courses.
The centre also offers other courses in spa therapy that are yet to receive government accreditation.
