Education... what did you do in the beginning?

[Vetty]

I had a similar experience to Jen - decided that nails was my path and started surfing the net looking for courses.... Was about to sign up for the 2 day Manchester course, but carried on looking and discovered that Creative was a marketing point for techs already in business and went that way.

4 day foundation course in l+p was fab, 1:1 training invaluable and Brisa induction in 3 weeks time..... Lovin' it!!

 

[Welsh Geek]

I started with a one day course around five years ago, had a certificate to say I was qualified, but afetr getting a few complaints, :evil: discovered that this wasn't good enough.... Luckily I didn't give up, even though my confidence was knocked!!!!:smack:

I then attended an NVQ advanced nail technician course, and then went on to train with CND. I love nails and have now had my salon for three years. I update my training regularly, did my Masters last year, and am now completing my PGCE teaching course teaching nail technology at a local college. I Will be entering my first competition in March!!!:Scared:

Thank god I didn't give up after such a bad start!!!...... :biggrin:


Sue x

 

[NAIL FRENZY]

Hi,

I did my VTCT with my local college, my tutor also had her own business and was fantastic, she still helps me now with any problems that I come across. I brought books, subscribed to nail magazines and of course have learnt loads through this site. I went on a one day certificated nail art course and have always practiced nail art ever since I could paint my own nails. I am going to apply for my advanced cert with Youngs next.

 

[Glorsclaws]

I started out at the Carlton Institute Of Beauty in Windsor, we covered man & ped, acrylic, gel & fibreglass in 2 days. It gave me a taste for the industry & I took myself off to college thinking Id learn more in depth...how wrong was I!
Trained with Calgel then got won over by GMG on the Creative stand using l&p....have been a Creative l&p girl ever since!

 

[fiona wallace]

After having my nails done for many years by her, my technician (Ladymac) became a Creative Educator and I attended her Foundation course, which was great.
Got to say in the beginning when I was desperately trying to bring money into my business, instead of spending it, I tried many other products and companies in the nail industry....not for long though!! Came back to Creative VERY quickly, did Masters, became an Educator myself...8 years in the business now...still love it!!!!
Re Izzidoll's comments regarding college training...we get many college trained students on our Creative course and not only do they know very little, the little they do know is invariably incorrect.

 

[~shelley~]

I started with Essential Nails Homelearn in L&P, & Beauty Therapy L2 to get my Mani & Pedi qualifications, then Creative 5 Day Foundation, EN Maintainance, Currently doing EN Gel & doing Brisa In April xxx

 

[tink18]

saving up a grand to go to my local college

 

[Urban Geek]

Almost 2 years ago, I started my NVQ Level 3 in Nails via a Satellite Assessment Centre and a few months later converted to Creative and embarked on my Creative Masters Certificate.

I successfully completed both after 1 years hard work. However, I think I tried to do too much too soon and it was very draining, emotionally and physically. I was in too much of a rush.

I am now running a successful part-time venture at a Beauty Salon Thursday to Saturday and a home salon Monday to Wednesday.

I love the nail industry, have so much more to learn but am confident I will succeed through hard work, determination and passion.

 

[ValencianNails]

saving up a grand to go to my local college

what kind of course is that?
you could do a Foundation course for less and throw in a skillbuilding class too... just a thought.

 

[tink18]

its a 1 years NVQ level 2 beauty therapy course its going to cost £700 for the course then £300 for my kit

 

[ValencianNails]

does that course cover nails too? sorry for my ignorance but i've not had much to do with NVQ's.

 

[diesel1978]

I did my initial course at college. Then went on to do the CND Premasters after a year ........practise practise practise up until my masters in 2004

 

[~shelley~]

its a 1 years NVQ level 2 beauty therapy course its going to cost £700 for the course then £300 for my kit

wow- thats loads more than my Level 2 Beauty therapy cost - for both kit & Fee's !!!!

