INVESTIGATION RHIANON HOWELLS » CONSULTING EDITOR » SPA BUSINESS
THE LEARNING CURVE PART ONE
As our industry grows, so does the array of spa management courses. But is the education on offer really in-step with the industry’s needs? On the eve of the publication of a new global study into the state of spa management training, Spa Business launches a three-part series to investigate
T
he rapid growth of our indus- try – combined with the changing face of hotel spas from amenities to profi t cen- tres – has created a demand
for business-savvy spa managers who can communicate effectively: not only with the feelings-oriented therapists who they manage, but also with the fi nance-oriented corporate managers who they report to. Over the last decade, a wealth of universi-
ties, colleges and private training providers have responded to this need, either by devel- oping dedicated spa management courses or by incorporating spa elements into existing business or management courses. However, while the proliferation of such courses has been rapid, it has also been fragmented, unregulated and largely not in consultation with the industry. T e result is a melting- pot of degree, diploma, certifi cate
and short courses – aimed at both school- leavers and those already in work – that is not only confusing, but which according to many spa professionals still largely fails to meet the needs of the industry. “A lot of peo- ple ask me which course they should do, and I don’t have a clue,” admits Samir Patel, man- aging director of Six Senses Spas. “What I do know is that there is an absolutely imperative need to create industry leaders, and for that we need proper management training.” To gain a better understanding of what’s out there – and how it can be improved –
While the proliferation of spa
management courses has been rapid, it’s also been fragmented, unregulated and largely not in consultation with the industry
the Global Spa & Wellness Summit (GSWS) has commissioned research organisation SRI International to conduct a study into spa management training worldwide, the results of which will be unveiled at the summit in Aspen, Colorado, this June. “T e current sys- tem is a nightmare for anyone to make sense of,” says Anna Bjurstam, managing director of spa consultancy Raison d’Etre and one of the GSWS board members who pushed for the study. “First, we’d like to get an overview of what courses are out there and what, if anything, they have in common… and then get some kind of standardisation [by getting] the industry and train- ing providers talking more.” In this series, we aim to comple-
ment the SRI study by asking what educators and employers are doing to meet the shortfall of quality spa managers – and what they can do better. In part one, we look at the full-time degree and diploma courses aimed at those looking
for entry-level spa management jobs.
Spa modules are being added to hospitality degrees, but can these graduates cope with the day-to-day running of real spas?
38 Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com / digital
DEGREE OF SUCCESS Historically, spa managers have either risen through the therapy ranks or segued into the sector from other areas of hospitality. But with business acumen increasingly a basic requirement of the role, many employers have in recent years started to look directly to the universities to fi nd their spa manag- ers of the future – complete with degrees in hospitality, leisure, tourism or business administration. In turn, many of these schools have added spa elements to their degree programmes to cater for this new demand, albeit to varying degrees.
SPA BUSINESS 2 2012 ©Cybertrek 2012
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