The rise of the unqualified

[virtues2011]

It took me less than 7 weeks to obtain a full VRQ level two certificate from a private college. I never worked anywhere in these 7 weeks just went in for my training days and worked on case studies. I didn't find any part of the course demanding or challenging in any way whatsoever. I then went on to train with the IIAA and all my results were over 90%. I never started level 3 beauty. I trained with CACI. I asked Lynne Baker if she could recommend some facial electrical books, which she kindly did which I purchased as references.

However, I am a very quick learner.

I also witnessed on every course the comments of (as an example) ' how much cleansing gel do I use? or how much nail polish remover shall I put on the cotton pad?' ...

My eyes definitely rolled to the back of my head more than once. I couldn't do two years of this in college. None.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[persianista]

I had to have 5 GCE O'Levels to go on my college course, back in the day. They had to be grade C or above.
Hairdressing wasnt seen as a low paid occupation for the thickos back then, it was seen as a good trade, which, after you made it to stylist, was well paid.
I suppose the difference was that it took 5 years. We accepted it was five years of crap money and terrible conditions. There's no way on Earth they'd accept it now. 18 year olds feel that they are every bit as good as the experienced hairdressers due to their 'certificates', and fully expect to be paid the same, and bowed down to.
Minimum wage rules wrecked the training for the industry. It's damn near impossible to break into after age 17, unless you think you can do 3 years of training inside a year. Even then, with no clientele, and no time to build one, people are at serious risk of not providing salons with a return on investment. Very few salons can pay £280 a week for someone to just sit and look pretty.

So, yes, I think the industry is in a mess. Soon it will be the preserve of the immigrants, the intellectually challenged, and the tax avoiders. The future isn't terribly bright.

 

[Kim Lawless]

Not sure about the rest of the world but I went to College full time for 2 yrs for Beauty and there was over 300 applicants! Only 28 spots. Entrance exams were not made for non-academic girls as the math/physics/language comprehension equalled that of an entrance exam for an electrical engineer, just an example.
I have to agree with Persianista as well.
Until the government enacts decent forms of standardized education Im afraid we are all screwe@.

Cleen Cheeks Spa

Sadly but here in the Uk, going to college for 2yrs doesn't always make a good therapist. I see it a lot and the students themselves will tell me that they spent a total of about 8hrs unsupervised in those 2 years on waxing. I've heard stories from tutors who were made to pass students to keep the numbers up.

Having said that I know many wonderful colleges, tutors and students that have had wonderful experiences.

I blame the insurance companies as it seems that everyone can become a trainer by just doing their PTTLS and paying their money to have their courses accredited. Nobody comes to actually see how we teach or to verify that we are an expert in our field. More trainers than NIKE!

 

[coco.]

I think it's worth looking around different colleges, my two nearest colleges have a completely different application process.
One I went to, I had a 5 minute talk with the tutor and I was given a form that she signed and I was offered a place

The second one, we were showed around the college, had a presentation, an interview, had to fill out a booklet on the industry and why we were doing the course, have a maths test and English test, had a dexterity test and then we were offered a place depending on what the results from those 3 tests were.

The first college said to allow 1-1.5 hours but I was literally in and out within 10 minutes and I spoke to the tutor for 5 minutes

That kind of spoke volumes for me as to which college was better or at lest seemed better

 

[laurakate]

The biggest change I've seen is the huge drop in wages. Twenty three years ago, as a young stylist, I was taking home around 320 a week after tax. Good stylists were gold dust, and we could take our pick of jobs.
Now it's pretty much minimum wage. That's the biggest change. Therapists are ten a penny, hairdressers vie for salaried jobs.
We used to battle to get juniors, now we're scared to put an ad out as we get deluged.

I am so leaving this industry soon. Work for someone else even in a high end establishment and the best you'll get is a smidge above minimum wage. Work for yourself and you can't forcast your income in a way that allows you to budget effectively for the future.

