maiher1987
New Member
i started a free train to gain scheme in january being told i would have completed the one day a week course in 4 months and be ready to qualify at nvq level 2 beauty therapy. its now been 5 months and we are just being told that actually it will be more like 8 months. the kits are being hiked up in price by up to 70% e.g we were told make up kit would cos around £26 are now being told its £81 on the day!!! getting really rubbish kits too, manicure kits only came with hand products and 1 nail file-we had to buy nippers/hoofs etc ourselves elsewhere or from them at their salon prices (plus VAT!!!) so ended up paying £70 for nail kit with missing bits when i would've happily paid £150 if it got me everything like at the colleges. trouble is i'm a student at uni anyway this was going to be my part time job to help me through my last year next year- so i budgeted the cost of the kits from the course in to my student loan and the hiking in prices has meant im in debt now- also been told that now the teaching sessions are over we still have to come in once a week to WORK in her salon, they are charging the models, but we are using our own student (crappy) kits. havent even been given a facial kit as she won't sell us her dermalogica stuff and thats what we're training with (how are we meant to practice skin diagnosis etc??)have explained i live far away and commute is over an hour for this course so coming in to salon just for practice is difficult so want to practice at home-put evidence in portfolio and just come in for assessments but have been told i HAVE to come in to work in the salon. this all sounds so dodgy-have asked my beauty therapist what she thinks and she thinks its a money making scheme and we've all be taken advantage of. the owner of the salon even told me that they only get limited sponsership off the govt for the scheme so they have to make up money on kits. there is alot of bullying going on on the course as well. feel very betrayed as i was really looking forward to maybe having a career in beauty and i do enjoy it but this course has really put me off, i'm damn good at what i do everyone always comes back to me saying im as good as the service they get in salons- but this course makes me feel sick at the thought of having to go back there to qualify. please help i dont want to give up i really dont.
