Jackie combines her love for beauty and travel

Jackie completed her Diploma of Beauty Therapy at South West TAFE at the end of last year and now has plans to work with the rich and famous in the superyacht industry.

Originally from New Zealand, Jackie’s family moved to Timboon where they run a dairy farm.

She said it wasn’t until she went to Italy on a 12 month student exchange through secondary school that she developed an interest in beauty.

“It wasn’t something I was really exposed to on the farm, but my host families in Italy introduced me to that world and I have grown to really love it,” she said.

Jackie completed certificates in make-up and waxing while at secondary school and then went straight from year 12 to her Diploma of Beauty Therapy.

“I really fell in love with the subject and everyone at TAFE was so understanding - working around my farm commitments.

“I love travelling and I wanted to do something that you could take anywhere in the world,” she said.

Jackie said she was lucky to have picked up work at Deep Blue Bath House and Day Spa half way through her diploma which had helped give her extra confidence in her massage skills.

“I love being able to give people that time to themselves where they can forget about the world and have time to themselves,” she said.

Jackie has just returned from a trip to France where she gained some experience working on boats and will return in May with the hope of gaining contract work on the superyachts in the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

“My TAFE course prepared me so well for this line of work. We learnt about client confidentiality and I felt so well prepared to gain any kind of work in the beauty therapy industry,” she said.

Jackie’s advice to anyone considering studying beauty therapy is to fully commit to your studies and have fun with it.