So... back to the question in hand... How do you become a trainer?

It might be quite good to hear from the different professions within the salon industry, ie waxing, nails, massage, hair etc.

How long is recommended to be in the relevant industry before embarking on becoming a trainer/educator?

Are there differing amounts of weeks/months/years that different salon professions require candidates to have had experience in prior to considering them as a trainer/educator for their company/business/college?

Let's all try to keep it on topic please

I call myself a trainer, although I did a teaching certificate 18 years ago, my assessors qualifications about 10 years ago and have been teaching here and there.

I have recently started to write my own training manuals which are accredited and approved through THE GUILD. I also pay extra insurance to be able to issue my students with a certificate that they can gain insurance for.

The industry is becoming self regulating, and it is good to see that most people are now undertaking teaching certificates.

I personally would always check that the course that I attended was acceptable to my insurance company.

But, teaching does really need that certain flair, that passion for the subject that you are teaching. Also tips, antedotes, EXPERIENCE!

Now lets all play nice xxx

Ive done 3 year training course part time 1 night a week for beauty therapy NVQ Level 2 & 3, including an in depth anatomy and physiology. Thats what you need to know!!! also, and i asure you it aint mastered over a few hours.i went from being mobile to owning a beauty salon all this whilst keeping my main job as income . I am very proud of myself juggling all this ( i should be 8 stone haha) very hard work and im still working at it. Adding to my bow other interesting treatments as im able to do this with my NVQ Qualifications.

it does take a lot of blood sweat and tears and I so admire you doing it the right way not taking a short cut and just opting to train with a product and then call yourself a trainer which is what so many do and this is my gripe. Well done you, you have every right ot be proud of yourself.

I have been constantly training for the past 5 years. I trained with CND to Master Nail Technician and NVQ Level 3 but have never felt the confidence to push myself with the nail enhancement industry.. enjoying more natural nail care. It just isnt my 'bag'. I have had private training in waxing on a fast track course when I started out 5 years ago... and lots more fast track courses but then felt I 'needed' to do it all again but in collage over two years covering waxing again and the usual Level 2 beauty therapy moduals, but in a more intense course Beauty Specialist Techniques which is VTCT qualification. I didnt want to do the full level 3 (which I did the level 2 to do but I just got too busy in my salon to spare the time) so I did another 6 months training in Level 3 Body Massage, then a further year in Level 3 Diploma Aromatherapy Massage. Along with VCTC A&P plus NVQ 3 in Electrolysis plus many workshops ie hopi ear candles.. hot stone therapy level 1 and 2. etc etc And more recently this year intimate waxing for men with Axion and topped this up with some mentoring from Kim for female intimate waxing... plus had more advanced wax training with yet more to come over the next couple of months. I am starting my 7303 this september and once this is completed I do feel I will be ready to train other people who want to learn waxing... I have had 5 years experience waxing on a daily basis... I havent just had product knowledge... I have had extensive training and experience and feel very proud of what I have achieved and worked very hard for thus far.

More please

I want to hear from ALL sectors of the salon industry on this one!!!

I was working for a distributor when a sales rep from ProFinish approached me about becoming an educator. I had to have a certain amount of experience at the time, although I cannot remember how much.
My regional training position required me to travel to Scotsdale, Arizona and complete a grueling course. I'm not putting it down, just the opposite. But I am saying that it was pretty tough.
If you have a product that you love to work with, then contact the company and inquire about a position.

Maybe there's two sides to this thread:-

HOW DO YOU BECOME A TRAINER
Appraoch the brand that you want to train for and see how you go about it. Or, go to your local adult education colleges to see if they run courses in your subject.

HOW DO YOU BECOME A GOOD TRAINER
Practice and keep your standards high at all times.

aren’t they both needed to be a trainer and a good trainer..??

Now that is an interesting question given that there does seem to be an increase in trainers it would be good to know what is enticing them down this road & what the motivation is to take on the extra work?

Also, to the trainers: How do you cope with your existing clients when you are always out training? Does your base business suffer? Surely if you are working all day every day serving clients then taking days off to train will mess with your appointment book?

