Sophia-Marie Roman used her Gloucester County Institute of Technology Cosmetology education to jumpstart a small business specializing in bridal and special effects makeup.
“A career and technical education is more than learning a career,” said Jamie Moscony, superintendent of Cape May County Technical Schools.” It’s learning how to lead in any industry a student pursues, and that is why our schools produce so many entrepreneurs. Our instructors challenge students to think independently and solve problems daily by applying what they learn in the classroom to real-world scenarios. Our educational model gets students into workplaces to continue learning, not just technical skills, but also what it means to be a professional.”
Proof this approach to education works is in the stories of alumni who are excelling as young entrepreneurs.
In just nine years since graduating from high school, Sophia-Marie Roman has turned her passion for beauty into a small business with large demand. She credits the head start she got as a high school Cosmetology student at Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT) with putting her on an accelerated path to building her brand and clientele.
A licensed cosmetologist and makeup artist, Roman operates Sophia-Marie Makeup Artistry and specializes in luxury bridal and special effects makeup. She made the savvy business decision to join the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), which expanded opportunities for her to take on jobs for television, theater and film productions. Her professional highlights include working on concerts, national tours and theatrical productions featuring artists such as Andrea Bocelli, Yuja Wang and Ana Gasteyer, as well as standby makeup work for Kristin Chenoweth and the pilot episode of Bel-Air.
Roman’s confidence as a young entrepreneur comes from being prepared with both technical and professional skills right out of high school. Her story is similar to many other young entrepreneurs featured last month as part of the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools’ (NJCCVTS) series highlighting successful alumni from across New Jersey’s 21 county vocational-technical schools. The NJCCVTS annually runs the series throughout CTE (career and technical education) Month in February.
Saying “I Do” to Entrepreneurship
Much like Roman, Ashley Viera Soto turned her passion for hair and makeup into a thriving business with the help of the Cosmetology program at her county vocational-technical school, Cape May County Technical High School.
Ashley Viera Soto started Say I Do Hair at just 21 years of age, empowered by the technical and professional skills she honed at Cape May County Technical High School.
A 2012 graduate of the school’s Cosmetology program, Soto developed expertise in hairstyling, makeup application, sanitation and client consultation. She credits the comprehensive, career-focused training she received for not only easing her transition into the workforce but also giving her the courage to pursue entrepreneurship at a young age.
“The program prepared me to confidently transition into the beauty industry right out of graduation, which set me up for the success of owning my own business by the age of 21,” she said.
Soto co-founded Say I Do Hair, a bridal hair and makeup business she owns and operates alongside her business partner. Since its launch, the business has grown to serve brides throughout South Jersey, Philadelphia, New York and beyond.
“Watching the business grow and being able to do what I love every day has been incredibly rewarding,” added Soto.
Giving Photography A Shot
A recent 2025 graduate of Ocean County Vocational Technical School’s Design and Visual Communications program, Abby O’Melia is in the early stages of building a photography business.
Abby O’Melia graduated from Ocean County Vocational Technical School last year and has since launched a photography business specializing in automotive photography.
O’Melia said her teachers played a key role in helping her refine her photography and design skills by providing individualized feedback and opportunities that matched her creative style. She was regularly encouraged to photograph school events and complete assignments focused on editing, composition and visual design.
Such real-world assignments also forced her out of her comfort zone as an introvert. She became more comfortable collaborating with peers, seeking feedback and working a variety of assignments.
“My teachers knew I’d be able to break out of my shell, and they kept pushing me until it worked,” she added.
O’Melia’s personal and professional development in high school led her to take the leap into offering her photography services as a small business. Today, she continues to grow her portfolio by saying “yes” to a range of photography jobs that come her way, although she is discovering a niche for automotive photography.
“I’m trying to keep my Instagram automotive based because that’s something I’ve learned about myself,” O’Melia said. “I enjoy going out and seeing so many different builds that people have come up with for their cars and highlighting it for them in my posts.”
Follow O’Melia’s work and connect on Instagram @omelia.photography.
Celebrating CTE Success
View all the CTE Month alumni success stories shared by NJCCVTS at https://careertechnj.org/news/.
This article originally appeared Mar. 23, 2026 in NJBIZ. It is authored by Jackie Burke, executive director of the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools.
