Confused!Where does one start??

[cybercuts]

hy
I have recently joined this forum because i really need some advice.I work at home in what used to be our garage which is converted into a salon after giving up mine after 14 years.I have always wanted to learn the art of nail extentions but with a busy hairdressing salon i had to choose between them both and could never take the time out.Years ago I did a fibreglass nail course but was juggling between doing hair and trying to learn but earn a living too .Now I really want to do this,before im too old to be able!! ok Im only 40 but which courses??? As Im working cant attend college full time.I dont know whether it helps but i have got CITY & GUILDS Manicure. If there are posts about this topic I apologise I havnt found them as yet.
I have booked on a two day Mercia uv GEL NAILS course at the local cash and carry but i cant see me learning enough in two days?? Ive looked at Essential nails and their training hand looks a good idea!!
Any tips or pointers would be greatly appreciated and i realise i cant learn this over night
Cheers
Chris

 

[geeg]

If you do a search here on the site and put in education you will find many many posts and get the answers you need. HTH

Here is an rticle I did for Scratch Magazine you may find insightful.

What advice would you offer a beginner on how to choose the right training course?


These days there is certainly a wealth of nail training available to those seeking to enter the profession. It is sad to reflect however on the numerous times technicians or, still-striving-to-be-technicians, have been reported as saying.

“If only I had found good training first instead of on the fifth attempt.” “It has cost me so much money in time and products to finally find good training.” ”My college course was naf and it wasn’t until I did training with a well known company and their product that I learned anything.” “I was lucky I found a decent college course, but then I was stuck to find a good product.” Etc. Etc.

I’m sure many of you reading this are nodding in agreement. So the question is, what advice would I offer a beginner on how to choose the right training course? Well first let’s employ just a little common sense.

When a college or a Company is really good at doing their job, they have a reputation! A good reputation! Not only from the students they have taught, but also a company’s reputation is evident from the achievements made in the industry by prominent personalities as a result of the excellent education they have had. It is always smart to look at the high achievers in the nail industry and to see what they are using and with whom they trained.

Generally speaking, trade magazines are not available to non-professionals, so it is unlikely that beginners will go that route to find information. Salons are often loath to be generous with their experience worrying about competition. New ones don’t usually know the names of companies to approach so what can they do? Well there is one thing that is available to everyone today and that is the worldwide web … the Internet.

In my opinion there has never been a better tool for beginners to gain advice than from the busiest nail technician web site in the world; Web sites that give unbiased opinion and are willing to answer questions. One of the best, if not the best, in the world with over 15,000 members is, thesalongeek.com and it is based right here in the UK, so the information is more relevant to students from the UK than perhaps the USA based beautytech.com, although this too is an excellent website for nail professionals.
The Nail Geek website is extremely friendly, busy and popular with a plethora of good solid unbiased and well-informed, up-to-the-minute information.

A good number of the members of The Nail Geek website are educators for companies and colleges, with years of know-how they are more than willing to share. The site welcomes the new and the experienced and is not product related. Technicians write about the products they use and a new member can make up their own mind about the direction they wish to pursue. Registration is free, and much of the site is accessible even for non-registered members to enjoy.

The Salon Geek website is also used very much as a teaching tool and gives vital support to the newly trained or veteran technician, when they need questions answered in a hurry! In my opinion this site is one of the most valuable tools one could offer a beginner in their search for good training as they will hear testimonials straight from the ‘horse’s mouth’.

The salon Geek also has forums for skin and hair professionals so have a look and see what it can do for you and what you can do for it.

 

[naturalnails]

As well as doing a search on education, you could check out the articles section, particularly this one as it is specifically on training:

http://www.salongeek.com/training/27430-answer-most-faq-training-should-i-choose.html