Carlton Institute just for diploma?

[JoJoJo]

hello nail geeks x

Ill go straight to the point:

I'm a nail tech for a bit more than 4 years now. And as I'm not British, I've qualified in the country i come from. I live in the UK now, as I've married British man. For the past year and a bit i wasn't working, because i was looking after our little daughter. With ''wasn't working'' i mean i didn't work in a salon or been self employed. I was still doing nails and charging for it once or twice a week for friends or friends of friends etc.
Now when my girl is a little bit bigger i decided to try in some salon. The problem is that all of my diplomas got lost as my ex partner decided to throw all the things that belonged to me away (lol)
When i emailed company that i was doing my courses with in my country, they refused to issue new diplomas, saying they are not allowed as they are not keeping track of previous students!!! And then added that my diplomas wouldn't be valid in the UK anyway!!!
So now i have no other choice but get some diploma so i can get insured and try to get some work hoping that employer will accept me for my good work not for lots of qualifications in this country.
To the point... I've booked a Gel course at Carlton Institute in Durham. I don't really care about quality of the training, most of all i need Diploma for a low price...
So is there anyone who could comment on this or just to give me some advice? Will I be able to get some job just with that paper + my knowledge of 4 years? Should I just try and explain it to my potential employers?

sorry about such a long post written in pidgin english lol
and thanks a lot in advance! xxx :hug: xxx

 

[JoJoJo]

Anyone? i just have no clue about what qualifications you must have in UK, if you want to do gel nail extensions?

 

[JoJoJo]

oh well, i give up... probably nobody wants to help here if your a newbie

 

[Terese]

Hi JoJo

I have done various nail courses, what is important is that they are recognised by an insurance company such as BABTAC or the Guild.

In the search put in nail courses and see what you are interested in

Do you like acrylics

Do you like gels

Do you want to do extensions with l&p

This is a great site for all kinds of information and products

Dont rush into something - gather all your information, have a play with each system and decide what you want to do and then look at the courses relevant

Some colleges do NVQs in Nails too.

Hope this helps and good luck

 

[busybee32]

Personally I wouldnt waste your money training with the carlton, I would sign up for a course with CND the best brand and recognised worldwide with one of their certificates under your belt the world is your oyster.
I did my initial training in 2006 with the carlton Institute and to say I was dissapointed was an understatement.
I have since done conversions with CND and am loving it.
It is a recognised qualification and a lot of salons also recognise it.
Brisa gel is the best gel also that I have ever used add that on top of the support and "Love and Respect" that you get from the distributors of CND here in the UK you cnt go wrong and will be joining a worldwide family with oodles of support, also the cost is not very different in the course.
Contact SweetSquared for further info.
www.sweetsquared.co.uk
HTH'S
Jen xxxxx

 

[JoJoJo]

thanks for your inputs girls x

as i said ive been doing gel nail extensions for more than 4 years now, i have quite a few diplomas, but... i cant use them here, in the UK, because the company ive been training with in the country im coming from, refused to give me replacement for my lost ones.
So im kinda asking what do i need to get, learn, do etc to get a job here? would one diploma guarantee me some beauty salon job if i would prove myself to be an experienced nail tech already.
Or would i have to get loads of certificates just to get insured?
My problem is that i don't really know how is it working here,because my country comparing to uk is a wild wild west lol
What does employer of beauty salon, spa, nail bar etc is looking for when employing nail tech? Certificates or experience? or both?
Maybe its better just to go mobile?

thanks once again for your answers, girls! xxx

 

[JoJoJo]

one more question

ive just had a look at Sweet Squared web page. I have already payed money for Carlton for training, would it be possible that I go straight on the intermediate conversion CND Brisa gel course once ive finished with Carlton? Or i would have to complete CND foundation first?

 

[laurakate]

I am doing my nvq2 beauty with carlton.

the way it works is that you attend the day courses for the relevant topics (in your case, gels) and then at the end of the day, providing you've picked up what you need to they will issue you with the diploma paper on the spot.

