College course problems

[Moll]

I am having a few very annoying problems with my course 5 weeks in and we still have not got our work books VTCT as they have not been copied with the new college logo, I have spoken to VTCT and apparently we should have official VTCT books not photocopies.

Our kit is pants, no scissors no cuticle knife no cuticle massage cream, cuticle remover is so runny it will not work, we have run out of nail varnish remover the bottle was so small, we have also had to buy files and orange sticks as only one of each was included but there is tons of stuff we don't need.

There is not enough couches for the exam so we have been told we need to share, we also need to share trolleys.

I am also unsure of the syllabus as one lecturer has told us one thing and another something different, we have 3 exams light, dark and French and we have to do a manicure and pedicure in each.

Is anyone doing or have done this course and can tell me anything as this is beyond a joke.

Thanks

 

[Gilly T]

I have done this course and sadly, some of the things you say ring lots of bells. It seems that college's differ so drastically as do tutors.

Firstly, the VTCT books have to be purchased by the college from the fees you pay so I agree, you should have theoriginal VTCT books for your portfolio. We didn't get ours until 4 weeks before the end of our course so had lots of referencing to do. Also, we weren't aware of the standards or scope/range for the units we were doing so found ourselves lacking in practical evidence at the end.. very rushed.

Secondly, kit, we did get a kit that we had to purchase. I was glad it was cheap as the cost of the course, salon uniform and text books was quite a lot. I was also glad because towards the end of my course I started getting interested in other product ranges and add on products that can be used and was happy that I hadn't paid a fortune for expensive kit, just to change it. Having said this, I think you should at least have had a pair of nippers, nail scissors and certainly more than one file etc.

The things that tutors teach does seem to vary from, not just college to college, but even class to class but unfortunately as they are the ones who are assessing your work and are either passing or failing assignments for re-submission, we are very much led by what they say and their opinions.

If it were me I would go with the flow of the course but I would speak to someone about photocopies VTCT books as your portfolio will become your own to keep once you finish. I'm surprised that the IV and EV from VTCT would accept such poor standards to be honest. Other than this I would practice my techniques at home, e.g. french polish, dark polish, massage, cuticle work etc., for my practical assessments and just get through it. Then I would do my own research, like I did. This place is an excellent resource of information and you will find that the advice given is the best in the industry IMO.

Sorry... I seem to have rambled on a bit there but I think it's such a shame that such shoddy standards in colleges let them down and give them a bad rep when they could, and more importantly SHOULD be beyond reproach when they are inspected by ofsted.

Hope this goes some way to helping you

 

[oey]

I am having a few very annoying problems with my course 5 weeks in and we still have not got our work books VTCT as they have not been copied with the new college logo, I have spoken to VTCT and apparently we should have official VTCT books not photocopies.

Our kit is pants, no scissors no cuticle knife no cuticle massage cream, cuticle remover is so runny it will not work, we have run out of nail varnish remover the bottle was so small, we have also had to buy files and orange sticks as only one of each was included but there is tons of stuff we don't need.

There is not enough couches for the exam so we have been told we need to share, we also need to share trolleys.

I am also unsure of the syllabus as one lecturer has told us one thing and another something different, we have 3 exams light, dark and French and we have to do a manicure and pedicure in each.

Is anyone doing or have done this course and can tell me anything as this is beyond a joke.

Thanks

Hiya - I do understand how you feel if you were told thing were actually going to be different than they are at present.

However, what you are describing is better than most colleges. We didnt have our VTCT books until after Christmas (our course started in September). We didnt even have photo copied ones to refer to, only our college assessment sheets. As regards the kits we had to buy ALL of our products - there was a kit that we had to buy via the college and that was no where near enough what we needed, and to be honest there were far better quality options elsewhere.

Sharing couches and trolleys is pretty standard in most colleges.

So what you are coming across is standard and if they were to buy all the products, trolleys couches etc so there was enough for every student the fees to apply for these courses would be astronomical.

I am not backing the colleges up at all as it would be great for the standards of products and equipment to be improved but your college is no different than the rest.

HTH

 

[Moll]

We have bought our kits as told by the college at more than £50 each then we have had to spend at least £20 extra. With uniform as well it is expensive. It is only a 12 week course and we are over half way through with no books. It is for our asessment we have to share a trolley and a couch so we can not do client consultations in private.

The annoying thing is there is enough couches and trolleys but just in our classroom and we are not allowed to use another or have any equipment brought in from another class.

