Spa-related education and training

The spa industry offers a diverse range of services and at the time of writing, enjoys unprecedented growth rates of 16% annually ( Global Spa Meeting, New York, 2007 ). Whilst this growth is exciting and provides new opportunities, it has also provoked a considerable shortage of experienced spa therapists and spa managers, and many spas are finding themselves with inexperienced or under-qualified teams of people. The recruitment and retention of qualified employees have become one of the industry's greatest challenges. The diverse nature of the industry, along with a lack of recognised standards and a growing need for employees, has also created both opportunities and challenges for education and training providers. This chapter aims to give an overview of employment in the spa industry, the range of spa education providers and the factors that drive spa education, accreditation issues and the regulatory environment for spa education along with future trends in spa-related education.