Becoming a qualified nail technician

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Kayjt2805

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Feb 14, 2020
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Location
Gloucester
Hi everyone.

Another one of those posts I'm afraid!! :)

I'm a 32 year old qualified accountant and I'm seriously researching and considering making the jump from my current career and starting a career with nails. Goal is to be mobile and work around my current job for now.....ive been glued to my phone the last couple of days researching the best option of making this possible. So many courses!!

I know this dosent happen overnight and I'm quite happy to take the time and learn the skills I need. I think I just need a bit of a nudge in the right direction....

I'm thinking of starting with a VTCT in manicures and pedicures. And I'm sure I've seen a similar gel nail course. Is that sufficient for insurance purposes? I know there are hundreds of technique courses you can attend, brand courses etc to improve current skills and if I'm right, I'm starting to understand the sort of courses I would need if I decide i want to do acrylics, affecting insurance etc

What equipment do I need to be looking at for home practice?? Any advice or tips u wish someone had told u??

Thank you so much for taking the time to read :) xx
 
Hi there I have in the last two years started training in the beauty industry also. I have to say I love it and it is the difference in night and day with my current full time job. I did an ITEC Level 3 in Nail Technology. I didn't want to do a 2/3 day course that would perhaps restrict me to a certain brand. I am still learning but actively working doing nails at the same time. Practice makes perfect as they say. I quickly learned there is a big difference in being qualified and actually good at doing nails. The more I do the better and faster I get but it does take time. Its like my little hobby on the side though and because its not my full time job I can afford to take the time and not feel under pressure. A word of warning though is buying nail items is ADDICTIVE lol!!!
 
Oh I definitely believe you when u say the difference between being qualified and actually being good and practicing. I'm really excited about it all!
 
Hi I am in the same situation. I have done some courses in the past, but thinking of returning to nails and possibly doing a more in-depth course. Either acrillic,hard gel. I feel i want to 're train. I find it very scary and do lack confidence. I am 48! I even have a cabin all ready to go in my garden!! [emoji849][emoji848][emoji140]
 
Oh wow a cabin sounds fab!!
I'm sure once you get back into it the confidence will come :)
I think I'm going to start from the basics and just have a little play around first whilst I'm waiting for my course to start. I've been looking at using gelish or ink London but I still have a lot of other bits to research first lol
 
Let me no how you get on. Where will you Do your courses? Do you no yet? Ideas for advertising etc[emoji3] good luck x
 
Is there a Nail Technicians vtct course near you? That would cover all areas and if you do level 3 you might be eligible for an adult learner loan if that interested you.

I can highly recommend INK London as a brand too :)
 
Yes I was looking last night. Yes there is a course at Portsmouth hair and Beauty school in Portsmouth. Which is an NVQ. It's one day for about 10 weeks Which covers alot. Thought it may give me more confidence than a shorter course! I would need to find people to practice on aswell[emoji3]
 
Also I was going to try Halo but you think ink? There is a trainer in my area that runs courses and uses ink. [emoji57][emoji848]
 
Hi everyone.

Another one of those posts I'm afraid!! :)

I'm a 32 year old qualified accountant and I'm seriously researching and considering making the jump from my current career and starting a career with nails. Goal is to be mobile and work around my current job for now.....ive been glued to my phone the last couple of days researching the best option of making this possible. So many courses!!

I know this dosent happen overnight and I'm quite happy to take the time and learn the skills I need. I think I just need a bit of a nudge in the right direction....

I'm thinking of starting with a VTCT in manicures and pedicures. And I'm sure I've seen a similar gel nail course. Is that sufficient for insurance purposes? I know there are hundreds of technique courses you can attend, brand courses etc to improve current skills and if I'm right, I'm starting to understand the sort of courses I would need if I decide i want to do acrylics, affecting insurance etc

What equipment do I need to be looking at for home practice?? Any advice or tips u wish someone had told u??

Thank you so much for taking the time to read :) xx

I’m so pleased you started this thread, you literally could be talking about me. 32 year old CIMA qualified accountant hoping to work around my current job.

I have no practical advice (I qualified as a hairdresser before studying accountancy.) I just wanted to wish you good luck and I hope you’re able to keep us updated as to how you’re getting on xx
 
I also have done hairdressing!! How are you planning you beauty nail business then? [emoji847]
 
We work quite flexibly where I am based, we have the option to do our 40 hours as a 4 day working week. I am hoping to qualify and do a full day of nails on my day off and some on a weekend, and then gradually reduce my contracted hours to 25-30 and supplement that income with self employment. Whether or not that will be feasible remains to be seen. I can only try eh?
 
