Training Providers - should they be more responsible?

[Sassy Hassy]

I don't know Rachel. I was working in a nail bar frnachise and did my training wity them, so think they thought I would learn in the salon. Who knows. BUt then Natalie did a foundation coure with LCN and they didn't do a full removal, and it's damned hard to buff off a full set if you're not used to it.

 

[Hope]

We weren't told how to remove product either, just that we needed to come back on re-balance day with one hand in need of a re-balance and one hand completely off. I never fail to be amazed at how much there is to learn, and how difficult it all is to put into practice.

 

[extensionten]

Thanks for all your fab responses. How about hearing from more people who have only recently trained? Were you made aware that it's a case of life long learning? Were you shocked after you finished your foundation course (from any brand) just how difficult it is, and how much there is to learn? Would you have liked to have been made aware of this before you booked your foundation course?

There's no right or wrong answer here, and we don't need to mention brands!!

Hi,
AS A NEWLY trained technician I will put my pennies worth in! lol.
I did my C&G manicure over a year ago enjoyed and went on to do nail enhancements at a private college ... also C&G. I HAD NO IDEA of the amount of work involved before I started and I was not told how hard it will be. I honestly thought it would be a doddle... especially when we were taught fibreglass first, then gel, then came L&P!!! OMG shock of my life. I thought that I would learn x,y,z then off I go. Started practicing and problems occur; lifting, maintenance, etc etc (u all know what I mean).... so you have to get around all this. I was also shocked at the products. I can't remember what I thought, but I didn't know my ezflow from my elbow!! lol. So, again, research. I did choose to then do a conversion to ezflow.....and so my journey begins. I do now class myself as proffessional because I am qualified with a recognised qualification of which I have worked hard and long for, but I am a newly trained technician. I do however know NOW that I have a long way to go. At some point, EVERYONE will be asked to have a recognised qualification - C&G, NVQ. The trainer who owns the college where I trained actually advises for C&G's. I can get more advice if anyone wants to know... but in a few areas of London you cannot carry out nail services with out these qualifications and it will be the same all over eventually.
SO SASSY, NO, I DID NOT REALISE THE COST, HARD WORK, BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS I would go through to get to this point.... I am glad I have persevered though.
Phew. :biggrin:

 

[NatalieJ]

Hi Sassy,

Ive just completed a foundation course and I know there is so much more practising and training I need to do before I am ready to charge clients as fully trained. I found this website while I was researching the training and from all the threads I read about training and other things I knew that the foundation course was just a start, the beginning of the training for the career I have chosen.

When I started the foundation course I knew how hard it would be as I had read so many threads on here about it. A couple of girls on my course were so freaked out about how they couldn't do it and getting stroppy with themselves, because I imagine they thought it would be easy. I must admit thats what I probably thought but then I did my research for months before I actually booked the training so by then I knew what to expect so I wasn't getting worried, I just knew I had to practise and getting this first qualification would enable me to do so the right way.

the training companys that advertise the courses as foundation say it all really as it is foundation although some of the other companys (one of which I nearly booked before more research) don;t advertise it as foundation, they advertise saying that after you will be qualified to charge the full amount and from what they say you would imagine this is all the training you need, but as long as there are people that beleive that they will make their money.

I think it is up to the individual to research their career path, whichever industry you want to enter into otherwise how do you know if you're doing the right thing? In my opinion the training companys would have expected the trainee to have researched before they got to the position of booking up.

Sorry this has been long - hope some of it makes sense :wink2:

PS......im glad I found this website!

 

[Jeni Giles]

This is great!!! I'm reading through and taking notes of the things you mentioned so that on the educators end I get everything covered. There is so much information and the chemistry and products are constantly changing, that I'm still learning!! (I've been learning my entire life!! Very seriously for the last 15 years)

I'll admit I made more in the salon, BUT who is going to take care of my clients when I'm gone? Who will work to raise the industry standard? What Legacy do I want to leave behind.

Cosmetology Instructors and Nail Technology instructors are continually "bashed" for only teaching the basics, are sometimes accused of not being able to make it in a salon environment or this one's my personal favorite, being outdated and not in tune with current fashion. (that one's my personal pet peeve I Am TOO fashionable!!)

Not every one is fortunate enough to attend a school or foundation course with an instructor who genuinely cares and makes sure that you
1. get the information you need
2. know what to do with the information you've been given
3. is willing to go the extra mile to satisfy all questions and provide additional material if you've mastered the technique at hand

This problem plagues the American Cosmetology/Nail technology industry the same way it does in Europe. For every 1 qualified instructor (one who meets the above requirements, not just one who has a certificate) there are 15 or 20 who may hold the certificate or qualification, but they are unaware of how to share information and actually teach.

