NVQ or Creative for similar money?

[ladylou]

hi i'm new to this site after reading lots of thread's on here i m swayed toward's doing a creative nail exstention course the thing is i'v just enrolled on a nvq course at my local college and wondered since there both around the szame price which on i should go for as creative is only 5 days and im sure with the vtct i would get a lot of practice on the other students before we got client's in only thing is we do fibre glass gel and acrillic and silk wraps and i am not two fussed about doing the wraps and fibre glass i would really appreciate ur suggestions on this thanks x

 

[Missy G]

hi i'm new to this site after reading lots of thread's on here i m swayed toward's doing a creative nail exstention course the thing is i'v just enrolled on a nvq course at my local college and wondered since there both around the szame price which on i should go for as creative is only 5 days and im sure with the vtct i would get a lot of practice on the other students before we got client's in only thing is we do fibre glass gel and acrillic and silk wraps and i am not two fussed about doing the wraps and fibre glass i would really appreciate ur suggestions on this thanks x

Hi, I could be wrong but I think it will depend on which road you want to go down, if i could turn back time I wish Id done an NVQ at college first .I applied to several salons after doing my intensive course and a couple of conversions, and because I wasnt NVQ qualified, and my speeds werent fast enough they didnt want to know me .

So I just took the mobile road with my intensive course work , and an l&p conversion behind me,and Im taking further courses to better myself, but sometimes wish I had the NVQ qualification behind me ,just for simple things like doing manis n pedis properly,painting nails,this is something they just show basic on intensive courses the rest is just left to you to suss out for yourself.

You ll probly find as well if you do a foundation course with Creative this one wont be the only one, you ll want to do them all.:lol: I do !!

 

[del3]

Hi,
I did my NVQ training in college first(only because I wasn't aware of the other options with various nail companies) and then went on to do conversion courses etc with Ezflow.

I wouldn't rate my college training as the best but I'm glad I did it, it gave me the basics to start practising on friends and family and If I ever wanted to go into teaching or assesing in collage I have my NVQ as a starting point.
Remember you never stop learning in this game and you will find yourself wanting to do more and more in the way of courses (which ever company you choose).the nail industry should come with a health warning......IT'S ADDICTIVE!:lol:

If your college NVQ is free, like many of them are now, I would make it a start and build yourself up.
Good luck with your decision.
:hug:

 

[Terese]

Ditto, I feel an Nvq is the way to go, but there is nothing stoping you from undertaking a Basic Nail course, with whoever you decide to go with, Creative or otherwise, go by what you want to do

 

[ladylou]

hi
the thing is my nvq is 3.40 pouinds, then 1.30 pounds for the kit and i think creative works out about the same!!! so this is my problem i didn't think i'd have to pay for the nvq but because it's a night course i do that's why i'm not sure and certanly cant afford both at the moment any other suggestions thanks to all that replied anyway!! xx

 

[anna592]

as previously mentioned, it depends what route you are looking to go down....mobile/from home i would just do the creative course, then you can do the nvq at a later date if you want to. if your looking for a job within a salon, nearly all employers will require a minimum of an nvq level 2.

i enquired about an nvq last week, after researching the local college website-they stated to do the level 2 OR 3 for the evening course you only had to have nail basic skills or 5 gcses or equivilent-i thought as im already qualified with all enhancements, nail art and manicure/pedicure i could just skip the level 2 and do the level 3. Noooooo...how wrong was i and the info on the website. the tutor i spoke to, told me i have to do the level 2 and then the level 3. she said even though im more than qualified to do the level 2, im actually only company/product qualified, not what she would call industry qualified!!!

 

[ladylou]

really... do people want an nvq (i was told by creative mind u) that most reputable salons ask if u'v worked with creative product's ha sound's silly now i suppose she would say that!! any way i was thinking of working for my self i am qualified in beauty also but need to recap on that ashave had baby boy and have another on the way due in april!!
thanks any way i am still not totally convinced what to do either way i read on a thread earlier u would have to know what u'r doing if u took the nvq as u have lot's of assesment which to me sound's the better option.
as long as creative show u exacly what to do i could allways practice but the only difference is u won't have a tutour there to correct your'e fault's.hmmmm really don't bloody know!!! arrrh wish i coulod do both!!
i need to think quick as i have to pay and order kit by end of week...

