Have you ever considered looking at massage jobs? This is a growing field, with more and more people turning to gentler, more natural forms of treatment.
Massage jobs can come in a variety of fields, including the NHS, private healthcare, salons, spas and hotels. However, most trained therapists work on a self-employed basis.
To be able to consider any type of massage jobs you will need training and a good qualification - check that whatever training you undertake is recognised by the Institute of Sport & Remedial Massage (ISRM) - this is the professional body that promotes and protects the needs of professional therapists.
ISRM qualifications are externally validated by Edexcel/BTEC, and include the BTEC Professional Diploma in Clinical Sport & Remedial Massage (Level 5), and the Diploma in Sport & Remedial Massage.
You can increase your career prospects further by specialising in a particular branch of the field. Some of the more popular options include:
- Indian head massage - this involves using specialised techniques to relax the neck, shoulders, head and face
- Sports massage - specialists treat a variety of sports injuries
- Baby massage - increasingly popular, this can be very effective in helping to calm and bond parents and babies
- Swedish massage - a relaxing and rejuvenating technique that works on the whole body, especially the limbs and back.
Positions can be found in local newspapers, through industry publications press such as Massage World, or on the internet.