Beauty is an awesome skill to have as a hobby and as something to do while able to manage on minimum wage if you live with a supportive family or partner but in terms of the pay and hours it's no better than waitressing. I love the actual subject matter of beauty but as an income I am so out of it.

 

[laurakate]

Sadly but here in the Uk, going to college for 2yrs doesn't always make a good therapist. I see it a lot and the students themselves will tell me that they spent a total of about 8hrs unsupervised in those 2 years on waxing. I've heard stories from tutors who were made to pass students to keep the numbers up.

Having said that I know many wonderful colleges, tutors and students that have had wonderful experiences.

I blame the insurance companies as it seems that everyone can become a trainer by just doing their PTTLS and paying their money to have their courses accredited. Nobody comes to actually see how we teach or to verify that we are an expert in our field. More trainers than NIKE!

Lol at the Nike bit hehe

I was so set for doing my ptlls and or dtlls but I know of a lot of people who have taught me who are now back in the industry on entry level jobs due to hours being cut in teaching or simply due to the beauty teacher supply and demand thing being disproportionate.

I am going to train to teach another age group so that I have the option to teach either in that respect or with beauty but at the moment I absolutely can't justify putting all my eggs in one basket with a ptlls (no disrespect to anyone who holds this valuable qualification...it is the logistics of securing employment from it that I am slating, not the qualification itself).

 

[profbeau]

8 years ago I did my full time city & guilds in beauty. It was very basic, and most of our days were spent hearing about the tutors night out, or her grandsons antics. But I left with a full qualification ready to go, into a part time salon job.

Did I feel confident? No! I soon realized just how basic my training had been, and over the years I have done many "fast track" courses, in a bid to further my knowledge of some treatments, and to add those that weren't covered, such as spray tans and intimate waxing.

I also did a year long ITEC in massage, covering full, in depth a&p. This was the single, most valuable course I have ever done!

The combination of experience, added courses, my drive for knowledge, and the invaluable advice of some lovely geeks here, is what has made me the confident, fantastic, and busy mobile therapist that I am today, not my original piece of paper with a recognized qualification stamp on it!

I feel there is a place for these fast track courses. And regardless of your training, without the passion, drive, professionalism and experience, you would not last more than a few months anyway!

As we all know, it really isn't the get rich quick scheme a lot of these non-pro, diy wannabes, think it is!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[persianista]

8 years ago I did my full time city & guilds in beauty. It was very basic, and most of our days were spent hearing about the tutors night out, or her grandsons antics. But I left with a full qualification ready to go, into a part time salon job.

Did I feel confident? No! I soon realized just how basic my training had been, and over the years I have done many "fast track" courses, in a bid to further my knowledge of some treatments, and to add those that weren't covered, such as spray tans and intimate waxing.

I also did a year long ITEC in massage, covering full, in depth a&p. This was the single, most valuable course I have ever done!

The combination of experience, added courses, my drive for knowledge, and the invaluable advice of some lovely geeks here, is what has made me the confident, fantastic, and busy mobile therapist that I am today, not my original piece of paper with a recognized qualification stamp on it!

I feel there is a place for these fast track courses. And regardless of your training, without the passion, drive, professionalism and experience, you would not last more than a few months anyway!

As we all know, it really isn't the get rich quick scheme a lot of these non-pro, diy wannabes, think it is!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using SalonGeek mobile app

I absolutely agree. Those of us with long careers have had to keep up to date with skills and training.
The messers do however represent a problem. Every time a client has a treatment, however bad, by one of these people, That client:
1. Aint in your shop, or mine.
2. Is having a bad experience/poor result, and think the treatment is rubbish or doesnt work for her.
3. Gets used to the idea that prices should be thruppence, and anything above that is 'greedy' or 'a con'.
4. Will often spread the word that 'that shellac is rubbish, ruined my nails', when in reality it was cheap crud bought off t'internet. Clients don't know about product quality.

