Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Massage Therapy faculty members Renee Johnson and Tiffany Hammond recently earned Certified Massage and Body Educator (CMBE) status from the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education (AFMTE). Ms. Johnson is the senior instructor and program director for Chattanooga State’s Massage Therapy program and Ms. Hammond serves as an associate instructor.

“We are very pleased that Renee and Tiffany have completed their certification,” stated Dr. Jim Barrott, executive vice president of TCAT. “It demonstrates their commitment to making our Massage Therapy program the very best in the State of Tennessee, and the program graduates will be the real winners of their commitment.”

CMBE certification is for a period of three years, renewable upon completion of nine continuing education hours concentrated in the areas of teaching and learning. Ms. Johnson and Ms. Hammond completed a voluntary portfolio review demonstrating proficiency in the core competencies for massage therapy teachers. As experienced educators, the portfolio review process allowed them to become certified as CMBEs without having to go through a formal teacher training process.

“I feel honored to be one of the few instructors to become a Certified Massage and Bodywork Educator (CMBE) through AFMTE not only in our state but in the nation,” said Ms. Johnson. “Going through their rigorous process was very validating in that I passed a very strict standards test, set by our governing body of knowledge for massage therapy and that we are providing a quality education in a CTE (Career and Technical Education) venue.” Johnson noted that educational opportunities through summits and conferences have been imperative as they work to ensure that the program and instructors strive to be the best and to encourage students to be the best in the field as well. “To me, being a massage therapy educator is a calling,” stated Johnson. “I feel a deep need to be sure that our future massage therapists are trained to work compassionately with clients to provide quality care in the health and wellness sector of today’s environment.”

Ms. Hammond agreed that achieving this certification will elevate their TCAT program. “This certification will show that we are willing to go the extra mile for our students and continually learn new aspects of teaching to bring to the program,” she stated. “I got into massage therapy because I knew I wanted to help people on a daily basis, never expecting to fall into a teaching role, but I am so thankful that I have.”

Chattanooga State’s Massage Therapy program though TCAT consistently rates a 100% completion and job placement rate. Average earnings are more than $47K per year and that through 2030, the job outlook change will rise much faster than average at 32 percent.