'Big Blue' Bath Bombs for OSTC Beauty students

It’s been a lush project this week for high school students studying Beauty Therapy through the Otago Secondary Tertiary College (OSTC) trades academy programme at Otago Polytechnic.

Two classes of girls aged 16-18 have been getting their hands “clean”, making sustainable bath bombs dubbed “Big Blue” as part of special workshops at LUSH Cosmetics in Dunedin.

OSTC Beauty Lecturer Sara Parker says the collaboration with LUSH is one of the highlights of the year for the young students.

“It provides a unique opportunity for the girls to gain knowledge and experience in sustainable practices in the beauty industry.”

"The handmade bath bombs experience will give them deeper learning around the unit standard on sustainability."

* Check out the Otago Daily Times story here...

The workshops are a little different to their regular classes, with students usually based in a classroom for theory or at the Otago Polytechnic Beauty clinic for practical treatments.

There they learn a wide variety of beauty treatments, and get to test out their skills by working on clients (including fellow students and invited friends and family).

Otago Secondary Tertiary College welcomes year 11-13 students from high schools around the region to the polytechnic one or two days each week, to learn skills across a range of courses.

All OSTC students earn industry unit standards that also go towards their NCEA qualifications.

Other Otago Secondary Tertiary College courses offered in Dunedin and Cromwell include Automotive Engineering, Construction, Hairdressing Salon Skills, Sport and Exercise, Police Pathways, Cookery and Hospitality, with some students earning New Zealand Certificates.