You could take a course at college that will give you some of the skills and knowledge needed for this role.

Relevant courses include:

• Level 3 Diploma in Massage
• Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy
• Level 3 Diploma in Complementary Therapies

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

You could gain some of the skills and knowledge for this role through an advanced apprenticeship like a:

• holistic wellbeing practitioner
• beauty therapist

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

You'll need:

• sensitivity and understanding
• excellent verbal communication skills
• active listening skills
• the ability to work well with your hands
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• customer service skills
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• knowledge of how the human body works
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

In a typical treatment session you'll:

• check the client's medical history, diet and lifestyle
• identify the client's reasons for wanting massage therapy
• plan a course of treatment
• apply pressure to areas of the body
• give advice to clients about their wellbeing
• refer clients to medical professionals when required
• create and update client records

You could work in a therapy clinic, at a health spa or from home.

Your working environment may be physically active.

You may need to wear a uniform.