Applying for apprenticeship at 39 years old and overweight

[Pandora_Crystal]

I've always wanted to become a beauty therapist and am finally ready to start the training. Initially I was looking at college courses, however I've just seen an apprenticeship near me advertised . However I'm a lot older than the usual apprentice at 39 years old and I'm overweight. Will these two hinder me in the world of beauty therapy? I'm actively losing weight but obviously won't have lost all I need to if I was to be offered an interview

 

[Trinity]

Nope, far from it, I'm nails only but when I first started people were begging me to do waxing, I was a size 22 at the time. Many people were far more comfortable getting treatments from me than the size 10 twenty something over there that just made them feel embarrassed about their size or shape.

I started my training at 34, was at least 10 years older than everyone in the room but I was top achiever and am still in business 22 years later

Go for it

 

[TheDuchess]

I’d also say go for it. My oldest apprentice was in her 50’s when she started and she was fab. It’s quite tricky training young people today because they have been really disadvantaged by the pandemic. Typically they get very stressed and overwhelmed by situations and need a lot of encouragement and support, so you’ll be a strong candidate.

I successfully employed an overweight apprentice who was very heavy bearing in mind her young age. She was very popular with my clients and never once moaned about feeling tired.

It’s important to eat healthily as a beauty therapist, avoiding junk foods and food and drink high in sugar and sugar substitutes because you really notice how these have an adverse effect on your mood and energy levels. If you are an emotional eater I’d strongly recommend you invest some time in developing a mindful practise and take an 8 week mindfulness course to learn meditation techniques. Some beauty salons can be quite toxic places with a lot of bad “playground” behaviour. and it’s stressful providing services as a learner when you don’t feel confident in your skills. You can’t nibble all the time as a therapist so you need other self soothing techniques to manage your stress and anxiety.

It’s so worth it. I was not in good physical shape when I started training and I have poor mental health too. I’ve really benefited from being more active and having absorbing work that I enjoy. Yes there were lots of unpleasant moments when I was training and inexperienced, these were never as bad as my bad health moments. I’m in much better physical health now (at 57) and I’ve had the best mental health since I retrained in beauty a decade ago.

Fingers crossed for you and good luck.

 

[RosieR]

I personally love having a facial or body massage with a beauty therapist that has the healing hands of someone devoted to their craft. You really are being far too critical of yourself and there is no need.

A caring attitude and willingness to learn are far more important than your body being the perfect shape/size etc. Making clients feel comfortable and not self conscious can be easier done if you know you aren't perfect. We all have something we don't like about ourselves and that makes us human.

I had plenty of experience of those "supermodel" Beauty Therapists in my day and they were far too self obsessed with their own appearance to make anyone feel nurtured. You also have age on your side and clients will like that.

I am on the smaller end of the body spectrum and would much sooner have soft cushiony hands doing my treatments than "Mrs Bony fingers" like me! .
Let us know how you go on and Good Luck.

 

[clairebear23cats]

Yes absolutely go for it. I have actually lost 4.5 stone in just under a year and feel loads better for it but still have at least 2 stone to go. I do treatments in Beauty and Holistic Therapies and I'm early 40s. I find clients prefer a more normal person than a fake eyelashes size 8 youngster, but of course some clients will prefer that. I say go for it. You won't look back. The advice from duchess about a mindfulness course us good. I highly recommend the Les Mills App too for exercise videos with very good yoga and mediations too, plus the workouts that will help you loose weight body combat, body attack, body pump... it is a physical job on your feet, so being in good physical shape will help. Good luck!

 

[TheDuchess]

Yes absolutely go for it. I have actually lost 4.5 stone in just under a year and feel loads better for it

Wow Clairebear23cats that’s an amazing achievement, I’m made up for you. Thank you for sharing.