As she was entering her 30s, Summer Lilley wanted to take hold of her dreams and make them a reality, so she made the decision to move to Southland from the West Coast to study the New Zealand Certificate in Beauty Therapy (Level 4) at SIT. By her own account, “It has been incredible”, she says.
Summer, who was born and raised on the West Coast, wanted to study somewhere that offered affordable living for her family in a safe environment, as well as more opportunities. “Southland has all of that on offer, so it was really a no-brainer!” she said.
Having wanted to pursue beauty therapy since her teen years, Summer admits “life happened”, and she fell into the social services work sector. “I was running my own business and had been for a number of years, before realising that following my dream of becoming a beauty therapist was something I had to do to feel fulfilled in my career.”
Summer took the time to research every beauty course in New Zealand and found SIT to be the most suitable for her family and her requirements. “The environment of SIT was much warmer and more welcoming than anywhere else I had looked, and Southland could provide the lifestyle my family and I enjoy.”
Entering her studies, Summer expected to be well supported throughout the programme. “SIT lived up to that expectation tenfold and I can't rate it highly enough, especially for adult learners, either entering a career or wanting to change their career.”
“My programme of choice was taught incredibly well, with tutors who were experienced, knowledgeable and passionate about the trade.” This made all the difference in Summer’s learning experience, and the mix of theory and practical experience was perfect for honing her skills and putting them into practice.
“I learnt to be a highly trained, competent and professional Beauty Therapist who was work ready upon graduating my course,” Summer said, adding that her tutors were “absolutely fundamental” to her success. While it was ultimately up to the individual - what they put in was what they got out of the course – “to be frank” she said, “without my tutors backing me every step of the way, I may not have had the confidence that I do now upon completion of my qualification”.
Summer said she would be forever grateful for her tutors’ support and guidance; “They really should be commended for the work they do.”
There were plenty of campus events while Summer attended SIT and she enjoyed offerings such as free lunches run by XO church. “Being a student was not at all scary or daunting, there are so many support services and everyone is approachable and willing to help.” Summer adds this is a strength that SIT holds, and believes it isn't talked about enough. “You can access almost any support you need, from healthcare to learning needs. It really should be highlighted.”
Managing study whilst also having a young family to support and care for at home, was one of the big challenges Summer faced during her course. “Time management is my best friend, and I don't think my study would have been easy if I didn't have the support from my family; we all worked together to make my attendance possible.”
Now a Beauty Therapist at a salon in Invercargill’s city centre, Summer says “It's a gorgeous space with an incredibly experienced team. It has given me the opportunity to grow and learn more skills within my career whilst being supported by a beautiful team.”
Summer’s goal is to become the best Beauty Therapist that she can be and plans to add more specific training to her qualification in the future, which will help build more skills and expertise. Being so passionate about every aspect of the beauty industry, she says “leading with my best foot forward always is the goal”.
“I have high standards, and it is important to me that I continue to grow in experience and knowledge, so I am able to provide and offer high-quality care, services and advice for my clients.”
Summer says without the training at SIT “I would not have been able to enter a role like this and feel confident [in providing] high-quality services and care.” SIT has helped Summer to achieve her dreams and made her see “that change, while sometimes scary is so necessary to reach your goals… SIT is a brilliant learning establishment, and I am so glad I chose here to complete my learning journey.”