Angela Ramdath – From Combat Medic to Beauty Professional
As a former Combat Medic in the military, Angela Ramdath says she pursed a career in nursing after the armed forces, because that’s what she felt made the most sense for her.
But when a bad car accident left her injured and recovering at home, she decided it was finally time to do what she has a passion for. And when she began researching beauty schools, Empire was her choice.
“What drew me to Empire Beauty School was the location. It’s right in the heart of Manhattan. And this school has such great relationships with local salons. Managers come here looking for the next hard worker, the next new talent. So I feel I had an advantage.”
Angela had always had a passion for hair. In fact, her signature pink locks accompanied her to her first day at Empire.
“What made me feel comfortable was I was treated like everybody else, despite my age.” At 35, most of Angela’s classmates were much younger. It was a reality she needed to push through, and she did thanks to her educators.
"My teacher, my mentor, my friend. She is an amazing woman and a phenomenal cosmetologist."
“I had such great teachers and councilors. When I first started I wanted to quit. But one day while we were learning roller sets, I overhead my educator say “I love to see Angela work, that’s a girl that’s going somewhere.” and it just gave me the confidence I needed to keep going.”
In fact, Angela says that is the most important advice she can give current students. “Never give in to the little voices in your head that say “you can’t make it”. If you listen to it, even one time, it’s going to be your downfall. You need to just keep going.”
Lucky for Angela, she did. And as she neared graduation the opportunities started pouring in.
“I’m thinking I’m a student that no one notices, but they did and pushed me to apply for jobs and gain experience assisting. Empire opened so many doors for me. I am lucky; all I needed to do was follow through.”
Today, Angela is a manager at Benefits Cosmetics. She’s also had the chance to work on an independent movies, Youtube shows, and fashion events.
“I love what I do, because if you can make one person feel better about themselves, maybe they will be kind to others. As a combat medic I saw first hand what people have the power to do to each other. Beauty improves lives, not destroys them.”