If pet grooming sounds like a career that interests you, why not start your journey to success with Canine Grooming Academy?
A beauty school for dog grooming, Canine Grooming Academy operates with a mission to help people with barriers to employment.
According to Rebecca Katz, co-founder of the dog grooming school,
“We believe in a world where all dogs get the care they deserve, regardless of their owner’s finances. But it’s not just dogs we want to help. We know there are thousands of people trapped in the cycle of poverty and unable to access the American dream. So, at Canine Grooming Academy, we’re excited to solve both of these problems and more.”
Building Up Canine Grooming Academy
Established by seasoned animal welfare leaders, Canine Grooming Academy offers a job training program for individuals who face barriers to employment in the pet grooming industry.
Initially, they wanted to focus only on helping domestic violence survivors, 80% of whom are living on the streets.
However, Rebecca and her co-founder, Bernie Machado, have also started to include in the people they’re trying to help, those who have been formerly incarcerated and who face significant challenges in securing meaningful and significant wages due to a lack of resources.
“We also want to provide discounted grooming for low-income pet owners or pet guardians—improving the care for animals—and opening up dog ownership to many more families who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford grooming. We’re hoping to help a lot of people and animals. That’s really our goal.”
Canine Grooming Academy on the Benefits of a Grooming Training Program
As for why they concentrated on offering dog grooming training, Rebecca said that the career provides a meaningful income coupled with the benefits of a flexible schedule.
It’s also a great starting point for both women, who share a passion for helping others using their extensive, combined knowledge in animal welfare.
“There’s a need everywhere for well-paying jobs. We live in a country of haves and have nots, and we want to give people more access to have’s. So, that’s it in a nutshell,”
Rebecca said.
As for Bernie herself, one other reason is that grooming provides everyone with a fantastic opportunity to give back. This, for her, is especially true when one considers the fact that it’s a 100-billion-dollar industry with many job opportunities.
“We want to create a generation of groomers in an industry that’s got a dearth of skilled labor. There are thousands of job openings and owners who are going out of business regularly because they can’t find talented and skilled labor. So, we want to help out the industry as well.”
Between the two co-founders, it might not be a stretch to say that their chances of successfully running Northern California’s first and only vocational training program are high. After all, Bernie’s a successful salon grooming owner, while Rebecca is a former director at two municipal shelters.
“As groomers, we bridge the gap between the client and the veterinarian. And we can help the owners have a healthier, longer life for the dog just by our basic education. So, (Canine Grooming Academy offers) a hands-on program… But most importantly, we teach them all the basics before they even understand all the chemicals that are involved in shampoos and conditioners and the equipment that goes alongside of the education.”
Learn more about the Canine Grooming Academy!
Visit their website at http://cgacademy.org/.