Teaching is not easy...there are days I would rather walk barefoot across hot coals than stand infront of that class, but there are those who REALLY REALLY want to be in my class and get the information that I've given them. It's usually pretty easy to separate the "I'm only here because someone else is paying for it and I have nothing better to do" students from the " I want to do this I always have wanted to do this and I'm willing to work hard to be the best I can be" students. (They think I can't but it's pretty obvious after 9 years of these silly girls!!)

My advice is this, if your instructor is approachable and will answer any industry related question no matter how silly it may seem, patiently and with a sense of humour, take that class! You will end up with more information from asking questions (they may ask you to write them down and ask after class so that they can get through the planned information) and getting answers from group discussions that you will from reading on your own or practicing by yourself. You won't always get correct information from group discussions, but you can sort through and find the information you need. Questions always lead to other questions that may cover information that you wanted and didn't know about yet.

The responsibility is a split, the instructor should make them aware that they don't walk out of the course and into a luxury job, it takes work, work, and more work!! The student should take responsibility for getting the information...sometimes this poses a challenge...not all instructors are like me, they won't take the time to track down an answer and may brush off the question, but there are good courses out there, that have good instructors.

Tips for finding those kind of instructors, look for classes offered by reputable companies. If a class sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Attend the same class more than once. I've been to the CND Roadshow twice and was a CND master before that. Every time an EZ Flow master class is in our area I go. I always learn something new, or I am reminded of something I probably learned but have since forgotten.

Some classes are better than others, but even in the worst classes ever, I've met great people who are better skilled in some areas that I want to improve in, that's where 121 or mentoring come in.

With out the education and the instructor providing it we wouldn't be anywhere, so even though the instructor you had may have been "crappy" and the cost more than you expected, it got you the one thing you really wanted....A CAREER IN NAILS!

Sorry if I'm long winded, I try to make sure that I learn from others around me, I want my students to be able to go out and make a living and then possibly replace me, I'm not old, but I'm not going to live forever!

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Thanks Jeni, fab answer hun. Really good to hear it from the "other side of the fence".

 

[Zuise.e]

Hi Sassy,

Ive just completed a foundation course and I know there is so much more practising and training I need to do before I am ready to charge clients as fully trained. I found this website while I was researching the training and from all the threads I read about training and other things I knew that the foundation course was just a start, the beginning of the training for the career I have chosen.

When I started the foundation course I knew how hard it would be as I had read so many threads on here about it. A couple of girls on my course were so freaked out about how they couldn't do it and getting stroppy with themselves, because I imagine they thought it would be easy. I must admit thats what I probably thought but then I did my research for months before I actually booked the training so by then I knew what to expect so I wasn't getting worried, I just knew I had to practise and getting this first qualification would enable me to do so the right way.

the training companys that advertise the courses as foundation say it all really as it is foundation although some of the other companys (one of which I nearly booked before more research) don;t advertise it as foundation, they advertise saying that after you will be qualified to charge the full amount and from what they say you would imagine this is all the training you need, but as long as there are people that beleive that they will make their money.

I think it is up to the individual to research their career path, whichever industry you want to enter into otherwise how do you know if you're doing the right thing? In my opinion the training companys would have expected the trainee to have researched before they got to the position of booking up.

Sorry this has been long - hope some of it makes sense :wink2:

PS......im glad I found this website!

Great thread Sass!
My answer is practicaly the same as Natalie's - I researched first and came across this site first before booking on any course - I had no pre conceptions about how long it would take etc...and didn't expect to feel qualified after doing a foundation - I took it to mean "foundation". I think if I hadn't found all the info and advice on here, I may have felt differently!
I personally think it's up to the individual to find out as much as they can for themselves. No matter how much a company tells you or promises you,at the end of the day, they are in it to make money. However (and this was something you told me) If a company wants you to use & promote their products, they need to make the training good.
I think we are lucky nowadays as we have the internet and if we want to find out something - we can dig really deep before committing to something.
Yes maybe the companies don't tell us the pitfalls like in the driving lesons example -but who does!
well that's my twopennith

 

[Buggy]

Hi, like Kittenclaws, only been doing this since Feb 05. I got the number of a nail academy off a friend of a nail technician, didn't know who they were. never had my nails done before and in fact was complete nail virgin. my mates all thought i was mad because i didn't know the company and would be wasting my 500 quid. (so much so, i started to feel that way myself until my hairdresser told me about Marco's reputation) in fact, thinking about it, i went ahead with no thoughts as to what it entailed and i'm sorry to say that when i phoned up they didn't mention to me that there would be further training involved after my foundation. i honestly thought i'd come out and be able to do nails. HOW WRONG WAS I.

All i knew was that i'd be doing my training at Marco Benito's and it was with some company called Creative. never heard of them BUT THANK GOD IT WAS THERE NUMBER I'D GOT HOLD OF, it could have been anybodies.

