She also notes a Straits Times report early this year on the country’s Top 10 most in-demand jobs. Spa therapist is one of them. “The industry is faced with a constant manpower shortage situation,” she warns. “Many spa operators are forced to take in unskilled and unqualified staff just to meet their short term needs.”

And so, for those who are thinking of entering into the spa industry, this is indeed an excellent time.

What does it take to be a spa therapist?

“In general, equipping yourself with a recognised spa qualification would suffice,” says Ms Ong. Some of the commonly accepted qualifications include CISDESCO, ITEC, NSRS and World Masters. “However, to truly excel in the spa industry, it is not just solely about the paper qualification.”

Natural touch. “To be very honest, an excellent spa therapist must have a very good pair of hands. His/her hands must be warm, firm and have great control of his/her strength.”

Pleasing personality. “Additionally, it is important to have a nice personality with a [patience] to serve. Sometimes, I feel that Singaporeans are brought up in a culture preferring to be served than to serve — resulting in many service establishments preferring to hire foreign workers who are incredibly polite and proud to serve.”

Ability to smile. “You must enjoy meeting different people from all walks of life and be able to smile even if the customer is not nice — it happens!”