I don't necessarily feel that the colleges are all at fault here. They're getting lumbered with the hopeless, and under pressure to give them certs of some sort.
Possibly the product companies could stop advertising in the trade press only, and support the salons/stylists/therapists by educating the public a little more than they do.
As for the wider picture, unless there is a serious crackdown on illegal immigrants working cash in hand in the UK, I can't see what the future will be like for our industry.

 

[Kristalinx]

I think the colleges are struggling to keep the standards up because they are now stuck with a bunch of 16 year olds that have to stay in education. They don't want to be there and just kick up a massive fuss.
Also in my group it seemed to be all bored young mothers who wanted a fast way to earn some money while at home. Not one of them went on to level 3, all of them proclaiming "you don't need it, I'm not wasting another year of my life" and at least 3 of them now work mobile.

These were girls who were getting serious complaints made about the standard of their work and were all asked to attend extra cutting classes by the college. None of them have bothered because as far as they are concerned they are "qualified", I think the college should have withheld their certificates until they proved they could do everything level 2 requires.

 

[Shardena]

Im getting really depressed reading this thread, because it's mostly all true.
I love my chosen career and have always dreamed of owning a salon but with the way things are going it might not be worth it! On maternity leave for 6 months from today and was planning on renting a space when that's finished but I think I may have to go back to boring accountancy with this as a side job.

Not how I planned my career but we have to eat and pay bills and the last 4 months have been so quiet in the salon I've just left that I had to get loan and use my credit cards just to survive. Thats not buying any new clothes or meals out, just simply paying childcare and house bills and the salon owners rent. Some weeks I'd make just enough to cover her rent, some weeks I wouldn't even make that. And it's because people want cheap not quality. I just can't bring myself to use cheaper alternatives and love CND shellac, nouveau lashes and more fantastic high quality brands.

But there's the other problem: fake shellac with authentic looking labels on and people charging £15 for an 'authentic' shellac treatment. I can't compete with that! It's really getting me down.

Sent from my GT-S7275R using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[KHS]

Hang in there ladies, every week a " pop up messer " packs up her tools and sells them on FB or gumtree! Realising her £8 spray tan, £5 cut, or £10 full leg wax and,no returning clients are not paying her bills. They are dropping our of the industry like flies.

We've just got to keep doing what we're doing, high standards, impeccable customer service and 1st class treatments, do not lower prices to compete with the "pop up's"






Sent from my D5503 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[totalbeautyabz]

I applied for college, they messed me around something chronic. I ended up studying privately. I learn quick and the anatomy and physiology isn't an issue-I have a BSc hons in medical science. I've trained in high end products and treatments. I've done lots of one to one and worked my @ss off the last few months studying, training, doing case studies and practicing what I've learned before I start working full time next month. It's been really tough, but I'm glad it's happened this way. Speaking to my trainers, they've told me that the girls coming out of college are needing re-trained as they're being taught out of date methods. Like tanning, they're being taught the wrong way to tan, manicures are not up to date. Glad I've gone private. My training has been excellent, I just hope I'm as good a therapist!!

 

[Oasis]

As it's been said on here already, Beauty is not a get rich quick scheme. It's the same as any industry, the more you put in, the more you get back but it literally does take blood sweat and tears to make it work.
People who are in it for a quick buck will soon drop away. If you're in it because you love it and are happy to play the long game then you will do it and make a success of it.
I think the problem is not the dodgy courses but the people who do these courses with a dodgy attitude. Anyone truly professional can be good if they want to be but as I said it takes hard work, no matter which course you do.
I think I read somewhere that Habia were going to run something to make people aware of the work that goes into being a therapist. We need to back this up by reminding our customers.
Just a case of making it clear to them, do they want their waxing done by Kim Lawless or Vicki Pollard? Haha

 

[virtues2011]

I quite like the ones that leave college and go straight into leasing their own salon and have no idea about either business or treatments.... I suppose it maybe what keeps forums like this open and active with the 'I have no clients threads'....

