No training... smart or stupid?

[paula j]

i consider you very experienced and have invested loads into your career good for you girl !!
qualified you most definately are

 

[PORKCHOP]

I WOULD NEVER LET AN UNTRAINED TECH TOUCH MY NAILS.:irked:

 

[AngelCat]

I voted stupid! But, as mentioned above by many peeps, maybe I'm the stupid one for paying out a fortune in course fees, etc, etc, etc, to first of all learn the basics, and then progress. I don't know how everyone else learned, but I did my courses at weekends as I had to work full time to pay my mortgage (decided to take a risk and follow a career I love instead of the daily durge of being a secretary!:lol. But even though I got back late on the weekday evenings I still studied anatomy, H&S and practised everything I had been learning during the weekend!!! What social life?!:o

Even though I passed all my exams with flying colours I still class myself as a "student" as I continuously crave to do better and better. I believe we're all the worst critics when it comes to our own work!

But, I do read the advice given by other techs. And that advice has come in very useful and I believe to pass on knowledge to others who are struggling is a good and kind thing to do (not trying to sound too mushy here) but who doesn't like to hear about a new tip or hint to do things that little bit better and how many professional techs can say that they don't take that bit of advice on board while looking through the forum?!!!

But for the girlies who are working on paying clients without any training - GET YOURSELF TRAINED PROPERLY BEFORE YOU DO SERIOUS DAMAGE!!

Anyway, I'm off my soapbox - that's my opinion .... for what its worth!:o

 

[Purelynailz]

Did you learn about nail and skin disease and the underlying muscles in the hands,arms and feet/legs? When you do these qualifications and classes do you have to take written and practical exams to see what you have learned?
Just curious as I have never heard anyone say?

Yeh learnt about nail and skin disorders and all the bones and muscles etc and when i did my college course we had a written and practical the same for the creative foundation we had to pass the written to get the certificate .

 

[lisa-marie]

I voted stupid. I am a trained decorator and interior designer and yes you can tell the difference when some has done a 'DIY' job!! I am saving like mad to do my foundation course next year and can't wait to get trained to get started. I am a complete nail virgin and have never done nails apart from the gems and rhinestones on normal varnish. I had a set of nails done once by a friend who did a 2 day course up in Manchester and few months later she opened her on nail bar. I didn't know athing about nail,,, but as I never have any cuz of my job, I thought I would treat myself. Having been a regular reading on this site for a while now,,, I am wondering just how much she knew. She had had nail extensions herself for years,,,,,,,,,,does this make it easier for ppl to learn and get qualified? She made my finger bleed when filing......and a few other things that I would have to question now. I can't wait to get trained and be all legal so I can make this move in my career.

how did your friend know how to open a nail bar after 2 days training?
don't you need a bit more experience to have your own shop? x

 

[lisa-marie]

Did you learn about nail and skin disease and the underlying muscles in the hands,arms and feet/legs? When you do these qualifications and classes do you have to take written and practical exams to see what you have learned?
Just curious as I have never heard anyone say?

i've just started my vtct level 2 manicure and pedicure and my vtct level 2 nail technology (enhancements) and we have to learn all about stuff like that and all the health and safety aspects before doing any practical x

 

[sanchalp]

Hi all.

I'm an UNTRAINED DIYer

For about 10 years, I have done my nails myself by either using stuff bought from Boots, Sally's or on-line. I've had my fair share of accidents; I've got my fingers stuck together and suffered burns when wrapping my nails with fibre glass resin and also contracted the green lurgies on my nails. I've tried the acrylic technique on myself and hated it.

I now use gel and can sculpt and do pink and white on my own long nails (because I am rubbish at painting french manicure). With all this said, I would be extremely reluctant to do anyone else's nails - simply because I do not want to put anyone else at risk! I have been asked before but have said no due to worries of something going wrong, questions being asked and having to discuss payment:o (not something I'd like to do, esp when I have no quals to back myself up).

I only do my own nails because I hate going to salons where people treat you like cattle by shipping you in and out and charge you for gel when they are clearly using acrylic with a layer of gel on top. Along side that, there is nothing worse than someone chewing up your cuticles, slicing you with and e-file and still charging you £30 for a full set of DODGY gels.:grr:

While I have no doubt that I would be more than capable of creating nail enhancements for myself and others, I believe that training is imperative. The only reason why I haven't done it yet has been due to not knowing which course to do. There are so many and I'm not as rich as I would like to be. I would not feel comfortable working on anyone without having been taught by a professional first. I have the utmost respect for those who have made the effort to gain their qualifications.

