Born-and-bred Queenstowner, Katie Stevens, found her niche as a Beauty Therapist after completing the New Zealand Certificate in Beauty Therapy (Level 4) at SIT Queenstown campus.
After finishing high school, Katie was quite hesitant to go straight into study. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do ... “, she said, so she started out in retail, then looked for something more challenging because she couldn’t see herself progressing in that sector.
Katie heard about SIT’s Beauty Therapy programme by word of mouth and remembered it from Wakatipu High School as a STAR course, but at that stage it wasn’t offered to her as an option.
It was an easy decision to commit to further study and training in Queenstown. “I love living here so when I saw that the course was offered here, it was a no-brainer,” Katie says. Also appealing – the programme was only one year in length and had Zero Fees.
“... SIT put me in a mindset of [it’s] only a year… I have an interest in the industry, what have I got to lose?”
Prior to the programme commencing, Katie thought she had enrolled in “just a basic course”, but soon realised it was much more than that.
“It provided a lot more learning opportunities, such as theory, product knowledge, visiting industry reps coming to speak to our class, as well as additional training opportunities,” she explained. Alongside the beauty content, valuable business skills were taught, such as customer service, team skills, how a salon should run, and health and safety.
One of the most valuable lessons Katie took away from her studies was “Organisation is the key to success”. Therapists require clean linen, good communication with clients, trolley set-up and more. “... everything was provided for us, we just had to take the step to be organised and have good time management.”
Katie enjoyed her time at Queenstown campus too, especially meeting new people - classmates, tutors and clients.
Course highlights included off-site visits: Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa, Ivy Clinic, and the Dunedin trip; the Zero Fees Scheme, and tutors who were very helpful. “[They] were always there when we needed anything.”
Katie faced her hardest challenge on the programme during the pandemic when lockdown made studying difficult “because there was so much [learning] to cover”. However, she conquered this “by knuckling down and working hard to get my sign offs. I made sure I used my SDL (Self-Directed Learning) days to my advantage, and it did pay off.”
After graduating, Katie began her working life as a Beauty Therapist at Eve Beauty in Frankton, Queenstown, in 2022. “SIT set me up with the base knowledge needed to gain this job,” she says. Continuing with on-the-job, learning, Katie mastered a variety of salon treatments. “Working at Eve I learnt a lot more treatments … such as LVL lash lifts, brow laminations, BIAB nails,” and more.
Katie ventured out to start her own home salon business in April 2024, wanting a change of scenery from the salon. “I am always wanting to challenge myself and grow; opening my own salon was the next step,” she says.
SIT training gave Katie the confidence and background knowledge to start up a business. “…knowing what booking systems to use, pricing, treatment menus, design, …sanitisation and sterilisation processes, ensuring I had the correct tools and how important it is to have repeat clientele.” She enjoyed the freedom of making a treatment menu specific to her strengths and treatments that she “thoroughly enjoyed” carrying out.
“My main highlight from having my own business were all the lovely clients that came through and supported me. I loved building those valuable relationships with them and providing a quality service that they were happy with.”
Katie’s successful business enabled her to move to Australia recently, something she’d always wanted to do. “It was very sad to leave all my lovely clients, but they all knew that I needed to take this next step in my life,” and acknowledges starting up a home salon was the best decision she could have made. “I learnt a lot over the year, and I am very proud of myself that I managed to have a fully booked calendar in just a year’s work.”
Currently doing café work on the Sunshine Coast, Katie’s taking a break from the beauty industry. “I did bring my nail kit and tinting kit over with me so I can still do what I love…” And she’s in a great place to continue achieving her dreams and goals. Whether it’s more travel, setting up a life in Australia, or eventually returning to New Zealand, Katie’s already proved her success in Beauty Therapy. “When or if I ever come back to Queenstown, my clients will all welcome me back with open arms.”