I was going to say with age comes confidence. .but i will retract that comment as some students were ten years older than me and had no clue whatsoever. ... and not even the basic confidence to look someone in the eye when talking to them. I sometimes think trainers have it hard as well.

KHS I read what you are saying but do you think that for every twenty that fail in your area a month, fifty more are coming right up to 'give it a go' ..

I suppose I could be classed as one of those 'give it a go types' . . However I'm not going unless I want to.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[KHS]

Unfortunately yes Virtues, but fortunately due to the ones who "popped up" and deflated, it does deter others. Howe

Sent from my D5503 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[Balance Andover]

I absolutely agree. Those of us with long careers have had to keep up to date with skills and training.
The messers do however represent a problem. Every time a client has a treatment, however bad, by one of these people, That client:
1. Aint in your shop, or mine.
2. Is having a bad experience/poor result, and think the treatment is rubbish or doesnt work for her.
3. Gets used to the idea that prices should be thruppence, and anything above that is 'greedy' or 'a con'.
4. Will often spread the word that 'that shellac is rubbish, ruined my nails', when in reality it was cheap crud bought off t'internet. Clients don't know about product quality.

I don't necessarily feel that the colleges are all at fault here. They're getting lumbered with the hopeless, and under pressure to give them certs of some sort.
Possibly the product companies could stop advertising in the trade press only, and support the salons/stylists/therapists by educating the public a little more than they do.
As for the wider picture, unless there is a serious crackdown on illegal immigrants working cash in hand in the UK, I can't see what the future will be like for our industry.

It's not just illegal immigrants. They need to crack down on people claiming benefits who are too I'll to work or claim jobseekers or single parent benefits who manage to run a little beauty business from home without declaring it. I know of plenty!

 

[laurakate]

I think there's a risk of looking at this in a very blinkered way in that for everyone who is genuinely pants at what they do with a bad attitude, there are a fair number of people who are very good at what they do who are saturating our industry.

In my employment I bring extra repeat bookings with additional skills such as reflexology and intimate waxing but I'm still on a smidge above minimum wage because there is always someone else willing to do my job.

This isn't about cowboys and colleges. This is about a saturated industry in general.

 

[virtues2011]

I think there's a risk of looking at this in a very blinkered way in that for everyone who is genuinely pants at what they do with a bad attitude, there are a fair number of people who are very good at what they do who are saturating our industry.

In my employment I bring extra repeat bookings with additional skills such as reflexology and intimate waxing but I'm still on a smidge above minimum wage because there is always someone else willing to do my job.

This isn't about cowboys and colleges. This is about a saturated industry in general.

Agreed.... You're just running ahead though. We haven't finished discussing the cowboys and colleges. We have at least 9,788 pages left to go. Ha

Sent from my GT-N7100 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[little voyce]

Well ladies. The obvious thing here is to have a focus group. A number of us should get together, outline our criticisms, aspirations, solutions etc and present them in a formal report-style paper to bodies such as The Guild, Professional Beauty, BABTAC etc, not forgetting - the insurance companies.

There is definitely a dialogue that needs to be opened up here. I know there have been several threads that indicate much of the fault of our shambolic industry lies, not in the hands of the people who want to join in, but with the 'professional' bodies that set standards and allow the proliferation of poorly skilled therapists to exist.

The bar is also set too low by HABIA and THE GUILD with registers that do not even allow for the existence of therapists who have taken the HE route. When the degrees and foundation degrees are not even acknowledged by such companies, how are we, as therapists, expected to encourage newcomers to aspire to greater heights? Why even train to Level 3 when a Level 2 therapist can now take on the mantle of an aesthetician and conduct skin needling and chemical peels?

Enough of that! Back to the focus group... Who would like to take an idea like this further?

(I wasn't class AND year rep at college for nothing!!!)

 

[little voyce]

So, that's you and me so far, Persianista!!! There's a good half a dozen other names who should be throwing their hats into the ring too!!

I'm thinking a nice country hotel for a good venue.... (which would obviously mean an overnight stay...)