I have concrete evidence that proves with out a doubt those who come in for training, are willing to "relearn" and strive for education even after they have graduated go on to success. They may not become platform artists, place in competition or be "famous" but they do make a living wage, are often booked weeks in advance and continue to support the industry by donating time and resources to it's advancement.

Part of our federal regulations for post secondary accredited schools requires that we track job placement and keep an employment history for our graduates. The students who come in and have been doing hair or nails at home usually do not pursue their education with the passion of those who want to do things right. Those same "home schooled" students usually will sit for their exam and then do nothing with it. They usually wash out with in 1 year. The students who come in wanting to learn often work in the salon 5 or more years before moving on and when they move on it is usually toward an education aspect but still with in the industry. These are the stylists and technicians that become educators and ambassadors or volunteer time to mentor or work with distributors behind the scenes at shows or competitions.

I've had the pleasure of working with some of these great students and it is fantastic to see what some of them become and the places they go. I'm proud of my students, not just the ones I have now, but the ones I have had and the ones I will have. I know that as an instructor I have to struggle and over come the bad habits that people have taught themselves so I have to be at the top of my game and armed with technical, visual, artistic and creative information for absolutely every question they could possibly ask so that when I do have a self taught I have enough ammo to encourage their misdirection into the right direction.

Some of the most knowledgeable people are the ones who quietly work, attend classes and have a full book. This describes the majority of the "regulars" on this site. Keep up the education!!

in my opinion it is exactly the same in the beauty industry!

only today was i helping a friend (who has passed her nvq level 2 beauty) to do some price lists....i wanted to give her a hand as her mobile business has been very slow at getting off the ground, i kinda felt a little sorry for her so when she asked if i'd help i got straight on at designing a price list.

now i spoke to her only a few days ago and she was saying there were treatments she didn't like doing (fair enough) so when i made a start i asked her to email me a list of treatments she wants to offer. she came back with the usual bits that make up the level 2 beauty qualification, at the end of the email she wrote....."there are extra beauty treatments that i will offer even though i haven't been trained" .....and went on to list things such as massage, aromatherapy, eyelash extesnions and nails!

WELL!!!! I was totally gob-smacked!
I just couldn't offer her my help anymore.
I simply deleted the document i had started and sent an email back explaining why i couldn't help her.

Ive only just started studying nails and was talking to my friend about how excited i was to continue training, when a neighbour of mine came along and joined in the conversation saying that she had brought a nail kit and was charging people really cheap prices to earn money on the side!!!

Well this made me really mad!!! i even considered in giving up training because i thought whats the point in working hard and spending all that money just to have some one come along untrained and take all the trade!

Thankfully i found this site and realised that even though untrained will charge cheaper prices they will never be up to standard.

You wouldnt let an untrained dentist near your teeth so why would people let untrained technicians near there nails ???

this is something i will never understand!!

ps - don't worry about this other person, you keep training and soon you'll be a great tech....then people will come rushing to you to fix her mistakes & damage she's caused!!!!!

xx xx

you've gone about it the right way hunny... and made the right choice... keep at it, and as Jenn said, you'll have more clients coming to you to rectify her mistakes...

and those clients are VERY loyal, they will recruit for you and mourn when you move...or change careers within the industry

I voted Stupid, if you have no training then something goes wrong you would neither have a clue what the problem was nor would you have a leg to stand on if the client decided to sue.

Joan

Before I started school I was like "how hard can this be?"-then while in training it changed to "What the hell was I thinking, this is HARD!" Taking my State Boards on Monday and even though I know I'm going to pass, my license is something I EARNED through hard work. Makes me PROUD to be a member of an elite group!

p.s. There's negative energy being thrown around again, girls. It's FRIDAY everyone should be PSYCHED UP!

Well I have a feeling this will be my last post as I thought I had found a place for me to get some studing done before I went to school,as I have stated many times before there is no training availabe here (Danville IL) and in the US unlike other places we must complete a min of 350 credit hours in an accredited institute before even being elegible to take the exam to be certified. I only practice one myself and possibly a friend or two who know I am not certified. I thought that I had found a group of people who wanted to educate and inform others about the profession and it's seriousness. I thought this site and these people would teach me things that are not available and make me a better nail tech once I was certified. However I guess I would be considered STUPID for thinking such a thing. How nieve I was to think that professionals such as yourselves would ever have compassion for someone such as myself.

