I am going to be honest, but there are courses out there that offer diplomas and which the insurance companies will accept and which will enable you to get out there and offer your services professionally. You just need to find which courses/diplomas you might want and then make enquiries with the insurance company and ask if they will accept this and that diplomas and what about when you get more diplomas will you also be covered. And I should tell you that is exactly what I have done and I have been in business since May. There are last minute offers on some diploma courses which means you can get them at half price as long as you can do them at short notice of just a few days.
On the other hand ..... I am still in business but have also gone back to college and am also currently doing my NVQ Beauty Level 2 because primarily I want the Level 2 Anatomy & Physiology so that I can extend my massage work, but I am gaining the make-up which is a new qualification for me. I am loving the course and it is helping my confidence immensely but what I have learned is that the diplomas are short sharp courses with no messing around and plenty of hands on within the day or two that they last whereas college can go on week in and week out with not as much hands on relatively speaking and both courses require that you practise outside of the course. So if you do the diplomas and do not have people you can practise on (my hubby has been so amazing and has let me wax him to tinting eyelashes) and often, then it is a problem. It is also self-regulating in that I wouldn't have offered my services professionally until I felt I had practised enough after I got my diplomas. But it was scary to think of some of the people on my courses who thought they could go out the next day into their new salon (that daddy had given) and start offering the services. I think I was lucky as I have heard from others who have done diploma courses and were very disappointed with them so it can be hit and miss. My nail prep skills are slow and detailed so I am hoping the college course experience will help me to speed up.
As diplomas I did waxing, manicure and pedicure, facials and eye lash/brow tinting and shaping, and Swedish massage. I have done professional courses in gel nails and spray tanning. I don't know if any of that is useful. You should also know that the diplomas are good for working for yourself in the UK but not if you want to get a job working for someone else or overseas. Though I had an enquiry from a spa wanting extra help and they didn't mind my diplomas, but I didn't like their rate of pay.
Caroline x
