Beauty Treatment Subsector
About the Sector
A beauty therapist is a specialist in beauty treatments for the face and body. Their beauty regimen is meant to go beyond skin deep. Driven by the belief that if you look good, you feel good, their regimen serves to boost clients’ overall self-confidence, relieve stress, and improve general wellbeing.
The beauty industry is dynamic and constantly evolving with lots of ongoing research taking place. New products are constantly being introduced and it is the responsibility of a beauty therapist to keep tabs on the latest developments in the industry. Extensive knowledge of the body is required, specifically the anatomy and physiology of the skin, along with the products used. A beauty therapist understands the different types of body massages and facials. A nail technician knows how to do different applications on a person’s nails such as acrylic gel, nail painting, etc. Given the breadth of work in the industry and the number of salons and spas available and new ones springing up, it is clear that the beauty industry presents incredible job and career opportunities.
Registered Qualifications
- Further Education and Training Certificate: Beauty and Nail Technology (NQF Level 4)
- Certificate: Beauty Salon Manager (NQF Level 4)
- Certificate: Beauty Care and Modelling (NQF Level 4)
- Further Education and Training Certificate: Beauty Consultancy (NQF Level 4)
- Certificate: Body Treatments (NQF Level 5)
- Further Education and Training Certificate: Nail Technology (NQF Level 4)
- Certificate: Beauty Therapy (NQF Level 5)
- Further Education and Training Certificate: Beauty Therapy (NQF Level 5)
- National Diploma: Health and Skincare (NQF Level 5)
- English literacy
- Mathematics
- Life sciences
- Body therapist
- Make-up artist
- Massage therapist
- Nail technician
- Skin care therapist
Fashion Subsector
About the Sector
In the context of the Services SETA, fashion and modelling covers modelling agencies and fashion design. A modelling agency is a company that represents fashion models to work in the fashion industry. Agencies earn their income from a commission earned though model placements with client companies. Modelling agencies train models, arrange test shoots, layout portfolios, and put together composition photo cards and other printed materials needed to market a model. They find work for models by presenting them to designers, photographers, and advertising agencies. Modelling agencies are also responsible for booking the jobs, billing for the jobs, and then paying the models for their time.
The modelling industry is very competitive and fast-paced. Modelling agencies generally work around the clock, constantly having to deal with emergencies such as cancellations or urgent jobs.
Fashion designer careers begin as apprentices to professional designers with extensive experience. In the early days they work as pattern makers or sketching assistants. Having acquired more experience in the field, the apprentices eventually become supervisors and even chief designers for big fashion houses.
Registered Qualification
The Services SETA has not yet developed qualifications for modelling agencies and fashion design not related to the clothing subsector. However, private and public institutions of higher learning normally require newcomers to have at least a matric as a prerequisite for entering the field.
Recommended Subjects
- English
- Mathematics
Employment Opportunities
- Fashion Design
- Fashion Model
Funeral Services Subsector
About the Sector
Funeral practices and rites vary immensely across cultural and religious lines. Although the South African population is diverse, funeral practices tend to share some common elements: transferring the deceased to a mortuary, preparing the body of the deceased for burial, performing a ceremony in honour of the deceased and addressing the spiritual needs of the family. Then lastly, carrying out the final interment.
Funeral practitioners arrange and direct these activities for grieving families. The actual interment is carried out in various ways or methods depending on the cultural beliefs and values of the family of the deceased. These include natural burial, a process of returning a body to earth so it could decompose naturally, over time, underground. Then there is cremation, which is the use of high-temperature burning, vaporisation and oxidation to reduce the dead human body to basic chemical compounds such as gases and mineral fragments. There is still embalming or mummification, which entails the inclusion of personal items such as jewellery and positioning the body of the deceased in a manner demonstrating respect and adherence to the deceased’s religious beliefs. All this work is done by morticians, and present a viable career for many young South Africans.
The Services SETA offers assistance in the training and courses in pursuit of a career in the funeral services sector.
Registered Qualifications
- National Certificate: Funeral Services Practice NQF Level 3
- National Certificate: Funeral Services Practice NQF Level 4
- National Diploma: Funeral Services Practice NQF Level 5
- Occupational Certificate: Mortician (NQF Level 03)
Recommended Subjects
- English Literacy
- Biblical Studies
- Crematorium Operator
- Chapel or Memorial Attendant
- Embalmer
- Funeral Director
- Mortician
- Mortuary Technician
Hair Care Subsector
About the Sector
Hairdressing is a trade. Like most trades, once a learner has undergone theoretical and practical training, he or she needs to obtain workplace experience for a specified period of time before he or she may be eligible to write a trade test.
Having garnered enough workplace experience, the learner can then apply for a trade test which, if successful, gets them registered as a qualified artisan under the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).
The Services SETA offers assistance in the training and courses in pursuit of a career in the hair care sector.
Registered Qualifications
- National Certificate: Hairdressing at NQF Level 2
- National Certificate: Hairdressing at NQF Level 3
- Further Education and Training Certificate: Hairdressing at NQF Level 4
- Occupational Certificate: Hairdresser at NQF Level 4
Recommended Subjects
- English
- Mathematics
Employment Opportunities
- Hairdresser
- Hair or Beauty Salon Assistant
- Salon Manager
Image Consulting Subsector
About the Sector
Image consultants are professionals sought out by both individuals and companies to assist them assess, improve, enhance, and upgrade their appearance in a manner that is in line with their professional roles and goals.
An image consultant assists people develop a professional or contemporary appearance. The areas of specialisation include personal stylist, personal shopper, identity coach, fashion stylist, corporate stylist, retail image, shopping consultant, social etiquette, and public speaking. Most practitioners are self-employed and spend a great deal of time marketing themselves and finding new clients. Opportunities for starting your own business and be independent are very high. Internationally, people in this position typically have relevant formal training and certifications offered by accredited skills development providers and some image consulting associations.
Registered Qualifications
The Services SETA has not yet developed qualifications for image consulting. However, we are in the process of registering an occupation on the Organising Framework of Occupations (OFO), which will, in turn, be utilised to develop an occupational qualification. No registered standard education requirements exist for image consultants, but various unaccredited, non-credit bearing training programmes are available in the field offered by private institutions and related associations.
Recommended Subjects
- English
- Mathematics
Employment Opportunities
- Self-employed image consultant.
- Working in an Image consulting firm, consulting with individuals or companies on behalf of the firm.