 

[oey]

We have bought our kits as told by the college at more than £50 each then we have had to spend at least £20 extra. With uniform as well it is expensive. It is only a 12 week course and we are over half way through with no books. It is for our asessment we have to share a trolley and a couch so we can not do client consultations in private.

The annoying thing is there is enough couches and trolleys but just in our classroom and we are not allowed to use another or have any equipment brought in from another class.

That is completely normal with all beauty colleges I am afraid, so yours isnt abnormal.

 

[Gilly T]

That is completely normal with all beauty colleges I am afraid, so yours isnt abnormal.

I have to agree... and £50 is quite cheap for a college kit too. There was a thread on here a while ago where the student had paid around a hundred pounds and still didn't have some of the essentials.

 

[Moll]

Well if this is the standard with college it is about time someone complained its so not on they would not get away with it on a computer course or a academic course letter will be going to the principal tomorrow and a copy will be sent to ofsted if they don't sort themselves out.

Can I ask if the standards are so low then why do people not complain we pay if we went to a supermarket and the food was rotten we would object so why do people accept it with education?

 

[Exquisite Touch]

Your kit was well cheap i paid £170 for mine not including nail art that was extra. I didn't find the standards at my college low, I found the younger students ruined it for the others by vandalising couches or breaking equipment or even stealing products. My tutors gave there all bearing in mind there were 20 in a class so to keep everyones attention it were hard going. My course was 38 weeks three days a week.

 

[pringle12]

Hi
The same thing happened to us when we did manicure and ped.Well, iv just had a night mare with my course iv just started , i booked acrylic course and when we got in the room and sat down are tutour said welcome, and put on the board silk and gel, by this time we was all looking at each over.I said gel iv payed for acrylic, i also checked with reception 3times to make sure i was booked in the write course they said i was:irked:.BUT it gets better they dont even do acrylic at southdowns, never have, great a.x

 

[Moll]

This is only a basic manicure kit it is not for nail art or acrylics just manicure and pedicure so polish base coat top coat clippers, file orange stick,, soak bowl, sanitizer and varnish remover

 

[Gilly T]

This is only a basic manicure kit it is not for nail art or acrylics just manicure and pedicure so polish base coat top coat clippers, file orange stick,, soak bowl, sanitizer and varnish remover

To be honest if you are this unhappy about it then I'm surprised you haven't said anything to your Tutor already. As you say earlier, it is upto individuals to do what they feel they must and not put up with these standards if they don't want to. I personally didn't feel the problems with my course were my tutors fault and managed quite well so didn't feel the need to say anything.

I think you must do what you feel you have to. Perhaps try discussing it with your tutor/assessor first. Maybe there's something they can do for you.

 

[Teebster]

I do sympathise with you I am in year two of an ITEC and what you are saying is pretty standard after paying the best part of £1500 in collage tuition fees alone our sallon facilities, if you can call them that are dreadfull in every respect. Our man and ped kit alone was £75 for the very basic and was inadequate to say the least and we had to pay a lot more to add to it just to complete the basics. Unfortunately, from what I can tell it does seem to be standard accross the country whatever course you are doing from people I have spoken to. Information is scarce a lot of the time even with a helpful tutor - she does not seem to have a lot of support. We have all complained to management many times and unfortunately nothing happens. Try to stay positive and motivated, I know it can be hard. Good luck x

 

[Gilly T]

I do sympathise with you I am in year two of an ITEC and what you are saying is pretty standard after paying the best part of £1500 in collage tuition fees alone our sallon facilities, if you can call them that are dreadfull in every respect. Our man and ped kit alone was £75 for the very basic and was inadequate to say the least and we had to pay a lot more to add to it just to complete the basics. Unfortunately, from what I can tell it does seem to be standard accross the country whatever course you are doing from people I have spoken to. Information is scarce a lot of the time even with a helpful tutor - she does not seem to have a lot of support. We have all complained to management many times and unfortunately nothing happens. Try to stay positive and motivated, I know it can be hard. Good luck x

I think what is difficult when you are a college tutor, if you are freelance or on contracted hours (which I think quite a few are, I was) then you only get paid for the duration of the class. So if your class is three hours then that's exactly what the tutor will be paid for. They will not get paid for preparation, marking. Basically anything outside of the duration of the class will be in their own time. Unfortunately due to the nature of the beast, FE establishments keep things to the bare minimum because of funding etc., I think.