UK-based spa equipment supplier Dalesauna has launched a new award for spa students.

The Spa Innovation Awards will recognise the creativity and commercial skills of students in the UK and will be open to all colleges across the country offering spa courses.

Officially launching in September, students studying for a NVQ Level 3 in spa therapy or a spa-focused degree will be eligible to enter the scheme. They will have one term to complete a design task which will be incorporated into their curriculum and must demonstrate creativity, adaptability and commercial viability.

Gerard McCarthy, sales director at Dalesauna, said: “We’ve done a lot of work with colleges recently and more of them are investing in sophisticated spa facilities for training. We thought an awards programme would benefit everyone. Not only will the students and their colleges enjoy the accolade of winning, they will also gain important insight into the commercial side of the industry.”

Each college will assess its own students for the awards and then nominate one person for the final. A judging panel will then decide the final treatment or product.

There are also plans to introduce regional heats for the 2009–2010 academic year. The winning college will be awarded with Dalesauna equipment and the winning student and their tutor will receive an educational spa trip to an international location.