Empire Education Group Counts Down to the Opening of its 100th Beauty School

POTTSVILLE, Pa., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- 2009 was a banner year for Empire Beauty Schools, the largest provider of cosmetology education in the country.  In fact, during a year that negatively affected so many industries, Empire Beauty Schools showed significant expansion.  As its student population soared, Empire broke ground with multiple school openings and acquisitions and 2010 will be no different.  Empire Beauty Schools is celebrating its most exciting milestone yet with "100 Days of Empire, 100 Schools and Counting," a commemoration leading up to the opening of the 100th Empire Beauty School in July 2010.  

Empire's students can look forward to not only celebrating this growth milestone in their schools, but also the increase in job opportunities available to cosmetology graduates.  The US Bureau of Labor Statistics published its latest study projecting the cosmetology profession to grow by 20 percent between 2008 and 2018.  According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, this increase is "much faster than average."  The study attributes much of the growth in the industry to several factors including the continued growth in the number of full-service spas and nail salons, and because many now cut and style both men's and women's hair.  Also, the demand for hair treatment by teens and baby boomers is expected to remain steady or grow, offering Empire graduates a wide array of career options.

100 Days of Empire will entail a vast series of local events: one celebration per day, per school across the country.  Each event will honor the growth behind Empire's success, due mainly to the unrelenting dedication of all Empire employees, students and of course, alumni.

"Empire is more than just a cosmetology school system, it's a family of extremely talented, hard-working individuals that come together every day to create an incredibly successful learning environment for our students," states Franklin K. Schoeneman, CEO, Empire Education Group. "100 Days of Empire celebrates this accomplishment and will not only involve every school across the country, but also the towns and cities where they continue to grow and thrive, as our schools' communities extend well beyond Empire walls."

During the 100 days leading up to the 100th Empire Beauty School opening, each school, by regional market will offer an exciting array of components that make up the day's event, including:

• Open houses for potential students will take place to help anyone interested to explore the field of cosmetology, including hands-on activities that truly offer a meaningful snapshot of what it would be like to pursue this profession.
• Students who enroll on each school's individual event day will receive a complimentary CHI Flatiron (value $99.95) when they start class.
• Empire will donate $100 a day to one of each of the 100 local domestic violence shelters that Empire Gives Back supports.  These funds will be in addition to the nearly $200,000.00 that students have raised this year for women and children in need.
• There will be local networking opportunities and events with salons, schools and businesses.
• Local celebrities and dignitaries will be on hand to generate extra excitement.
• Fundraisers, prizes and contests will be held benefiting local shelters and organizations to energize and inspire current students.

On the 100th Day, Empire will host a system-wide celebration as well as a large scale grand opening of the 100th Empire school. On this day Empire Education Group will announce its inaugural Empire Beauty Ambassador Award to a known beauty industry expert who will work with Empire to provide inspiration, priceless expertise and a seasoned voice to the Empire community.

"The opening of our 100th school represents more than just expansion -- it's a testament to how far we have come as a community and to the impressive achievements our students and graduates consistently realize," says Schoeneman. "Words cannot describe how proud I am of the entire Empire family and I am very much looking forward to what's to come."

For a daily update on the program's progress visit: www.Empire100.com  

Empire Education Group

Empire Education Group provides quality in cosmetology education, offering students many of the finest training tools and facilities.  For over 75 years, Empire has grown to become one of the largest providers of beauty and cosmetology education in North America.  Empire's 95 accredited cosmetology schools in 20 states use exclusive Certified Learning in Cosmetology (CLiC) education curriculum; the company prepares students for successful careers in cosmetology (hair care, skin care, and nail care.)

Schools accredited under Empire Education Group include; Empire Beauty Schools, Concorde Academy, European Academy,  The Hair Design School, and Natural Motion Institute.   For more information and a complete listing of all schools under the Empire Education Group name, visit: www.empire.edu

SOURCE Empire Education Group