Preston girl Jenna Greenan should have a head-start in selecting a career as her mother works within Central Lancashire University’s Careers Department. This former Broughton High School Student left school with nine GCSEs, two of which counted towards a GNVQ in Leisure and Tourism, which might be handy, considering her choice of profession.

Whilst Jenna’s leisure time was taken up enjoying the pleasures of dance and drama, including shows at the Guild Theatre, it was a work experience in a local beauty

Salon, which opened up the possibility of combining work with another great love — travel. In recent years, Jenna has travelled extensively with her family, exploring destinations beyond Europe, as far as America and the middle east. By starting training in Beauty and Body therapy at Bolton’s newly re-located Lillian Maund Training Centre, she has entered a profession where employment in exotic locations is the norm rather than the exception.

‘I found out about Lillian Maund from my mother’s hairdresser,’ Jenna explained, as she trained alongside students who have travelled great distances to experience a unique training regime.

Whilst the salon side of Westgate House is of most interest to local people the Lillian Maund Training Centre has been established for more than 30 years, and has achieved a world-wide reputation for producing highly skilled therapists though its unique approach to training. Each intake of students usually includes some who have travelled great distances to experience Lillian Maund training. Californian Susanna Lin, is amongst the current intake and typifies the modern Lillian Maund student.

‘After studying here, I would like to work for a year of so, then travel to Japan, to get to know how they approach beauty training, to get the Asian aspect of being a beautician,’ she says. Susanna graduated from High School a year in advance of her classmates, and used the time to travel to Taiwan, where she spent ten months learning to read and write Chinese. She plans to use her travel to expand her horizons before eventually establishing her own salon.

Many students find Lillian Maund training is a passport to a more exotic life, some are fortunate to travel as part of their training, and many former students gained their first taste of travel accompanying Mrs. Maund on professional engagements to America, India or the Far and Middle East. A larger number have found jobs abroad, either teaching in beauty schools or working in salons, or on cruise ships, which is an expanding area of the beauty business.

Jenna, who is a self-confessed perfectionist, knows that to reach to the top requires experience as well as excellent training. ‘Once I have qualified, I plan to travel the world, because Lillian Maund qualifications signify top-class beauty therapists. I would like to work in Dubai, where there are some of the word’s best hotels. Eventually, I would like to open a chain of my own salons, but that will be well in the future.