A WORLD-class education in beauty and make-up awaits students at the Australasian Beauty Therapy Academy (ABTA), says owner and principal Ping Gan, who is celebrating 10 years since taking the ownership of the established beauty academy.

Ping and her dedicated teaching team are proud to have taken ABTA to exciting new heights in industry best practice and globally recognised qualifications.

ABTA is the ACT’s first and only beauty institute that offers international qualifications, so graduates are assured of a globally recognised education with local or international career opportunities.

The state-of-the-art academy at Phillip has two levels of practical classrooms, including a make-up studio and a unique beauty treatment clinic open to the public for students to refine their skills in a supervised, professional setting.

The internationally recognised qualifications that ABTA offers provide students with the world’s best training, says Ping. The CIDESCO and ITEC qualifications are the world’s most prestigious qualifications in the industry and and offer the highest level of training, says Ping who is also a CIDESCO examiner.

“The reason it is so prestigious is the examiner comes from overseas to assess the students. It is a strict but fair process.

“When employers see the qualification on the students’ resume they know they have done the hard yards to earn it,” says Ping.

Ping says that it was a dream-come-true moving to Canberra from Sydney to own her own business – and she’s never looked back.  

“I have a passion for teaching and love seeing my students learn new skills. I approach my teaching with discipline and love,” she says.

And Ping finds that many of her students come to her academy with the passion to follow their dreams.

And for those not 100 per cent sure, Ping encourages anyone curious about a career in beauty – be that beauty treatments, make-up artistry for events or for film and TV, or nail technology to come and visit the academy.

Ping knows first hand, having started her career in electrical engineering, the importance of finding out what a person’s passion is.

The ABTA is accredited to offer apprenticeships through the ACT government’s program and is holding an information night on January 21 for school teachers, students, parents as well as salon business owners interested in beauty traineeships with government assistances and incentives.

Above all, Ping encourages young people to try and find out what they love to do.
“We tend to have a low drop-out rate. We are honest with our students and tell them that study can be hard and we will teach them a lot. But if I can do it, they can, too.”

ABTA offers diploma-level courses to short courses held during the day or evening classes. They include a Diploma in Beauty Therapy, Diploma of Screen and Media, certificate or short courses in nail technology, spa therapy and advanced skin care.

The diversity of career paths available for graduates makes for an exciting future, says Ping.

International cruise ship recruiters annually visit ABTA to hire graduates for their luxury, five-star spas. Other graduates have also gone on to start their own businesses locally and interstate, work in make-up and hairstyling for international fashion weeks and on the set of film and TV shows.

The teaching staff are leaders in their fields and ABTA is passionate about providing students with work experience, to ensure they are ready to join the industry on graduation, says Ping.

Often Ping receives messages from her former students saying “Thank you for making my dream come true”.

“Don’t hesitate to chase your dreams, you can achieve it,” she says.

Enrolments for 2019 are open. Visit abtaedu.com.au for more information.

Australasian Beauty Therapy Academy, Unit 2/32-36 Colbee Court, Phillip, email info@abtaedu.com.au or call 6285 4255.