Massage therapy-can you skip level 2 NVQ?

[Lena13]

Hi everyone

I'm new to beauty therapy and am looking at my options (I have no current BT quali's). I would like to specialise in massage, e.g body, head, sports, facial etc and have found some NVQ courses for it without doing the NVQ level 2 or 3 beauty therapy.

I wondered if anyone here did just massage and how often you got clients? and how much do you averagely charge a treatment?

Also I found a private institute that allows you to study NVQ level 3 beauty therapy without doing level 2. Do employers find this bad?

Thanks guys

 

[Haylo_Therapies]

In my honest opinion, I wouldn't skip NvQ Level 2. When you are treating peoples body's, you need to learn a heck of a lot of anatomy and physiology. You need to know what you are doing!!

If I had the choice to employ someone who had NVQ 2 and who didn't, I would always go for the person who did. Their knowledge and experience would be far greater!


Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek

 

[superflashgal]

Hi Lena,

I fancy massage too. I was looking at the Carlton INstitute, they are doing 2 for 1 on courses at the moment. The body massage is 1 day, and qualifies you to take paying clients on completion. £300 odd but there is a free course as well. I was thinking sports therapy as well. I have done Indian Head but that wasn't a certified course, it was just a 6 week experience one.

I would be interested to know what people charge for mobile massages as well.

Thanks!

 

[Balance Andover]

Hi Lena,

I fancy massage too. I was looking at the Carlton INstitute, they are doing 2 for 1 on courses at the moment. The body massage is 1 day, and qualifies you to take paying clients on completion. £300 odd but there is a free course as well. I was thinking sports therapy as well. I have done Indian Head but that wasn't a certified course, it was just a 6 week experience one.

I would be interested to know what people charge for mobile massages as well.

Thanks!

I'm doing a year long body massage course, 1 day isn't enough to let anyone loose on the paying public, there is too much at stake health and safety wise to learn it in that short time.

This does seem good but as students may be working on each other (which is normal for these types of courses) how much actual 'hands on' will you be getting in the classroom?

People charge the rate for their area and experience, do a Google search for where you live to see what the average rates are.

Michelle x

 

[Balance Andover]

Hi everyone

I'm new to beauty therapy and am looking at my options (I have no current BT quali's). I would like to specialise in massage, e.g body, head, sports, facial etc and have found some NVQ courses for it without doing the NVQ level 2 or 3 beauty therapy.

I wondered if anyone here did just massage and how often you got clients? and how much do you averagely charge a treatment?

Also I found a private institute that allows you to study NVQ level 3 beauty therapy without doing level 2. Do employers find this bad?

Thanks guys

I'm at college with students who have gone straight into level 3 massage (with no previous level 2 training) the people with no previous A&P are finding it difficult as the theory part of the course is quite hard.

I think someone with Level 2 as well as 3 is more employable in a salon owners eyes.

Michelle x

 

[jcpark]

Do you want to specialise in massage as a beauty therapist or be a massage therapist? They are two quite different things, and if you want to do things like sports massage, then really you would be better forgetting the NVQ beauty qualifications and getting proper massage qualifications. However, massage therapists are rarely employed in salons/spas except on a self employed basis. There are a few, but not many full time positions for fully qualified massage therapists.

 

[jcpark]

Hi Lena,

I fancy massage too. I was looking at the Carlton INstitute, they are doing 2 for 1 on courses at the moment. The body massage is 1 day, and qualifies you to take paying clients on completion. £300 odd but there is a free course as well. I was thinking sports therapy as well. I have done Indian Head but that wasn't a certified course, it was just a 6 week experience one.

I would be interested to know what people charge for mobile massages as well.

Thanks!

To do sports massage you need a level 4 qualification as a minimum, anything else is a joke. You cannot learn sports massage in 2 days on courses such as the Carlton Institute, in fact, you can't learn basic massage therapy in 2 days and provide a professional treatment. There is a big difference between attending a two day course, being given a certificate enabling you to get insurance and charge clients and making a living at it!

 

[Lena13]

In my honest opinion, I wouldn't skip NvQ Level 2. When you are treating peoples body's, you need to learn a heck of a lot of anatomy and physiology. You need to know what you are doing!!

If I had the choice to employ someone who had NVQ 2 and who didn't, I would always go for the person who did. Their knowledge and experience would be far greater!


Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek

Thanks for your reply I understand theres a lot that goes into it regarding the anatomy and physiology thats why I asked if level 2 was compulsary. I'll take that into consideration

 

[Lena13]

Hi Lena,

I fancy massage too. I was looking at the Carlton INstitute, they are doing 2 for 1 on courses at the moment. The body massage is 1 day, and qualifies you to take paying clients on completion. £300 odd but there is a free course as well. I was thinking sports therapy as well. I have done Indian Head but that wasn't a certified course, it was just a 6 week experience one.

I would be interested to know what people charge for mobile massages as well.

Thanks!

Hi there I looked at the Carlton Institute too but from what I can gather - I don't think you're going to learn what you need in such a short period of time unfortunately. I'm pretty sure there are other private institutes who could do it over a longer period of time so it goes far more indepth and you work on more clients etc!

 

[Lena13]

I'm at college with students who have gone straight into level 3 massage (with no previous level 2 training) the people with no previous A&P are finding it difficult as the theory part of the course is quite hard.

I think someone with Level 2 as well as 3 is more employable in a salon owners eyes.

