AUTOBIOGRAPHY
I have been an esthetician since 1998. I moved from Williams Lake, BC to Vancouver to take my esthetics program. I worked in some of the top spas in Vancouver at the time, and knew I had found my "Calling", so to speak. I loved being an esthetician and loved working in Vancouver. I ended up starting kickboxing at SKF and managed to attain my high green belt!
I then started as an assistant instructor to my Sensei, and taught warm up classes to adults and full kickboxing classes to children. It was awesome and I was eventually invited to start the black belt program. I was torn because the program involved a lot of time invested and I wanted to travel abroad while I still qualified for a student visa. So, I made the hard choice and decided to move to London, England, UK. I made the right choice/such an adventure. I lived and worked as an esthetician in London, and in Windsor, Eaton. I met so many amazing people, a lot of them becoming my "flat mates." Mostly people from South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. I was there just over 3.5 years. This allowed me to travel with ease to Germany, France, Spain, Scotland, and India. I tried to stay longer but the universe wouldn't allow it, so I came home.
The first year I was back on, "Home land."
I had an offer to create a spa diploma program for a college downtown Vancouver, so I obviously jumped at the opportunity and applied for the position. Within days, I was building a program and at the same time I was teaching it! Ya, 12 to 16 hour days, but it was so exciting at the time that it didn't matter to me. I was able to create something of my own and share it with everyone. A couple of years into my teaching career, the department was growing and I got promoted to department head. This came with a plethora of different responsibilities. I grew and learned a lot during those years, and I also believe that's when I realized I had some new grey hairs making an appearance!!! I spend over 15 years at that college, giving them all my sweat, blood, and tears along the way. Then I decided to make my move. I had always wanted to work in the Hair, Skin and Body department at VCC, and finally had the opportunity to apply. After my third interview, I got the job. (Cheering...) All the heavens opened and my mundane 15 year career was finally morphing into a new opportunity at a different college. I couldn't of been happier. I am recently engaged, and planning a wedding in August, so this year is a big one for me. I'm trying to not let it run into a stressful blur of events. Trying to relax and take it all in one day at a time. I am learning how to sail, and that seems to be the perfect form of relaxation to keep the balance I need in my life.
So, now that brings me to why I am here.
It is necessary and recommended that I enrolled into this training, the PIDP within 6 years of employment at VCC. So, here I am, 3 years into my employment with the company and ready to commit to an upgrade in my education. As instructors, we constantly crave knowledge and seek out different ways of doing things or new ways to showcase our materials. This will give me the platform I need to elevate my teaching style, and become current with my way of thinking and interacting with students in the classroom.
New chapter, new journey.
Amber Downing Creative Commons 2022