A new spa therapy training centre in Casablanca, Morocco, called 'The Spa Academy Powered by Elemis' is accepting applications from candidates with previous spa therapy experience.

The Spa Academy will train students how to implement the protocols, rituals, treatments and philosophy of the luxury British skincare brand Elemis. Successful students will receive a highly sought-after international Elemis-branded qualification, which will widen their career options.

The academy has been set up by a family business called Beauty Advice, owned by beautician and therapist Valériane Niemietz and her mother Nathalie Cocoz. Beauty Advice is a company that provides makeup advice, via a Youtube channel. This service led by Niemietz, will be linked to the Spa Academy.

Having graduated from European schools of beauty, spa therapy and professional makeup, such as the College of Fashion in London, Niemietz has been working for well-known brands for nearly eight years.

“I knew very early on what direction I wanted my career to take,” Niemietz told Spa Opportunities. “It is now time to share my knowledge and I’m sure it will be an amazing adventure, providing great opportunities for those willing to achieve the highest standard of training.”

The course will last two months with the last week being a practical hands-on assessment. Niemietz will teach therapists at the 1,722sq ft (160sq m) centre in Casablanca, having just completed her own training at the Elemis training centre in London. The Moroccan facility can host 14 students at the same time learning from seven treatment beds, but there is room for expansion which would allow six more candidates to take part in the course, should demand for training increase.

There are currently five students already signed up to take the course after the Academy’s opening ceremony takes place on 21 November. Three students from London were attracted to the course when Niemietz mentioned the Academy in a Facebook post, while the two other students enrolled are Senegalese living in Morocco.

The Academy has been designed by Niemietz to feature two rooms – one for practical learning and another for theory. Students will be trained on the philosophy of the Elemis skincare range. They will learn about the technology used in treatments, how to handle a spa’s agenda, how to retail the products and how to interact with guests. The Academy itself is set up like an actual spa, including mood lighting, bespoke treatment beds, relaxing music and calming scents.

Cocoz told Spa Opportunities that she will handle the administrative and marketing elements of the Academy’s business. “We are hoping to run one course after another,” said Cocoz. “We don’t want to have long waiting lists and so I predict that we will move to a larger centre in the future if demand is high.

“I was impressed by Elemis the brand so I contacted the company in August of this year to see what we could achieve together and things moved very quickly from there.

“I never knew all the possibilities there were and we have never received so much support so we really appreciate all of Elemis’ help. We are renting the space in Casablanca but the entire project is costing US$50,742 (€40,000, £31,520).

“There are serious problems with spa therapy training in Morocco,” added Cocoz. “Native therapists often lack theoretical knowledge or have poor customer service skills. We are excited to offer accredited training by the respected British brand Elemis because it will teach successful students discipline and enhance their existing skillset. Elemis gives students a standard to uphold.”

Noella Gabriel, director of treatment and product development at Elemis, highlighted the importance of the academy because a of its non-European location, offering an internationally-acclaimed level of training in a world region where the wellness market is expanding.

“Education and training are vital to achieving the goal of a global standard of spa," she sais. "Elemis is proud to partner with the Spa Academy, training beauty therapists to enable them to perform Elemis treatments and uphold our rigorous brand standards across the globe.

“With a structured training programme, Elemis will ensure that all students are able to deliver quality and perfection in therapy standards with perfection in customer care, including retail sales techniques and commercial awareness.”

Elemis currently trains around 3,000 spa therapists each quarter across the globe with headquarters in London and more than 22 accredited training facilities worldwide. Elemis also offers a modular training scheme and the online Elemis Training and Education Centre, which provides every therapist, spa and salon with more efficient, effective and flexible training solutions. In 2015, flagship training academies will open in London and Bristol alongside an enhanced and constantly evolving curriculum to ensure all Elemis therapists have access to training at the highest level.