Maria makes a beautiful career change
Maria
Bielecki, is living proof that it is never too late to make career changes.
Until recently, she was living and working in Italy as Finance Manager,
of a shipping-based company, with trade in Spain, Portugal and Italy under
her control. Many people would see such an achievement as being the ultimate
in career advancement, but Maria has chosen to exchange accountancy for
a very different profession — Beauty Therapy.
Maria explained her radical job swap. "Beauty Therapy is something that has always interested me, so when I decided that a career change was in order, and I decided to try to do something very different, it was an obvious option."
"The location of the beauty school was very important to me," she explained. "Even though I now live in Woodford Green in Essex, my family live in Worsley in Greater Manchester, not far from Bolton. I had been away from home for quite a few years and wanted to spend some time with my family. Whilst looking for a training centre, I learned more about Mrs Maund and her reputation, so there was no need to look anywhere else."
The name of Lillian Maund is well known to beauty therapists on every continent. As Chairman of one of the world’s leading professional bodies, she has led the profession into the 21st century. She has also been responsible for restructuring professional examinations, making them accessible to all levels of student.
For
many years, the Lillian Maund Beauty Centre, was located in a Georgian
Hall in Chester, but expansion of Chester College provided an opportunity
to relocate the centre in more modern, flexible premises in Bolton. Westgate
House has become the new home to the Lillian Maund Beauty Salons, Beauty
Training Centre and International Aestheticiennes.
Maria has appreciated the centre’s adaptable approach to training, as she explains. "I have basically designed my own course, by selecting certain units and hope to complete my course early in the new year. One advantage of studying here is that the courses are flexible, so if there is anything I discover that I need to study, I can return later."
Does Maria see any cross-over of skills between her old and new worlds? "This job is very different from my work in finance , but I think that my management skills are helping me to deal with people, and both big business and beauty are professions which require a level of discipline."
Maria obviously has the sort of eye for detail which is so important in the beauty industry, as a fellow students was being photographed, she busied herself ensuring that everything in shot was perfectly arranged.
Studying can be difficult after so long out of the classroom, but Maria is aware of the change of attitude that she needed. "Initially it was very hard, because at work you get used to certain tasks, but now I am in an environment where I am back at the beginning, with zero base knowledge. The actual theory, combined with practical work is remarkably difficult, but I am working through it. I think many of the young students see me as a mother figure. I try not to mother them, but you can’t help it occasionally — offering gentle guidance when my experience allows me to see a solution. They know as much as me, I am just a student and learn from them as well as with them."
But what lies in the future after her investment in study comes to an end? "I have family life in both parts of the country, so I am splitting myself in two at the moment, but my plan is to work with a beautician at UK Beauty - part of the UK Salon Group. I have an arrangement to work with her as a self-employed therapist."