| Empire Education Group Helps Creative Young People "Soar" Into A Career That's Right For Them |
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Empire Education Group Helps Creative Young People "Soar" Into A Career That's Right For Them Contact: Jayne Morehouse
Morehouse Communications, Inc.,
(440) 846-6022
jayne@morehousepr.com POTTSVILLE, PA - High school students now have help in exploring and selecting career paths for which they are best suited, thanks to the new high school student assistance program from Empire Education Group, the largest provider of cosmetology education in North America. The new program features a career exploration program called SOAR, along with a scholarship program to help young, enthusiastic people enter the cosmetology profession. "SOAR" stands for Successful Occupational Awareness Resource," explains Cathy Leonard, director of Empire's High School Assistance Program. "We invested nearly half a million dollars to design a program that will help talented young people find the career that will make them happy and fulfilled. We created it with input from secondary school teachers and administrators from across the country. They asked for participatory activities, such as field trips, lectures and mentoring programs, to help high school students identify potential career choices. It also helps individual students pinpoint the career characteristics that match their interests." The SOAR program helps students explore careers in fields that are professional, administrative/clerical, mechanical, marketing/sales, technical, construction, agriculture and service. "An Empire professional will provide and discuss information, including students' likes and dislikes, as well as which occupations are on the rise or decline. Next come guidelines on how to get started on a career path in the chosen field," explains Leonard. "At the end of the program, all students are asked to complete a career survey card, which is left with the teacher as a resource to further assist the student."
The SOAR program also provides: Field trips: Students can visit an Empire campus to get a hands-on introduction to the cosmetology business and related businesses. After a tour of the campus, the students will participate in an open discussion about careers in cosmetology and the many related professional, artistic opportunities it provides. Guest Lecturers: Educators and business professionals provide technical information on cosmetology and cosmetology-related careers. Career education resources: Designed to provide students with all related career information, it also provides feedback to high school counselors on the types of career students wish to pursue further. Educational support materials: By reviewing lesson plans and other materials related to Empire's curriculum, students will gain an understanding of what their day at Empire will be like once they enroll. Shadow and mentor programs: Designed to provide first-hand and hands-on experience in those career areas where Empire has expertise, high school students can spend time with empire students to learn more about cosmetology. Students will spend time in Empire's classrooms and on Empire's clinic floors observing a salon atmosphere and the artistic achievements demonstrated by Empire's students. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Students have the opportunity to review the most recent copy of employment and career information from the U.S. Labor Department. Summer Camps: High school juniors and younger students are invited to visit and spend time at an Empire campus during the summer to observe the cosmetology school experience. Scholarship Program: Empire will award 15 full-tuition scholarships and 20 half-tuition scholarships this spring to graduating high school seniors. Students interested in applying for one of the 35 scholarships must complete a formal application. In addition, students must provide a 250-word essay on one of the following topics: -
The job market through the eyes of a high school senior -
Professionalism and loyalty in the working world, past vs. present -
Characteristics of successful business people. "The goal of our new high school program is to help high school students decide what career is right for them," says Leonard. "After 70 years, our mission remains to prepare the best entry level professionals to succeed," says Franklin K. Schoeneman, CEO and president of Empire Education Group. "In less than a year, a student can complete an Empire program. Beauty careers offer the ability to help others look and feel their best, job flexibility, earnings often reaching $30,000 per year or more and the potential to become a business owner quickly. "Our graduates are trained to become hairdressers, skin and nail care specialists, massage therapists and managers in top salons and day spas," he adds. "Because we provide career counseling and work closely with local business owners, many of our students are placed in great jobs prior to graduation." If helping others look and feel their best sounds like a great career, check out a cosmetology program at Empire Education Group. Training beauty professionals for more than 70 years, Empire Education Group operates more than 30 campuses in Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania and is the largest provider of cosmetology education in North America. To learn more about Empire's high school program, call Empire at 1-888-246-7152 or visit www.empirebeauty.com. |