Yer, where will you Do your training? Keep in touch let me no how you get on x
 
I think I’ll probably end up going back to the same community college where I did my NVQ2 Hairdressing. Sorry @Kayjt2805 for hijacking your thread xx
 
Im 41 and just currently on week 5 of a VCTC Nail Technology Level 2 (course is 18 weeks) and im loving it! We are doing Manicure, Pedicure, Gel overlays and extension using all NSI Products. (not sure if im a lover of nsi yet though!) NSI is the college choice of kit. The theory side of things so far has been good to, we do a nice mix of theory and practical. I love all thing Nails and many years ago did a Star Nails course which covered alot of what im doing now and ive also done CND Shellac through Sweet Squared and set myself up as self employed for about 18 months which i did well with but stopped when baby number 4 came along, that was 7 years ago and now im back doing it again but with a better qualification behind me. Plan is to work from home either covert the shed or go for a cabin in the garden but its a way off yet. I also want to add Lashes and maybe Waxing to in the future. I have thought about doing the leve 2 beauty therapy at the local college but its hard to negotiate 2 days a week child free to be able to do that so i may go to a brand and do it that way. I love CND and Sweet Squared education so i may do it through them. Its a mine field out there but i love being in the thick of it right now.

I would wait and a decide on a course before buying any products. A college will require you to have and use their choice of kit and thats the same for most other branded training to. You do not want to be buying double

Good luck!
 
Im 41 and just currently on week 5 of a VCTC Nail Technology Level 2 (course is 18 weeks) and im loving it! We are doing Manicure, Pedicure, Gel overlays and extension using all NSI Products. (not sure if im a lover of nsi yet though!) NSI is the college choice of kit. The theory side of things so far has been good to, we do a nice mix of theory and practical. I love all thing Nails and many years ago did a Star Nails course which covered alot of what im doing now and ive also done CND Shellac through Sweet Squared and set myself up as self employed for about 18 months which i did well with but stopped when baby number 4 came along, that was 7 years ago and now im back doing it again but with a better qualification behind me. Plan is to work from home either covert the shed or go for a cabin in the garden but its a way off yet. I also want to add Lashes and maybe Waxing to in the future. I have thought about doing the leve 2 beauty therapy at the local college but its hard to negotiate 2 days a week child free to be able to do that so i may go to a brand and do it that way. I love CND and Sweet Squared education so i may do it through them. Its a mine field out there but i love being in the thick of it right now.

I would wait and a decide on a course before buying any products. A college will require you to have and use their choice of kit and thats the same for most other branded training to. You do not want to be buying double

Good luck!
How much has the course cost? (Obviously if you don’t mind disclosing.) I definitely will not be funded so would be good to know what I’m going to have to look at saving.
 
Yes I was looking last night. Yes there is a course at Portsmouth hair and Beauty school in Portsmouth. Which is an NVQ. It's one day for about 10 weeks Which covers alot. Thought it may give me more confidence than a shorter course! I would need to find people to practice on aswell[emoji3]
That's the kind of course I'm looking for but I'm struggling at the moment to find one that's near me and that i can fit in around my current work :( I can find 100's of 1 day courses etc but I need more than that. I've also been looking on Amazon at the training hands you can buy, they look like quite a good idea if your stuck with people to practice on.
 
Is there a Nail Technicians vtct course near you? That would cover all areas and if you do level 3 you might be eligible for an adult learner loan if that interested you.

I can highly recommend INK London as a brand too :)

Am I right in thinking that ink you have to remove with foils around the nails?? (I've looked at so many the past couple of days I could be getting the brands confused!!)
 
I think I’ll probably end up going back to the same community college where I did my NVQ2 Hairdressing. Sorry @Kayjt2805 for hijacking your thread xx
No worries at all :) it's great reading how everyone is doing and the routes people are taking, especially hearing there's someone in a similar situation as me, hubby thinks I'm mad wanting to do Nails over accounts.

It sounds like you will have quite a good set up working the 40hrs over 4 days and then hopefully reducing when your nails take off. My work isnt quite as flexible :( its a struggle to find a course at the moment, they are all on weekdays and its a pain taking time off work let alone needing one day a week for so many weeks!! So back to googling other options at the moment for me.
 
How much has the course cost? (Obviously if you don’t mind disclosing.) I definitely will not be funded so would be good to know what I’m going to have to look at saving.

Not at all the course was £800 but that was funded because we claim a tiny amount of housing benefit, the kit and uniform was £350 which included the tunic aswell, then had to buy trousers and suitable shoes. That was all paid for by me. The only thing it didnt cover was the paraffin wax (and heater) and massage oil for doing the deluxe treatments, it was provided by the college. Another cost to add to my ever increasing things that i will need!!!
 

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