Article courtesy of Lucy Jarvis, North Coast Times

Adding beauty training to the school curriculum has boosted students' attendance, skills and confidence, a Clarkson teacher says. Clarkson Community High School's vocational education and training head Anne-Marie Ellery said the school started investigating a beauty training facility in 2014, and introduced the course this year in a custom-built salon.

"We've got Trades North which offers all the traditionally male trades; the traditional female things are a bit light on up here," she said. Education assistant Corinne Price, who had previously run her own business as a beautician, undertook training and now teaches the students. Ms Ellery said 16 years 11 and 12 students joined the course at the start of the year, and they started by doing Certificate II in retail, which included merchandising.

"That would prepare them for work in a whole range of environments," she said.

The students have also been learning to do make-up, manicures and pedicures, and next year the school hopes to add Certificate III with facial and massage training.

"The interesting bit is in the individual stories of some of the students who have had a major turnaround in attendance," Ms Ellery said.

Ms Ellery said the You Beauty Training Salon had started offering services to the wider community six months into training to simulate a work environment.