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Four students graduate from ICC with massage therapy program

Four new massage therapists hit the job market this month after they graduated from Isothermal Community College with their certifications.

The graduates are Sophie Gilbert, Halie Medlock, Tyler Moore and Dawn Griffin.

Isothermal’s Massage Therapy program provides 660 hours of training combining lecture time with hands-on practice of massage techniques. Coursework includes anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, nutrition, business practices, ethics and specific massage modalities. Students gain hands-on experience by working with the public in a clinic setting through the program’s student massage clinic.

Massage therapists can work in a variety of settings from physician’s offices to spas and hospitals to fitness centers. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for massage therapists are expected to grow 22 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average of all occupations. The median annual wage for a massage therapist in the United States was $42,820 during 2019.

Several spaces remain for the next massage therapy evening class starting Monday, August 31. The upcoming class will meet each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. until August 19, 2021. For North Carolina students, financial aid may be available.

“This program is an outstanding value,” said Karen Marshall, director of the Isothermal Polk Center. “We have wonderful instructors who teach to the highest standards. Our students are very successful in finding great jobs, often immediately after they are licensed and approved.”

This course prepares students to take the Massage Board Licensing Exam (MBLEX) and meets the standards to apply to the North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy (NCBMBT) to practice in North Carolina as a Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist (LMBT). Successful completion of the course and the MBLEX is also the first step in applying to multiple other states for a license to practice.

Call 828-395-1100 to learn more about the program curriculum or to reserve your space in the upcoming class.

Submitted by Mike Gavin