How to Qualify for a Massage Therapist Salary
You can feel it in the pit of your stomach, can’t you?
It’s that frustrating feeling of wondering whether or not you should go to massage therapy school.
Some of your friends have told you that you don’t really need an education to start working as a massage therapist. However, you’ve done your research and you’ve read that you need a good education to become one.
But you still have doubts…
You don’t want to spend a lot of time and money on an education to find out that a massage therapist salary is not what you expected. Not only that, but you’re also afraid you might not get a job once you’ve finished massage therapy school.
In this post, Wellington College is going to show you why you need a massage therapy education and that massage therapist salaries are excellent. (Actually, they are far ahead of national averages for salaries than many other professions.)
We will also show you that the current market for qualified massage therapists is very strong and the job outlook is promising.
Reasons Why You Need to Attend a Good Massage Therapy School
Reason #1: Certification
One of the reasons why people think you don’t need to attend a massage therapy school is because there is no such thing as a standard massage therapy practice.
Many massage therapists work on their own, either part time or full time for themselves, or for a variety of businesses related to health care. So it would seem that it is not a tightly regulated industry.
However, nothing could be further from the truth.
In Canada, the provinces with the largest municipalities require a training program at a massage therapy school in order to work as a massage therapist. They also require that you pass certification exams as well.
The other provinces in Canada have professional associations for massage therapists. You will have to follow their standards in order to become a registered massage therapist and you may have to pass certification exams.
So, it’s imperative that you complete a program from a professional massage therapy school if you are going to earn a decent massage therapist salary.
Reason #2: Professional Acumen
Another reason why you should complete a rigorous training program is because massage therapists work with a wide variety of clients and professional organizations.
Massage therapy is also closely related to the health field and usually involves health insurance companies. The ability to prove that you can understand and perform tasks that will benefit your clients is paramount.
You’ll need an excellent education in massage therapy because it will make you a professional and give you the training to respond to a client’s needs. If a client comes to you with a particular muscle problem, you’ll understand and know the muscles and physiology required to help him.
You’ll also know what is safe to do and how to avoid causing more pain or harm to your client.
Not only that, but you’ll be working with a wide variety of clients and you’ll have to know how to conduct yourself professionally. A good massage therapist training program will teach you how to interview clients, evaluate, and perform different techniques required for their needs.
Reason #3 Better Opportunities
The job outlook in Canadian provinces over the next 3 years is strong. One of the reasons for the optimism is because the job is so varied.
Many massage therapists work in hospitals and doctor’s offices. People suffering from automobile accidents can use the skills of a well-trained massage therapist to give therapeutic help to accident victims.
Physiotherapy, chiropractic, and sports clinics hire massage therapists and because people are living longer, there is a growing pool of older clients that will need professional care.
Any of these professional health care related positions can pay a solid massage therapist salary.
Not only do you have all of those positions to consider, but you’ll have opportunities to work at popular franchises, spas, and even your own office should you decide to go that route.
The Best Path to a Great Massage Therapist Salary
At Wellington College School of Massage Therapy, we know you are looking for the best training possible to enter this career field.
While many schools emphasize short programs designed to quickly get you into the job market, Wellington College realizes that this is not a good idea.
Our rigorous program gives you a very thorough education so that you can justify a higher massage therapist salary to a potential employer.
Most schools that teach massage therapy range anywhere from 300 to 1000 hours of training. We pride ourselves on one of the most comprehensive courses on the planet; Wellington College’s Premier Program for Massage Therapy is 2500 hours.
The benefit to our students is the value and professionalism they can transfer to their employers and clients. Our graduates can confidently help the people they’re working with because they can address a wide variety of physiological challenges.
We have found that a short massage therapy program is not adequate for the extensive range of health issues related to this discipline. For this reason, Wellington College’s Premier Program is one of the most extensive in the industry today.
Our two-year program includes:
Foundation studies in musculoskeletal dysfunctions – So you will confidently understand how to treat a wide range of issues clients have
Swedish Massage Modality is one of the most important foundation components we teach – This will give you the knowledge to encourage blood circulation in clients while practicing essential massage therapy techniques
A firm understanding of anatomy, pathology, and basic massage techniques - So basic massage therapies will be second nature to you and you’ll be able to perform them easily
How to properly use equipment and experience in clinical settings – This will help empower you to be more professional and command a higher massage therapist salary
Wellington College’s 40 weeks of study has 36 hours of training per week. This is professional education which will prepare you to take any of the massage therapist certifications required by provinces in Canada or states in the U.S.
Also, Wellington College realizes that with better education comes more opportunity.
Our graduates can go into the job market very confident of their abilities and able to earn an excellent salary as a massage therapist.
Conclusion
You can achieve an excellent massage therapist salary if you have thorough training and education that is respected in the massage industry. After reading about Wellington College’s extensive education series, you can easily see that this is the program for you.
Are you still in limbo about this exciting opportunity in massage therapy?
Call Wellington College today to speak to one of our career counselors.
The call is free and we’re sure we can answer any questions you have about our school or a career in massage therapy.
Call right now. (204) 957-2402