This is part of a project I am working on at the moment and would value the opinions from you the nail technician.
As we all know good education is worth it weight in gold. I'm sure that most of us come away from a class feeling motivated, inspired and elated. I for one get a real buzz from attending classes.
Regardless of brand/system what do you expect of that person up front passing on the information?
I have added a poll but if you feel I have left anything out please say so that I can add to it.
I've made it multiple choice as I don't believe that one thing alone makes a good trainer. So it will be interesting to see which aspects you feel are more important.
Please share your experiences but if they are bad ones please don't name names.

Here is a recent thread asking a similar question:

TPTW. How well trained is the trainer?!

Hi June,
I voted (the only voter) that the trainer should a competition winner because the evidence is there and I learn from seeing what others have done, I know that different people learn in different ways but for me I learn like to be shown how that person produced their work, also they have had training to be able to get as far as they did to produce such beautiful work. I love step by steps.

I think a good trainer is someone who has lived the life of one of us trainees. I dont necessarily think that a competition winners is the be all and end all as we all know that compeitition nails are not salon nails.

I would need to learn from someone who is able to answer any question I would be able to put to them from personal experience rather than someone who says, they will have to check on that one.

In this industry there is too much IMO of a see one, do one, teach one, kind of ethos.

If I could, I would take a little bit from every poll option, but none from option 5 lol.....

But what about the "has the ability to communicate" option????
With communicate, I mean the ability to deliver the spoken word and demonstrate the skill.
The ability to adjust to students needs, not everybody gets it first time and sometimes you have to adjust your teaching accordingly, almost doing it instinctively.
Someone that can observe and change communication style, without the student being any the wiser (making them feel stoooooopid lol)
A word/technique Wizard, that will come up with an alternative as if by magic.

From my experience of a recent training course I would expect a trainer to be:
- fully knowledgeable in all things nails and know what they are talking about. This is easily demonstrated by when you ask them questions, they should know the answer to basic things. I seemed to learn more from information on this site than what I learned in her course.
- patient. I have never done this before, so rushing me and constantly going on about time really puts me off and its evident the trainer clearly has somewhere else they want to be!
- passionate about nails. Like Gigi has said in previous posts, we do get paid for what we do otherwise it would be a hobby, but its not all about the money. Our trainer seem very much all about the money and what she get out of us or flog us.

I think some people are born to be trainers others are not. Even if you do a 'course' to be a trainer you need to be able to inspire people, be good at what you do and want to excel in nails. I did not get this impression.

All of the above poll options and more

They need to engross the class,to be fountain of knowledge to be extremely passionate and to make to leave talking/thinking about getting your brush out as soon as you get home.

To me when you get home and refuse to make tea so you can play and that results in imediate improvement in your work and you don't really know how lol,you've had a great educator

Sorry, but I do not like your poll options. I don't think there is one option you have given that sums up what a good trainer should be for me.

As for being a competition winner .... that has absolutely nothing to do with being able to teach anyone to do acceptable salon nails.

I think you will get a much better insight from looking at the recent thread quoted earlier ---
http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/7...d-trainer.html

No sorry can't vote on this one mate.
It's a bit more complex than the options given.

Same here. I cant vote because it's not that simple.