Michelle x

Thank you for your reply. I can imagine that holds true since level 2 is a good basis. In your opinion if you're going self employed though would it be such a bad issue? I already have level 2 & 3 in mani pedi/gel nails and a Biology A-level so these might help me. Cheers!

 

[Lena13]

Do you want to specialise in massage as a beauty therapist or be a massage therapist? They are two quite different things, and if you want to do things like sports massage, then really you would be better forgetting the NVQ beauty qualifications and getting proper massage qualifications. However, massage therapists are rarely employed in salons/spas except on a self employed basis. There are a few, but not many full time positions for fully qualified massage therapists.

Hi thanks for your reply. I'd like to specialise as a massage therapist, but I'd also like to perform facial treatments and become specialised in that also they both interest me greatly so the level 2/3 would be a must. I'm looking to work part time whilst I do a part-time degree - do you think in your opinion it's fairly straight forward to find work part time as a self employed massage therapist in spa's and salons? Thanks for the advice.

 

[sukic]

If your interest is massage, just do a massage qualification. ITEC, VCTC do year long courses which cover A&P. I wasn't majorly confident even after I passed my ITEC course. Unbelievable that there are private colleges that let you believe you are qualified in a day. This industry really does need regulating.

 

[Leely]

Hi Lena,

I have just started level 3 VTCT body massage at college which is part time over 30 weeks. I have also enrolled onto Indian head massage and hot stone massage once I have finished my body massage course. Hopefully once I have passed I can then look into doing sports massage level 4 at college in sept this will be full time.
I am also currently doing a level 3 in A&P, which I think is a must when doing massage. I am further along in my A&P then massage which is helping loads without doing A&P I don't think I would be able to understand my massage course as well. xx

 

[jmd1980]

Hi Lena

I hope I can give you some advice that is useful to you.

Having taught massage on VTCT, HND and NVQ courses, I can tell you that I struggled to fit everything in to a full academic year (30 weeks x 3 hrs). I can't even imagine what they think they can teach you in one day that would make you competent, or professional.

You are obviously very passionate and willing to learn, give yourself the opportunity to be the best professional therapist you can be. Learn everthing you can in terms of practical, A and P, health and safety etc., and give your clients the best service you can provide. To do all this I think you need to train in much more than a one day course.

Any advice I can give you, or any help in deciding on courses, PM me. As an industry, we need to keep our training standards high. It makes us better therapists, inspires confidence in our clients, and ensures we are delivering a quality service. Really, that is what it is all about!

Anything I can do to help, just shout. I wish you the best of luck, keep your standards high, and the rest will fall into place.

J
x

 

[laurakate]

Hi everyone

I'm new to beauty therapy and am looking at my options (I have no current BT quali's). I would like to specialise in massage, e.g body, head, sports, facial etc and have found some NVQ courses for it without doing the NVQ level 2 or 3 beauty therapy.

I wondered if anyone here did just massage and how often you got clients? and how much do you averagely charge a treatment?

Also I found a private institute that allows you to study NVQ level 3 beauty therapy without doing level 2. Do employers find this bad?

Thanks guys

I know lots of people who just did level 3 massage. Different colleges will have different entry requirements but ultimately if you only want to do massage then level 2 beauty is not a requirement.

Definately look around for courses. In particular, nvq3 beauty therapy massage route, complementary therapies diploma levels 2 and or 3 may be of interest. Alternatively you could do separate courses just in body massage and then things like hot stones etc.

 

[lbrown332]

I did my NVQ level 3 in massage therapy the year before I did my level 2 beauty therapy.

My course was one day a week for a full academic year. I really enjoyed it and my tutor said as I was the only one learning this way (everyone else in my class had done level 2 the year before) she could help me out with a and p but I didn't really need it. I just studied really hard and all my friends and family would randomly ask me bones and muscles questions whenever they saw me. I learn best when doing practical so I picked up all the massage moves and everything really quickly. We didn't do clients until at least February (the course started in September) if you were good enough.

I didn't want to do beauty therapy which is why I went straight onto the massage course but I enjoyed it so much that I applied for NVQ2 the year after and I'm so glad that I did!!

HTH
Leanne
X

 

[laurakate]

Hi Lena,

I have just started level 3 VTCT body massage at college which is part time over 30 weeks. I have also enrolled onto Indian head massage and hot stone massage once I have finished my body massage course. Hopefully once I have passed I can then look into doing sports massage level 4 at college in sept this will be full time.
I am also currently doing a level 3 in A&P, which I think is a must when doing massage. I am further along in my A&P then massage which is helping loads without doing A&P I don't think I would be able to understand my massage course as well. xx

I would be willing to travel to oxford for a level 4 in sports massage (crazy i know lol)....could you tell me the name of the college please?

I wouldnt recommend the carlton institute...the whole learning experience is too much of a rushed job in my opinion. I think some courses are fine to do over a day or two but learning body massage from the beginning is probably pushing it a bit.

 

[holisticzoe]

Hi all,

I am a Massage therapist, just branching out into other things, but have been massaging for some years now, i had no beauty qualifications and enrolled at college to do VCTC level 3 in Swedish Massage and A and P, think the A and P was 8 months at 1 night a week and Massage 6 months at 1 night a week. once qualified you can then go on to do 1 day courses s uch as Pregnancy Massage and Hot Stones, most other courses require youor A and P and Swedish Massage certificates to enroll.

If anyone would like my advice with courses etc feel free to pm me :lol: