Introduction

The JobStart/Future Skills Sector Partnerships Program of Saskatchewan Learning enabled a sector study of the beauty industry in Saskatchewan. This industry profile is based on that study, published in September, 2000.

The beauty industry established a partnership of industry members and key stakeholders through funding and support from the Sector Partnerships Program. These partners worked together to carry out a study that identified current and future hiring needs and training requirements.

Strategic planning enables industry and training providers to work together to provide training opportunities that match the skills the industry requires.

For more information about the Sector Partnership Report and this industry visit the Executive Summary. You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file.

Canada Overview

• About 105,600 people were employed as hairstylists and barbers in Canada in 1996. This was a 20.7% increase over the number in 1986.
  
• A significant proportion of these workers (about 40%) worked part-time. About 51,700 workers in these occupations were self-employed.
  
• About 21,000 people were employed as estheticians, electrologists, manicurists and pedicurists in Canada in 1996. This represents an increase of 18.1% from 1986.
  
• About 57% of these workers were estheticians and electrologists.
  
• About 34% of these workers worked part-time and about 34% were self-employed.
  

Saskatchewan Overview

• The beauty industry is an important service industry that supports and benefits the Saskatchewan economy in every type of community.
  
• There are about 1,200 beauty-related businesses in the province of Saskatchewan. They are rural and urban, large and small, specialized and multi-service.
  
• The industry is mainly made up of service and retail shops. Of companies surveyed in 2000, 93.1% operate a service and retail shop.
  
• The most common services provided by the businesses surveyed are barbering, hairstyling and cosmetology, followed by esthetics.
  
• Most of the businesses surveyed (57.9%) serve a trading area of less than 10,000 people.
  
• Most businesses (92%) employ fewer than ten people, including owners and/or managers. Many businesses (67.1%) employ three or fewer people. Of businesses that employ fewer than

• Employers include owners of full service and retail shops, wholesale companies and businesses that provide training and education.
  
• The majority of businesses provide barbering, hairstyling services or cosmetology. Other businesses include estheticians, nail technicians, make-up artists and electrolysis technicians.
  
• The beauty industry also includes companies that provide tanning, waxing, massage, manicure and pedicure, ear candling, piercing and body wraps.
  

Who works in the industry?

• Most full-time employees (74.4%) are between the ages of 25 and 54. A significant number (34.6%) are between 25 and 34 years of age. Only 4.5% of employees are aged 55 or older.
  
• The 2000 survey indicates that women make up 88% of the workforce and men make up 12%.
  
• Aboriginal people make up 2.6% of the industry workforce. Visible minorities make up 1.6% of the workforce.
  Almost all permanent employees (96%) have a trade certificate or higher level of education. Of part-time employees, 81% have a trade certificate or higher level of education.
  

Saskatchewan Trends

• Client expectations are changing as the baby boom generation ages and continues to prosper. This is changing the demands on those who work in the industry.
  
• Occupations such as esthetician, nail technician, electrologist and make-up artist are evolving.
  
• The beauty industry has significantly expanded in recent years beyond cosmetology, barbering and hairstyling. Businesses have now diversified into services such as tanning, nail and skin care.
  
• Cosmetology and barber/stylist are the occupations most often described as changing. Ongoing changes in client preferences, styles, fashions and products result in the need for continued learning.
  
• The largest projected increases for occupations in the industry are for cosmetologist journeypersons and estheticians.
  The number of special permit holders and apprentice positions for barber/stylist and cosmetologist are expected to decrease.

Related Jobs

The following list provides an idea of some of the jobs in the beauty area.

Where there is a relevant occupational description in Saskatchewan Job Futures, you can click on the job to go directly to that description. You’ll learn more about the occupation, including education and training requirements, work duties, wage information and employment trends.

National Occupational Classification (NOC) numbers follow the job title. You can use the NOC numbers to look up the occupations in the NOC.

Barber and hairstylist (6271) Cosmetologist and esthetician (648) Manicurist/pedicurist (648) Masseur/masseuse (648) Electrologist (648)

Owner/manager, hair salon (065) Sales representative, beauty products (641) Nail stylist/technician (648) Waxing specialist (648)

Where the Jobs Are

Employment for hairstylists and barbers is evenly distributed throughout the province. Roughly 45% of all hairstylists and barbers were employed in or around Regina or Saskatoon in 1996.

Employment for estheticians, electrologists, manicurists and pedicurists is concentrated in Saskatchewan’s two largest cities. Over 70% of all workers in personal service in the province worked in Regina or Saskatoon in 1996.

Earnings

Starting wage levels in the beauty industry are often at, or near, minimum wage. Wages tend to increase once experience is gained and a clientele is developed.

A barber/stylist or cosmetologist journeyperson at the entry level earns in a range from less than $10,000 to $29,999 per year. An experienced barber/stylist or cosmetologist journeyperson will earn from less than $10,000 to $39,000 per year.

Overall, wages for experienced employees in the beauty industry range from less than $10,000 to $59,999 per year.

Skills and Training

Saskatchewan offers provincial apprenticeship programs for cosmetologist and barber-stylist. A worker must first successfully complete a training program at any approved beauty college and receive a learner's certificate. They may then work in the trade and register as an apprentice.

Estheticians, electrologists, manicurists and pedicurists usually need a high school diploma. Many recent entrants have a trade/vocational or community college diploma or other post-secondary education.

Want to find out what kind of related education and training programs are offered in Saskatchewan? Check into What to Study? to find out what’s available and where.

Skills and knowledge that workers in the industry may need include:

Cutting Use of equipment, machines Perming Styling Product knowledge New techniques, trends and styles Communication skills Nail skills Waxing Facials Skin care and product knowledge

Massage Maintenance of equipment Colouring Customer relations Telephone skills Cosmetology knowledge Public relations Retail sales Calculator, cash register Numerical skills Organization

Employers look for workers who have a good work ethic, positive, confident attitude and willingness to learn. Also important are a friendly, professional approach, attention to the cleanliness and organization of the work area, and a good business sense for promoting future bookings.

The Future

• More than half of the participants in the 2000 survey expected that technology will have an impact on their business by 2005. Some thought that computers would be required and would make their businesses more efficient.
  
• Computers will come into increasing use for colouring techniques and for reviewing alternative hairstyles with clients.
  
• New product technology is also expected, including new techniques and machines, particularly laser technology for electrolysis.
  
• Participants in the 2000 survey expected to employ 6.7% more employees by 2005.
  
• The most significant increases are expected to be in cosmetologist journeypersons, estheticians, and barber/stylist journeypersons.
  
• The most significant decreases in occupations are expected to be in special permit holders and apprentice positions for barber/stylists and cosmetologists.

Related Information

Visit the following Web sites for more information on the beauty industry:

Canadian Cosmetics Careers Association
Allied Beauty Association
Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association
National Cosmetology Association

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