I would like to issue one thanks to a person I have found on this site to be a wonderful woman ful of love for the art of nails and compassion for those who also share that love... Ms Heather Davis. Thanks so much sweetie.

P.S. Don't you all think it a bit rude to blatantly call someone Stupid and assume yourself better than them. WOW!

SEE YOU ARENT EVEN IN THE SAME ZIP CODE AS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SILLY GIRL!!! You have had some basic training, and I know it sucks to have to go BACK to school, but it happens EVERYWHERE. If its worth it, then just do it. If you believe in your work, and know that you have something to offer the pubic, you will be FINE. I promise. Just sucks in the beginning. SO lets say my last post was not really directed at YOU, it can be directed at the techs that went to WALMART and got a set of KISS nails and charges folks for them

KRISTINA DARLING NOOOOOOOOO. GO back and re-read the original post, this thread isnt about folks like YOU- You are working to train properly, and are not arrogant about your lack of training!! ANd thats what this was about!!!

ANd btw, you made my heart feel all gooshy mentioning me like that- I dont know if I can express how much that meant to me.

Don't go anywhere, no one wants you to leave.

Ok well I will apoligize. Sorry all, I took it the wrong way. I hope that no one will hold it against me. I am just really upset about the fact that I am held back at the moment from something I am so passionate about. I promise to all the master geeks that I am going to do things the proper way and one day be a master geek like you.

I voted stupid. I am a trained decorator and interior designer and yes you can tell the difference when some has done a 'DIY' job!! I am saving like mad to do my foundation course next year and can't wait to get trained to get started. I am a complete nail virgin and have never done nails apart from the gems and rhinestones on normal varnish. I had a set of nails done once by a friend who did a 2 day course up in Manchester and few months later she opened her on nail bar. I didn't know athing about nail,,, but as I never have any cuz of my job, I thought I would treat myself. Having been a regular reading on this site for a while now,,, I am wondering just how much she knew. She had had nail extensions herself for years,,,,,,,,,,does this make it easier for ppl to learn and get qualified? She made my finger bleed when filing......and a few other things that I would have to question now. I can't wait to get trained and be all legal so I can make this move in my career.

seems the stupid ones are the clever ones, buying their products cheap, from more stupid sellers on ebay being clever coin in money, and then they come to this site for free education.............then going out charging for their service, cash in hand no doubt, and voila, taking all your clients

perhaps we should make it more secure!!!!
instead of going on about to each other, and the stupid ones reading it and larfin at us all the way to the bank with their lack of training, perhaps before you register on herE you have to send in or scan your certificate(s) to prove you are worthy.
unless you are a magician, ebay are never going to clamp down, but you could always find out whom the seller is, and, with what product they are selling get on to the company telling them its showing them up as poor training!!!!!

Well people i got little bit sad after reading all this,i'll tell u how i become nail tech( or near to nail tech). Here in Greece was living in small town and decide to start school for this that i loved -HAIR. The school was privite( couldnt go on normal cuz i am foreigner in Greece) and i paid every mounth 240 eu for 3 years.In the programme there was exept hair , make-up and nails. We study everything about the nail (i thought so) for one year and should pay other 400 eu to take and certificate for nail tech after the year finish. In this small town that was the best school. When i start to study for nail tech i love it so mach that i new it will be my job and not hairdresser. In the school i did not learn nothing more than the nail's deseas and to do theoritic manicure pedicure, well she learn us and to glue tips and shows how gel and acrylic work. Knowing nothing more i start to search things to read to find more about manicure pedicure, and was disapointed with acrylic cuz everytime i had lifting. I did it with m/p, was afraid from L&P. I never miss exposure and i stay there 3 days to learn something that i didnt know. When i find this site , it was like god help for me.First time i heard here about prep and rebalance, was so exited and start to try again to work with acrylic and it works , no more lifting!!!
Now for the insurance, i dont pay insurance, because here to start pay insurance u have to work on salon 1 year and then to make the papers that u work alone( open salon or mobile tech). Its very dificult to find this salon in small town and specally when u are foreigner, so i worked us mobile tech without insurance. Now i moved on new town same small and i wanted to find salon to work, so to start pay insurance one day, but nothing. I leave my CC in some salon , but again nothing. Thats the catare to be foreighner
So the point is yes for sure u have to take your training to be nail tech, but sometimes how u see with training without traing same thing, and even if u want to pay insurance sometimes u cannot. So this site is the most happy thing for the people like me, and want to thx everyone helping me and i apprecciate it very mach ... omg i start cry. Thx a lot