Still true to the original post aswell x

I took the training job on to expand on what i was doing. At the time i was working part time for the DWP & doing part time mobile (nails, tan & wax) Also that i LOVE tanning, and i wanted to pass all my knowledge on to the north east (we didn't have a spray tan trainer)

After a few month, i quit my job with DWP and was doing mobile full time, and training.

Now i work for Wow, train and still do mobile.

But i have a different view on training now, in a few year i want to have my own academy... as there isn't many in the northeast. Then i might go on to having a distribution unit... then take over the world... hahaha... only messing.

I am only 23... my possibilities are endless, i am soooo grateful for the job i have with wow, training/in the office as it has, and will continue to open many doors for me.

I LOVE MY JOB!!!

OMG not another wax queen

From the considerable amount of time I have been involved with training at all levels there is one thing that is consistent with those that I have had the good fortune to meet....desire and a passion for wanting to pass on your skills to others!!

Unless your at the top of the Christmas tree in your given subject becoming a trainer is not going to make you super rich and will give you many sleepless nights..should I have passed that student..was I right to ask her/him back because he/she wasn't quiet ready...OMG that student just cant get the hang of what I'm trying to teach her so am I any good as a trainer kind of questions to yourself.

There is an overwhelming feeling when you are able to teach or pass on a skill to another individual and watch them take what you have taught them and get out there and do it for themselves...

The most successfully trainers are those that enter this sector not purely for financial gains but simply out of desire.

To become a competent and successfully trainer you do need to have a willingness yourself to be taught and to constantly strive to be better at what you do.


Training others relay is not as easy as it may seem but none the less if you can master it the rewards are wonderfull...

Can I speak for the nail side of the industry?

As I was the lead trainer for Creative Nail Design in the UK for 20 years, during which time we won, not ONE but TWO, awards for the Best Industry Training, I feel I have the right. Our company still is the only NAIL company to have ever even been nominated for these awards let alone won them twice. We won over competition from Dermalogica amongst others, which makes me even more proud as I respect their place in the industry hugely.

We won I believe because of several things. Our Passion, our commitment, our integrity, our skill, our innovative products and our CULTURE of education. Yes, education is not a programme at Creative it is 'where we live' it is our culture and one of the founding philosophies of the company.

So what does anyone have to do to become an Ambassador for this awesome company ... what do you have to be able to offer to Creative in order to become a trainer for them? All of the above plus a minimum of 5 years salon experience and the desire to share and help others learn and improve to the point where they are successful in the job.

Do you have to have letters after your name? Not necessarily. WE undertake the training of our Ambassadors and we turn out the finest in the world. Training is stringent and on going.

Just to qualify to do the CND educator training requires guts and determination and humility too because only a small proportion of those who apply actually get picked to do the Creative Boot camp training. Only the best of the best will make it and they have to prove it at pre qualification.

Many many fail before they get to the point of being chosen. This is always sad but more than just the above things it is also most important that a persons personality fits with the rest of the team and that their attitude is what we want to see in our educators. I have turned down some great nail technicians over the years because they just didn't fit in. For them It was about their ego and not about the student. With Creative the ego has to go out the door because we are all about the students and seeing that they 'GET IT'.

So if you think you fit the bill ... you need to apply to the company and get onto the pre qualification list and even before that and a personal interview there is a questionnaire to fill out and even this could cause your elimination. It's no wonder that one person said, "It's easier to get into MI5 than become a Creative Ambassador.

By the way, we have just held our pre-qualification day for ths year on Monday this week so you've got another year to get prepared. You have to be a Creative Grand Master technician before you can even start the process. But it's worth it.

You know Geeg that post makes me respect CND so much more and actually inspires me!

It's like if you want to be a CND trainer you have to work your ass off to prove your good enough. So to actually get in is a major achievement & a worthy achievement.

It's also really good for students as they are truly getting the best of the best not just at the art but the teaching as well.

I wish all company's were this strict a few people who have taught me were barely better than me and couldn't get their point across at all!

And that is because education is only a programme to them, something they are required to do to look good ... most nail companies will sell to anyone, no matter what they say to the contrary, with or without any education. Education is not their culture and it never will be ( they don't even understand what that means or the difference between the two), nor will they ever have the loyalty CND enjoy from their customers.

Well I think that is why CND is so respected.

I always tick people off for doing this on threads BUT .... Thank you.