So until I know where I need to start and can find reasonably priced courses in London (that fits in with my full-time career), I will only work on myself - I don't want to be sued!!!!

 

[Vetty]

So until I know where I need to start and can find reasonably priced courses in London (that fits in with my full-time career), I will only work on myself - I don't want to be sued!!!!

Well done to you for having such a reponsible attitude! Unfortunately there are too many places that will take your money and churn out shoddy nails, and I don't blame you for looking for an alternative.

It sounds like with some training you could be fantastic tech, and you are lucky that one of Creative's finest educators Ketan Patel is based in London...... After training comes insurance and then paying customers......

 

[Moby]

Stupid.
I have only had a quick browse through this post so sorry to repeat!
Has anyone had people come to them who admit to have taught themselves without any professional training??
I had a lady once, she needed a soak off and new pink & white set. The set she had on WERE HORRIBLE & FALLING APART! She told me straight away she had been doing them herself and we went through the normal conversation of how you should have training and she agreed with everything etc. She even said she had done other people, & she was such a lovely lady!
But... she came to me, i think, 4 times and then had some emergency and said she would not be back for a month..... It's been 4 months and I haven't heard from her.
Now that I read this, I FEEL STUPID! Maybe she was just watching how I do nails PROPERLY and what the difference was with her and me......... After a new set, an infill, a rebalance & an infill again.... maybe she had nothing else to gain from me!!
Obviously i'm speculating, she might have a genuine reason nto to come back... but it makes me think considering she was self taught.... do you guys still do nails on these people who claim to be self taught??? I never imagined she might go off after learning something (that's if she has!) She was just so lovely and genuine and it seemed she saw the error of her ways!!!
xxx

 

[ValencianNails]

do you guys still do nails on these people who claim to be self taught???

Yep... I had one client who had a set of fibreglass T+O 3 years ago, I noticed how she was watching my every move and asking rather in depth questions, turns out that she'd bought all of the products she thought she needed to do her own nails and unbeknown to me I was there to be her 'teacher'.
I didn't see her again until the latter end of last year, she admitted to me that she couldn't handle doing her own nails and marvels at the way I file and buff her enhancements, always asking me "how can you do it so fast?" etc etc, we laugh about it now because she knows the pitfalls etc and is a regular 2 weekly rebalance client :green:

 

[Anna Lee]

Stupid.
I have only had a quick browse through this post so sorry to repeat!
Has anyone had people come to them who admit to have taught themselves without any professional training??
I had a lady once, she needed a soak off and new pink & white set. The set she had on WERE HORRIBLE & FALLING APART! She told me straight away she had been doing them herself and we went through the normal conversation of how you should have training and she agreed with everything etc. She even said she had done other people, & she was such a lovely lady!
But... she came to me, i think, 4 times and then had some emergency and said she would not be back for a month..... It's been 4 months and I haven't heard from her.
Now that I read this, I FEEL STUPID! Maybe she was just watching how I do nails PROPERLY and what the difference was with her and me......... After a new set, an infill, a rebalance & an infill again.... maybe she had nothing else to gain from me!!
Obviously i'm speculating, she might have a genuine reason nto to come back... but it makes me think considering she was self taught.... do you guys still do nails on these people who claim to be self taught??? I never imagined she might go off after learning something (that's if she has!) She was just so lovely and genuine and it seemed she saw the error of her ways!!!
xxx

Don't worry about it... and don't feel stupid because unless she has a 'I'm here to steal your professional skills' stamped across her forehead then any one of us would've done the same...

There will always be people like this around.. not just in the nail industry but all other industries too...

It's proper education which separates the professionals and the wannabes...

 

[tweeboo]

well i agree with SOOOOO many of you on here! here in Huddersfield we have a number of salons with Asian nail techs which is all fine and well, but most of them can't speak English so i just wonder how the hell have they been trained?
can we report them and if so who too? because i really dont think most of them are trained! and it's not fair! i paid £1300 for a 18 lesson course to get trained and then we have the likes of non trained nail techs out there doing treatments and getting away with it!
i just think it's very silly!
hope your all well?


