BEAUTY THERAPY is an expanding area in Ireland, with therapies such as massage and aroma therapy rivalling the popularity of the more traditional facials and manicures. In addition to beauty salons, an increasing number of health clubs and hotels offer massage, nail care, beauty treatments and aroma therapy.

The dream of many young women and it is an almost exclusively female occupation is to become a beauty therapist on a cruise liner. While some will achieve this, others may have to settle for working behind the counters in chain stores or taking on agencies for cosmetics firms and using their own homes as selling points, with beauty treatment thrown in, in the hopes of expanding the beauty treatment element.

Post Leaving Certificate courses in beauty therapy are offered by a number of centres. The beauty therapy option is combined with hair dressing in some courses. There are also private schools offering beauty therapy courses, but these are expensive compared to the PLC route.

Ann Dempsey, who is on the education committee of the Society of Applied Cosmetology, says second level students interested in beauty therapy should remember that they will be working with people on a one to one basis, so their communication skills are important.

"Sometimes people think it is very glamorous. It is a very nice job and you can travel with it, but students may not realise how much hard work there is involved in the courses and how much study," says Dempsey, who works in Bronwyn Conroy's beauty salon in Dublin.

All the colleges emphasise the need for pleasant personality and good personal presentation. Deirdre Carberry of the College of Commerce, Cork, says that a lot of students have done some voluntary work experience in salons prior to interview. Students will study anatomy and physiology to first year nursing level, she says, so a knowledge of biology would be a help. The college usually receives more than 100 applications for its 25 first year places.

Graduates of the course, Carberry says, may find work in traditional areas such as salons and liners, but that there are also openings in film, TV and theatre make up, as well as the possibility of specialising in aromotherapy or reflexology.

"If you're a good therapist you will get a good job, but it may take a few years," she says. Beauty therapy is not a well paid job, but there is the possibility of eventually opening your own salon.

John Maher, principal of Mullingar Community College, is also sanguine about job prospects. "There is no problem in placing students," he says. As is the case with most PLC colleges, all applicants for the course are interviewed. In addition to an interest and communication skills, he says, prospective therapists should not be squeamish.

Students usually practise on each other before they practise on the public. "They can appreciate what's involved and empathise with the customers' feelings," Maher explains. Students do work experience in salons and also bring people into college for treatments.

Mullingar Community College broke the mould two years ago when it was the first college to take a young man on to its beauty therapy course, Maher says. He has done very well and there is no reason that a male beauty therapist can not succeed as well as a female.

Senior College Dun Laoghaire, which offers a two year course, including CIDESCO, will have its first male graduate this year.

Places on beauty therapy courses are much sought after for instance, Dun Laoghaire reports loo to 150 applicants for its 50 first year places so students should apply early.