Trade school offers alternate path to learning

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – While a four-year degree may be essential in some industries, the beauty industry is not one of them. For those looking for an option with lower costs, lower barriers to entry, and a faster path to learning, trade school is the obvious choice. The founder of L. Makeup Institute weighed in on the growing trend.

When 21-year-old Samantha Carpenter of Henderson determined community college wasn’t her thing, she enrolled in L. Makeup Institute of Las Vegas to master much more than the basics of beauty.

“You’re surrounded by so many other people, so many other talented artists and it’s really eye-opening to see how everyone does everything so differently,” she said.

Jobs in cosmetology in general are expected to grow by nearly 20 percent through 2030. Founder Lisette Waugh of L. Makeup Institute built her career in Las Vegas, known as the celebrity makeup artist to the stars she opened the campus in 2010. Due to its success, another one followed in Dallas Texas.

“I think with social media, it has brought an awareness to our career and what we do as makeup artists. It’s really helped and kind of catapulting it out there,” she said.

The average graduate spends about eight months in the accredited program which offers an in-depth specialized curriculum in beauty – including – makeup, airbrush, body painting, and special effects. The school is for those, like Samantha- with a serious passion for makeup artistry. Once they graduate, they are ready to enter their profession immediately. What’s more, Lisette says her connections with the employers in the makeup artist industry set her program apart from others, “That is for me, very key in what we do and it’s what’s helped me develop the curriculum. We have an advisory board and we get feedback from them. So that’s very important.”

There is also a job board and a website where graduates are able to create a profile for themselves. Lisette helps them upload their resume, and images of their work and then they’re able to access jobs. Employers, special employers have access to it as well. So they’re able to look at their resumes and reach out to them and she says it’s been very successful.