James

 

[Nafia]

We have a lot of untrained person doing the same thing it happen in the discount salon a lot here in the states we just had a case where the whole salon was untrained one person held a license and the others were just working. the were closed down and fine 10,000 for every unlicensed person that was 12 people without a licensed they wont be reopening anytime soon!

 

[AgnesToth]

Hi! I agree with all of You,Who do not like untraind nailtechs!
A few things abought chineese salons... I had so many people after them,and clients nails was look sooooo horryble!!Nearly impossimble to repair them!They charge half price too!!!I hate this!People like them bacause is CHEEP!WHY?
/Sorry abought my english = is my 2nd language... :/
I traind in Hungary,it was half year course!!!I had learn a lot,and I do all my best now!
Agnes

 

[BABTAC Manager]

well i agree with SOOOOO many of you on here! here in Huddersfield we have a number of salons with Asian nail techs which is all fine and well, but most of them can't speak English so i just wonder how the hell have they been trained?
can we report them and if so who too? because i really dont think most of them are trained! and it's not fair! i paid £1300 for a 18 lesson course to get trained and then we have the likes of non trained nail techs out there doing treatments and getting away with it!
i just think it's very silly!
hope your all well?

James

Can you report them? Big problem - in an unregulated industry, who to?

Some Local Authorities have by-laws requiring licensing of certain types of salon - but these are often simply a 'send cheque' job; no validation of training or qualification! They would have to conform to H&S and Environmental Health laws by statute, and the Consumer Safety Act - but is your time worth it? If they're that bad they'll probably get a bad reputation and go bust.

Problem is that then everyone is tarred by that brush.

Until there are statute laws requiring prereq qualifications to trade, I think those of you in industry who are responsible, trained, qualified practitioners are at risk.

Regards

PHILIP SWINFORD
Marketing Services Manager
BABTAC

 

[MrsR]

The untrained will come unstuck. I am currently trying to work out who and how to be trained and even after just a little research on the subject of training it has opened my eyes as to all the different things I will need to learn and just how huge a subject it really is. One day the untrained will come up against something they do not know and I just hope that someone doesn't get hurt because of it - its only a matter of time isn't it.

I take my hat off to all you professionally trained people and one day will be able to call myself professionally trained too

 

[sarahdae]

Hmm. I don't know if I agree with some of the posts. I think this forum is for those who willingly give knowledge, knowing whom ever uses it uses it for their own purposes. So in other words, if you don't want someone using the knowledge you post here, then don't post it. Forums of all types are for people to learn and gain knowledge. It is unrestricted and there is no requirements. Therefore, I have the opinion that if a newbie is wanting to learn more, and comes here, good for them. It is much better that they get professional advice, than other sources of advice on how to do nails. And you're right, they get the same information here that you will find in training courses. Wouldn't you agree that this forum has covered a thousand times over every bit of info your training course provides? All it takes is a diligent search. What they don't get, is hands on experience and practice that a training course provides.

All of you who spent thousands on your education, of course it would piss you off for someone to gain the same knowledge for free. But that is YOUR problem, not theirs. Yes, everyone doing nails for profit needs professional training, but not everyone has to pay what you did. In other words, you can't base someones level of expertise by $$ spent. Nor can you expect this site, a public forum, to be limited to professionals only. Go elsewhere if you are concerned about that. Otherwise, the more knowledge the better!! Who cares what they are using it for! At least they are using it!

 

[Denmark]

It irritates me that the generaly opinion is that every one can do nails, how hard can it be the word is... Would you go to a hairdresser and let her do your hair, if she have absolute no education??? No.. because we women are so delicate about our hair, sorry that that doen´st goe for the nails too :irked:

We have the same problem here in Denmark everybody can open a salon with out any kind of traning, and they use creap products sold from diffrent nailshop on the internet here in Denmark

I think to change this, the only way is if the customers demand trained nailtech´s and would not accept untrained personal, this could changes the way that things are.... :lol:

 

[lissa]

i am training with gel and already do acrylic , what i want to know is how these nails must look when they have finished !! they must look terrible !!

 

[Karenlaw]

I have to say that not all untrained nail techs are terrible. I realise I'm going to get shot down if flames for that comment. There is a lady at my kids school that used to do my nails and she wasn't 'professionally' trained. She used to do an absolutley fantastic job on my nails in fibreglass. They would last me 3 weeks with no lifting at all. She has quite a few clients that have been going back to her for years!

I do agree, training is the best way but some people can do a GREAT job.