With this diploma, you can get insurance from the guild of beauty therapists.

the carlton institue diploma is enough to get insurance but it is not a nationally recognised qualification so carlton do provide the option to take an nvq in the subject (or gels as part of a whole nail services nvq). you are probably very likely to need a nationally recognised qualification to be employed at a salon but for the purposes of being mobile, self employed and insured, yes, carlton will give you the diploma for that and it's up to you if you want to further than in terms of a nationally recognised qualification

 

[laurakate]

Personally I wouldnt waste your money training with the carlton, I would sign up for a course with CND the best brand and recognised worldwide with one of their certificates under your belt the world is your oyster.
I did my initial training in 2006 with the carlton Institute and to say I was dissapointed was an understatement.
I have since done conversions with CND and am loving it.
It is a recognised qualification and a lot of salons also recognise it.
Brisa gel is the best gel also that I have ever used add that on top of the support and "Love and Respect" that you get from the distributors of CND here in the UK you cnt go wrong and will be joining a worldwide family with oodles of support, also the cost is not very different in the course.
Contact SweetSquared for further info.
www.sweetsquared.co.uk
HTH'S
Jen xxxxx

may I ask what you trained in with carlton. I'm currently doing my nvq2 beauty with them but am hoping to go to college for nails

 

[busybee32]

may I ask what you trained in with carlton. I'm currently doing my nvq2 beauty with them but am hoping to go to college for nails

I did the 5 day nail technician course back in 2006, gels, fiberglass, silk, L&P manis and pedis and also ear piercing.
I know that now the products they use are EZFlow so training may have changed since I went but I know I was not pleased that they were passing people who's nails looked liked blobs of concrete, was a joke.
And the NVQ was a waste of money too. they were never there on the end of the phone if you had issues gave up trying tbh.
So I since did conversions with NSI EZFlow and finally CND who I am sticking with. The products, training and support is far superior than anything else I have had.
Jen xx

 

[mum]

I am doing my nvq2 beauty with carlton.

the way it works is that you attend the day courses for the relevant topics (in your case, gels) and then at the end of the day, providing you've picked up what you need to they will issue you with the diploma paper on the spot.

With this diploma, you can get insurance from the guild of beauty therapists.

the carlton institue diploma is enough to get insurance but it is not a nationally recognised qualification so carlton do provide the option to take an nvq in the subject (or gels as part of a whole nail services nvq). you are probably very likely to need a nationally recognised qualification to be employed at a salon but for the purposes of being mobile, self employed and insured, yes, carlton will give you the diploma for that and it's up to you if you want to further than in terms of a nationally recognised qualification

Do you mean that you are showed a gel system, for example, and have a go with it that day. At the end of the day you are given a diploma?

 

[hippy-chick]

Jojojo
I think that what you are doing will be the answer for you. Carlton Institute offer accredited and insurable courses and with your prior knowledge you will get an excellent refresher and new certificates to boot.
Did you do any work in salons when you worked in your home town? Was just thinking if you could get references sent over to prove that you have been working for 4 years as a nail tech it will help when you go for future interviews.

 

[JoJoJo]

thank you girls, all of your answers were very very helpful indeed! Can't thank you enough! x

Hippy chick, what a wonderful advice, thanks a lot! I was working in a salon, as well as being self-employed for some time, so all i would have to do is just to get references and diploma! thanks a lot!!!

By the way, is NVQ something that you only get after you finish college or you are getting it with any serious company like already mentioned here CND? I read a lot about CND on this site, and as somebody has already said, its probably really useful to have their certification under the belt?

And one more question: How do beauty salons function here? If you're nail tech, do you pay some part of rent for salon owner and some percent of what you earn, and of course taxes or something else?

Sorry if my questions sound stupid, but as i said, im coming from a Wild Wild West lol and have no clue what so ever lol


thanks for your help once again, sooooo much! xx
P.S. sorry for my english :o

 

[hippy-chick]

thank you girls, all of your answers were very very helpful indeed! Can't thank you enough! x

Hippy chick, what a wonderful advice, thanks a lot! I was working in a salon, as well as being self-employed for some time, so all i would have to do is just to get references and diploma! thanks a lot!!!

By the way, is NVQ something that you only get after you finish college or you are getting it with any serious company like already mentioned here CND? I read a lot about CND on this site, and as somebody has already said, its probably really useful to have their certification under the belt?

You can study to diploma OR NVQ level, most salons prefer staff with NVQ I believe, but don't quote me as I'm not a nail tech.

And one more question: How do beauty salons function here? If you're nail tech, do you pay some part of rent for salon owner and some percent of what you earn, and of course taxes or something else?

Depends on what you go in to. If you go as a paid member of staff you will get your pay with National Insurance and tax taken off, with this you will probably get holiday pay etc.
If you go in as a self employed nail tech you will probably pay rent to the salon and be responsible for all your own tax, National Insurance and holidays and sick pay is your own responsibility.

Sorry if my questions sound stupid, but as i said, im coming from a Wild Wild West lol and have no clue what so ever lol


thanks for your help once again, sooooo much! xx
P.S. sorry for my english :o

hope that is of help to you.