"You know, regular city college, you're not almost for-sured a job, and here they help you find a job. And even before you graduate you're working in a salon," said Martin. She will be part of the incoming class at the brand new Marinello Beauty School opening in Northwest Fresno.
"They're learning a trait so they're going to be able to go out and be successful on their own terms," said Brittnee Gilles, admissions advisor at Marinello. The school will offer students training on a wide-range of skills, from hairstyling to nail and skin care services. Industry experts say there is a large demand for beauticians. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of cosmetologists is expected to grow much faster than the average for all other occupations.
"From 2008 to 2018, there's a projected 20% growth in the cosmology industry and in this economy, we're happy to provide a stable career for students," said Gilles.
"It's a short schooling but the rewards are huge," said Nogo Martinez, a hairstylist at Reflections Salon. He has been working in the beauty industry for more than 20 years and despite going through some financial instability, he has always had a steady clientele to fall back on. "I think we are the only industry that survives the economic hard-times. People always want to look good, people always want to spend the money," he said.
And it's that money that motives many of these new beauticians to go into a career-focused program that promises large rewards, one client at a time.
