Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Assisting and Caring for Others Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Confer with clients about their medical histories and problems with stress or pain to determine how massage will be most helpful.
• Massage and knead muscles and soft tissues of the body to provide treatment for medical conditions, injuries, or wellness maintenance.
• Maintain massage areas by restocking supplies or sanitising equipment.
• Apply finger and hand pressure to specific points of the body.
• Develop and propose client treatment plans that specify which types of massage are to be used.
• Maintain treatment records.
• Assess clients' soft tissue condition, joint quality and function, muscle strength, and range of motion.
• Provide clients with guidance and information about techniques for postural improvement and stretching, strengthening, relaxation, and rehabilitative exercises.
• Treat clients in professional settings or travel to clients' offices and homes.
• Refer clients to other types of therapists when necessary.

Further Information

• Massage Therapist - from: N.C.S. [UK]
• Massage Therapist - from: YouTube [uk]

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Naturalist

Not surprisingly, some aspect of the natural sciences will run through the Naturalist's interests - from ecological awareness to nutrition and health. People with an interest in horticulture, land usage and farming (including fish) are Naturalists.

Some Naturalists focus on animals rather than plants, and may enjoy working with, training, caring for, or simply herding them. Other Naturalists will prefer working with the end result of nature's produce - the food produced from plants and animals. Naturalists like solving problems with solutions that show some sensitivity to the environmental impact of what they do. They like to see practical results and prefer action to talking and discussing.

Realist

Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.

Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.

While the IMTA is recognised by the State, the industry is self-regulating. The self-regulating approach is not only in Ireland but in many other European countries and other complementary therapies. We, and many other associations in Ireland, such as the herbalists, are members of FICTA (Federation of Irish Complementary Therapy Associations)and EFCAM (European Federation for Complementary and Alternative Medicine).

Qualifications are essential if you wish to work as a therapist in the spa sector. Courses in Beauty Therapy and Complementary Therapy can help you get started. Level 4, 5 & 6 courses can be found at the Further Education Institutes (e.g Beauty Therapy) and ETB centres nationally.  Level 7 & level 8 Degree Programmes are available in related Leaisure, Tourism and Hospitality areas, See also: list of hospitality courses from getalifeintourism.

Training & Development 

FET Centre Traineeship: Beauty Therapy, Management in centres around Ireland NFQ Level 5-6 Search our FET Coursefinder

FET PLC Courses: Holistic Body Massage,Personal Trainer with Sports Massage, Sports Injury & Massage TherapyAlternative Health & Wellbeing Therapies, Beauty & Complementary Therapies courses around Ireland at NFQ Levels 5-6 Search our FET PLC Coursefinder

Apprenticeship: There are no occupational apprenticeships in this career area at present, but new apprenticeships are being developed all the time NFQ level 5-10 Search Apprenticeships

Higher Education CAO Entry: Business, Health and Leisure with Massage, Recreation and Leisure Management NFQ Levels 7-8 Search our CAO coursefinder

Professional Development Associations

Postgraduate Study Options Sales, Business, Management NFQ level 9

Irish Therapists 

Irish Massage Therapists Association 

Last Updated: April, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €26k - €43k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role. Salaries can be pro rata and sessional. 

Data Source(s):
Indeed / Payscale/ Glassdoor

Last Updated: March, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment growth was strong for this occupation, particularly between 2021 and 2022. Census data shows that employment grew across all roles in this group between 2016 and 2022, with the strongest growth for pharmaceutical technicans.

The number of online job adverts for pharmaceutical technicians grew strongly in 2022 (+14%); skills in demand included, among others pharmaceutical knowledge, the ability to provide customer service & advice, and business skills, such as product sales.

A small number of employment permits were issued in 2022 for cardiac physiologists and paramedics. The available data sources do not signal any issues in relation to supply and demand for health associate professional occupations; however, if employment was to continue to increase, recruitment issues may emerge.

• Irish Association for Psychotherapy in Primary Care

  • 35 Merchants Road, Galway
  • 086 3403 932
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• CORU - Regulating Health & Social Care Professionals

  • Infinity Building, George’s Court, George’s Lane, Smithfield, Dublin 7, D07 E98Y
  • (01) 293 3160
  • [email protected]/ [email protected]/ [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Health and Safety Executive

  • 1G Redgrave Court, Merton Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 7HS, UK
  • +44 (0)845 345 0055
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here