The GWI’s Global Career Development Initiative, launched in 2012, revolves around three programs that address the spa and wellness industry’s “Achilles’ heel”: the need for more well trained staff!
At the Global Wellness Summit next month in Austria, this Initiative group will unveil three important new projects designed to attract more people into spa/wellness careers and help them become better leaders.
Here are sneak previews of the projects that will be launched in a fast-paced breakout session on the first day of the Summit (Oct. 17):
- Global Mentorship Program: Steered by Jean-Guy de Gabriac (CEO, TIP TOUCH), this program will launch a breakthrough (and free) ONLINE MENTORSHIP PLATFORM, where seasoned spa, wellness and hospitality executives (or “mentors”) will share their time and expertise to guide up-and-coming professionals with potential.
- Global Internship Committee: Led by Wendy Bosalavage (president, American Leisure), this project aims at becoming the go-to resource for standard processes and best practices for the Spa Management Experiential Learning Programs (ELPs, Internships, Externships, Manager-in-Training (MIT) and Job Shadowing).
- Global Careership Program: Powered by CG Funk (former VP, Industry Relations and Product Development, Massage Envy), this program provides content for spaandwellnesscareers.com and has completed a testimonial social media video which will be screened at the Summit. This taskforce brings awareness to the fast-growing career opportunities in the spa and wellness
Learn more about this crucial Initiative (and how you can join or support it)
How is this going to attract young people, fresh out of college, into Spa’s? The appeal to work in a spa for many college students is no longer there like it was even five years ago let alone ten years ago. Especially when the opportunity to be your own boss IS so appealing. THIS is why we’re lacking therapists in the U.K Spa industry, and I don’t see how these three initiatives address this issue. They’re fantastic for those already established in the spa industry, and a great opportunity for self development, but "attracting more people into spa / wellness careers", I’m not convinced. We need to ask, and find out why therapists aren’t applying to work in spas like they used to and then we can piece together a solution to ensure spas can actually have the pick of the crop when it comes to recruitment rather than resorting to, and relying on, agency staff