 

[talented talons]

I originally trained with Star Nails and did the Total Technician course like Scatty Fox did. I trained in L&P first, I enjoyed it, got some experience but wasn't keen on the products, plus i developed an allergy to it.

I tried various try me kits and fell in love with EZ Flow. I have since done an EZ FLow conversion which was the best training i have done to date. I have also done fibreglass training with Star and also did a conversion with Pronails with their gel.

I am doing a pedicure course with Pronails in March and will also do my Masters with EZ Flow later on this year. Education is so important and to do refresher courses every now and again is also very important. You can never know enough.

 

[bling nails]

had my first set of L&P about 20 yrs ago now, and straight away wanted to do nails. couldn't find any courses to suit my pocket and so bought a kit from a local salon where i had my nails done. (yes, she sold me L&P!!). just kept on learning on the one hand and then started to do friends and family.
then i herd about MARCO BENITO nail salon in bham, he had just set up his salon, booked an appointment for a full set and learned alot from marco himself by watching his technics. he's brill.
got a job as a nail tech in my local town and did a day course with star nails VF21 system, didn't like products( L&P which cured under UVlamp).
trained with beautiful nails of telford.1 day course.
trained with star nails in silk/fibreglass 2 day course.
trained with IBD gels, 2 day course.
trained with Alessandro gels, 1 day course.
trained with creative l&p, one 2 one training with Jane cook in salon.
trained with En Vouge sculpting gels, one 2 one training at salon.
Then herd of Creative Brisa being launched at Gmex show and gigi demo'd me a fab nail......won me over, never looked back.
trained at bham academy with marco, Brisa conversion and masters.

 

[huberella]

Where I live, in order to work as a nail technician you must take a 400hr course and write a government exam in order to get a license. Once you have completed this, you can take extra courses in specific product lines.

I took my nail tech course (300hrs) and then took a month off and went back to complete an additional 500hrs to become an esthetician. Once finished that I took a Spa body wrap class, then a nail art class.

 

[VHunter]

I started with a 2yr course, 18yrs ago, that in Quebec Canada was called a "DEP" in Cosmetology...Translates to mean "Professional Studies Diploma"

The 'main' was hairdressing.. but it also included manicures, pedicures, waxing, esthetics, facials, science, biology, some chemistry, business management.. etc...
PS: forgot to mention - we had client days 2-3 days of every week from the first month of school. PAYING clients. From the 3rd mth of school on.. I was booked 1mth in advance.. LOL (we had mostly ederly an students.. and some outsiders)... my name got around fast....I started doing local fashion shows and local theater groups for makeup and hair at 16.5yrs of age.

I did hairdressing for a few years... left it due to bad arthritis in one knee.
Been wearing enhancements on myself since I was 16... started doing my own after a week long course at 21yrs. Last year, took 2 more courses (abbreviated) and here I am.

I fully intend to take more courses when budget allows.... (I'm a stay at home mom, working evenings only)
I think education is key and something that should be actively pursued in this career or any other for that matter, if you want to be the best. And if you can't afford school, then read every single thing you can and attend every single 'free' exhibition or whatever....

the mind is a terrible thing to waste :lol:

 

[IllumeGirl]

i was lucky enough to earn while i was trained, like an apprenticeship i guess. after a year i sat for my diploma with creative. later i did similair with a salon that used a very dodgy brand of fibreglass. years later i did my masters, followed by some more training with nsi(e-file, airbrush and thier 101) also did my gel cert with ibd.

 

[claireamy]

stupidly went head first into a pretty useless, very basic 3 day course which supposedly tught me mani pedi, L&P an gel!! Needless to say I have sought more training and am ezflow through and through. Just wish I had gone to them in the first place!

 

[jac extreme]

in 2000 did my course at a satellite nvq centre with michelle porter products, got more than half way through the nvq then got a job in a salon and never fininshed it, did my conversion to creative in 2002, masters in 2005 have just done pre masters and am doing doing tips and trouble shooting next week, have also had a coulpe of 121s at the milton keynes acadamy.