 

[ladylou]

so u would have to do nail enhancements all over again for ur level 2 and what exacley is involved in your'e level 3? ..... do u think u will be doing it then ?

 

[anna592]

i was told the nvq level 2 covered manicure/pedicure, silk wraps or an insight into it, cant remember what she said about this, basic nail art and make up (why this is included in a nail nvq is beyond me!!)..they have made a few changes, as previously the level 2 included reception duties which they have now removed.

level 3 i think then goes more into depth with nail art and the other systems, business management, then an additional unit such as spray tanning

 

[ladylou]

thanks for all your'e advise i think i'm going to do the creative course and just practice the hell out of it !!!!! xx

 

[Julia Moran]

Hi, I have been an educator for a uk distributor and also had teaching experience in nail services at college and there are many things to research and considor before choosing your training providor.

This is just my personel opinion from experience in the uk nail industry.

If you complete your training as you say with creative, you will be getting an intense thorough course by a highly trained educator who i'm sure would be highly skilled in the latest techniques etc

After completing and gaining experience and confidence why not then do as many have done and then complete your nvq assessments to gain the nvq quals you talk about.
Because i qualified 20 years ago in the us, when i returned to the uk and an nvq in nails arrived this is what i did.

Good luck with your chosen path and i hope you enjoy your nail journey and carear as much as i have.

 

[gemma lambert]

NVQ is a government recognised qualification, and even though your not fussed about doing fibreglass it would still benefit you to learn it so you can advice clients on the correct system to suit them, you could always do a conversion course once you've finished your college course.
gem xx

 

[gemma lambert]

NVQ level 2 includes, bt7 manicure, bt8 pedicure, bt44 nail extensions (any system), bt13 nail art, g1,g6 and g8 which are mainly health and safety, other things such as make up, reception duties and spa duties are optional additions.

 

[Tracey Roberts]

Hi,
I'm doing a part time, evening course, 2 year duration, ( NVQ" nail tech), and personally think it's the best route to go, there are loads of nail disorders, and other info to learn, which I think because it is over the 2 years, it is drilled into you more, so to speek.
I cant see people who have been on a week course, remembering all this info, especially nail disorders/contrindications, etc, so well, in say a years time say ?.
I'm most certainly not knocking anyone down here, I'm sure there are some real bright sparks out there who do remember very well.
But even people on 2 year courses, still have trouble remembering some of the info, ( not myself included lol, I've been told I must have a photograhic memory, I wish ? )
But I think thi is something you may need to consider ?
good luck in choosing:hug:

By the way, even though I'm going down the NVQ2 route, I shall still go and do some further training with cnd in the future xx

 

[ladylou]

yeah im confused i really don't know and cant afford both the thing is i think i'm going to do my nvq 3 this sep and im sure that include's nails?
wsh i could do both but cant afford unfortunetly....
thanks so much for ll the advise thow but i do think i'll go with creative then do my level 3 in sep and possibly some more with creative xx

 

[ladylou]

i know i'v been thinking about it and i am 99.9 percent sure i'm going to do the nvq and then at a later date in my level 3 beauty if i have to do it again it will just benefit me more surely?
i will probably do my creative course too but later on towards the end of the year, thing is as i did my nvq l 2 beauty a few years bk i allready covered the mani pedi contraindercations and nail disorder's then,so they have let me join the nvq for nails part way through the thing is like u say you forget thing's and well i have forgotton all the nail disorder's lol i will just have to look it all bk up and revise at home... thanks for all the comment's lou xxx

 

[NAIL FRENZY]

I did my VTCT qualification before anything else and I am so glad that I did. The first 12 weeks were spent on manicure/pedicure, looking at the anatomy of the nail aswell as disorders etc. January to June was spent on enhancements, UV Gel, L&P and wraps, during which time we worked on clients that came in to the salon. I learnt so much during that time and was very fortunate to have a tutor that worked in the Nail Industry.

I also think that continuing your education in this industry is very important as things change all the time and it also helps to find what you are most comfortable with and enjoy working with the most. Since completing my VTCT, I have used some of my earnings from my nail work towards education and have Certificates from Youngs, Creative and Calgel. Next year I plan to do some more training with Creative. x