Located in the Salt Lake Valley in Utah, Cameo College of Essential Beauty is a family business focused on instilling confidence in students and preparing them with hands-on experience to succeed. While the campus offers other beauty industry programs, Cameo College’s nail program covers a wide range of skills that shape the nail industry.

KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY

Bud and Gail Reddick opened Cameo College in 1969 with only a cosmetology/barbering program. Gail saw a need to bring electrolysis to Utah and added the program a few years later.

The couple operated the school together until Bud started a new job. Gail continued to run the school until 1985 when she went into a coma and passed away after six months.

At 24-years-old, Brenda Scharman, Bud and Gail’s daughter, quit her full-time job to take over the school. “I can’t let Mom’s business die,” she says. Scharman serves as the second-generation owner and operator.

Since 1985, Scharman has added the nail technology program, along with programs for permanent cosmetics, makeup artistry, laser technology, and master/medical esthetics.

SMALL CLASSES, BIG LESSONS 

In the nail technology program, students are taught skills from acrylic, gel and fiberglass nails to spa manicuring, spa pedicuring, a pressure point foot treatment, and CND Shellac. Nail art is a favorite course among students to express their creativity using paint, glitter, foil, and nail stamps.

“Our nail students obtain an abundance of hands-on experience during their program,” school director Amber Padilla says. “This is one of the most critical aspects of this career choice because it gives our students confidence and success in the salon/spa industry.”

While nail technology is an entire program on its own, it is also part of the cosmetology/barbering program curriculum. The esthetics and master esthetics programs also include spa manicuring and spa pedicuring as part of their curriculum.

STATE OF ATTRACTION

Students from all over the Salt Lake Valley attend the easily-accessible 20,000 sq. ft. campus located about 10 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City. This is the school’s fourth location.

“As Cameo continues to grow, we have outgrown each campus,” Padilla says. “Owner Brenda Scharman chose this location because she wanted to build the dream facility that she always imagined. It is very accessible from the interstate and allows us to have students and guests from all over the Salt Lake Valley.”

Cameo’s diverse student body is comprised of high school students, individuals looking for a career change, and stay-at-home mothers interested in running a business from home. The school has experienced a slight decrease in enrollment from 2010’s highest student body count of 240. In 2012, the student body count was 201.

JOB HUNT

As most students get a job before they graduate, Cameo gives students the option to enroll in courses either full-time or part-time on both the weekdays and weekends.

Student services Representative Cyndle Turnbow informs students of potential jobs through social media posts and a job bulletin on the website. She also maintains a list of recent graduates in need of employment and follows up with them on a regular basis so they can find the right job.

Cameo graduates find opportunities to work in salons and day spas across the Salt Lake Valley.

“With the help of a dedicated team, Cameo has become and continues to be a leader in the beauty industry making a difference in many lives by providing superb education for those having a desire to reach their full potential in the beauty industry across the country.”

Fast Facts

Nail School: Cameo College of Essential Beauty
Location: South Murray, Utah
Owner: Brenda Scharman
Square Footage: 20,000
Opened: 1969
Number of Employees: 34
Number of hours to complete the nail course: 300
Website:www.cameocollege.com

Editor’s Note:  This profile is part of a series spotlighting successful nail programs. To nominate a nail program for an article, please e-mail sree.roy[at]bobit.com.

You Might Also Like:

Handout: Basic Nail Art Strokes + Beginner Designs

Handout: First Nail Salon Job Checklist