With the rapid growth in the spa industry, education is extremely important in order for clients to receive a quality spa experience and for the industry to continue to thrive.  To advance education, ISPA and the ISPA Foundation have partnered with the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (commonly referred to as EI) to customize its Supervisory Skill Builders series - the hospitality industry’s supervisory education and certification program - for the spa industry.
“As the long-standing association for spa professionals, ISPA recognizes the need for quality ongoing education for spa professionals,” said ISPA President Jeff Kohl.  “The ISPA certification designations will become the hallmark of professionalism in the spa industry. “

Wes Ardis, EI`s vice president, allied programs, agrees, “Supervisory Skill Builders is one of the most successful products produced by the Educational Institute in its 50-year history. Tens of thousands of hospitality supervisors worldwide have been trained and certified using this program.”

The Spa Supervisor Skill Builders program consists of nine books customized with specific case studies from the spa industry.
The books have been designed for individuals who are beginning a spa management career or current spa supervisors seeking supervisory level education.  The books can be self-taught or taught in groups and are designed to be both current educational tools and future reference materials.
“The certification series will address a variety of spa management needs and levels, in every type of spa setting worldwide,” said ISPA Foundation President Francis Acunzo. 

An exam will test supervisors’ comprehension of the books’ contents as well as supervisory knowledge gained on the job. Individuals who pass the exam will be designated by ISPA as a Certified Spa Supervisor (CSS). 
The certification program will be officially launched during the 13th annual ISPA Conference & Expo, Oct. 13-16 in Dallas, Texas, United States. The Supervisory Skill Builders books and Certified Spa Supervisor application will be available in Dallas.  Prior to and following the Conference, additional information and applications can be found online at www.experienceispa.com.
The ISPA Conference & Expo is the premier event for the worldwide spa industry.  For additional details on the Conference, visit www.ispaconference.com.  Information on Conference registration, as well as an online registration form, are included on the site. 
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