CCC creates esthetician program

CNJ staff photo: Liliana Castillo Jodi Ortega, a licensed cosmetologist and esthetician, reviews anatomy with her students the day before a test. The esthetician program at Clovis Community College began in June of last year.

Clovis Community College has taken a truly hands-on approach to filling a community need.

CCC created a 24-week esthetician program in June after two day spas called the college to inquire about esthetician training, according to Jean Morrow, director of the occupational technology division at CCC.

“It’s a local need we’re trying to fill,” Morrow said.

Estheticians give facials, manicures, pedicures and other beauty treatments.

Program teacher Jodi Ortega said CCC’s esthetics program also teaches students skills that can be done in dermatology clinics and doctor’s offices as well.

“The students that come out of this program will have more options. (This program) is a lot more detailed than the cosmetology or massage therapy programs,” she said.

Ortega, who is licensed in cosmetology and estheology and has worked in spas, said her experience is helpful for her students.

“It helps with the program, being out there recently,” she said. “I liked the skin part but I wasn’t too much into the hair part. So I stuck with estheology.”

Ortega said she believes the demand for trained estheticians is growing in Clovis.

“There are a couple of spas here, but there will be more,” she said.

Shanna Owen, 19, said she is hoping to get a job in the Clovis and Portales area after graduating from the program in July so she can stay near her family.

Owen said she went right into studying massage therapy via an on-line correspondence program.

“I’ve wanted to be a massage therapist since I was about 12 or 13. I would work on my dad a little bit and we’d joke about me doing massages for a living. And then I realized it really was something I wanted to go into,” Owen said.

After working toward a massage therapy certification, Owen said she was interested in the medical side of it.

“I want to work in a doctor’s office where I can really help people,” she said. “I like hands-on and working with people more than just paper work.”

The esthetician class will begin hands-on experience after spring break.

“They’ll have to practice on each other before we bring people in here,” Ortega said.