Even on my foundation, 3rd day, Marco shows us how to put the L&P on. Easy!? NOT!!! he just made it look easy! i couldn't believe how hard it was when i tried to do it.

So when i "passed" my foundation I didn't want to go out straight away and get myself a bad name before i'd even started so i just practised and practised and practised for the first three months, until i felt my nails were good enough for a member of the public to come to me and pay.

So i think it works both ways. i do think Creative should have told me verbally about the further training on the phone when i enquired about the foundation course, not only the further courses but the cost of one2one training that i may need to undertake and also the length of time it takes to get to a decent standard and build a client base. (However, they did send me a booklet containing details of all the courses and if i'd bothered to take it all in i should have realised myself the amount of training involved.)

But ALSO the responsibility lies with me. i knew when i came off my course i wouldn't be able to go out straight away and charge full whack for a set, that was obvious, and it was down to me to decide when i felt it was the right time to start charging.

However, i still think it would have been nice to have had the full facts before booking the course, it would be nice if they sat someone down with you for a proper consultation, and yes I could have researched it better, but i was one of the people that thought nails was easy, anyone can do it, and you only need to do a four day course, and i wasn't told any different when i phone up to book.

but on the other hand i'm glad they didn't, if they had told me the full cost, it probably would have put me off, and i'm now totally hooked and LOVE doing nails.

 

[Hope]

Hi Sass.

Haha, although I'm in Norway, you can't get rid of me!

To be honest with you, I'm not sure what I think about this issue...

I'm not sure if being a good tech is up to how much education you have taken, or if it's something you just "have". I have seen master-techs in Norway (from all companies, also Creative and Ez-flow) doing HORRIBLE nails and I have seen newly qualified students who do better nails than the average. I have seen techs who have taken 3 months courses and learned nearly nothing, and I have seen techs who have done 4 days courses and done a great job. AND visa verca.

I have seen two techs, done the same 4 days course together. One became excellent and one never "got there".

So, who's "fault" is it that some become good techs and some don't? I really don't know the answere...

Cec.

I agree with you Cec, I think that nails are just like everything else. Some people are fantastic artists, it is just 'in them'. Others could practise and practise and be taught by the BEST but they would never make it as it just isn't 'in them'. We all have different talents, some people are fab at nails others are good. So it only makes sense that some would learn well on a course that others wouldn't benefit from. Hope that makes sense.

 

[mum]

I must admit to not reading this whole thread so don't know every comment!

However, those I have read are very encouraging. I am so pleased that most seem to realise that education and training are central to this industry working.

It does, on the whole, not have a very good reputation and that is why. So many think, are told, are cheapskates etc that a short course is enough.

YES, training providers absolutely do have a responsibility to tell it 'how it is' and not just try to make a fast buck. That attitude is so short term! How many of those students will fail? And, as a bigger picture, what is it doing to the industry?

How much longer do we need to have to work our socks off to try to make a good livingjust because we are working against this immoral and unethical attitude?

Phew!! Got that said then

 

[salonone]

There are so many poor quality technicians out there, but is it partly because they have been given their "certificate" and now they feel qualified? My daughter has just done her first 2 days training (and I'm not going to say who with), she now has a "certificate of attendance" saying "Natalie Haslam has successfully completed the ****** Foundation Gel Seminar and is qualified to use ******** gels". See they are even telling her she is qualified, AND SHE PLAINLY ISN'T!!

I agree. I have met many so call nail technicians claiming that they are certified because they have taken a four hour course given for a product and recieved a certificate of attendence. They are not trained in proper nail prep or any other important facts about nails etc. It does furiate me to no end.

Yesterday I had a client who made a negative statement about the length of time it took me to put on a set of permament french tips which I sculpted. Took me two hours. Now I don't do this all day long, every day, as I am also an esthetician. When I was finished she was thrilled at the beauty and thinness of her enhancemnets. Quote: "My last ones were so thick they looked like I had chunks of plastic guled on to them!" She also exclaim numerous times how clean my manicure table was and that I was niggler for using the santister every time she blew her nose! Geez!!:!:

 

[keri R]

hello, i'm new here and have been enjoyin your debate so much, i felt compelled to write!

I spent a good few months searching for a course, there are so many out there offering, just as you say, 'instant qualification' after only a weeks training for so much money. i found it hard to believe that you could call yourself a nail technician after a week, it took me a year to get my make-up and sfx qualification and even then there was still so much to learn!

I finally found a college offering the NVQ course with in class training and home support and products to practice with so i'm now well on my way to knowing all the basics, and my tutors were always clear that even though i would have the NVQ, the industry would always be changing and advancing and in order to be one of the best i would have to keep up with this in the form of refresher courses, training in new systems and techniques.
My mum did a course nine years ago, at the time fiberglass and silk wraps were the most popular with her clients, but i am finding now that people havent even heard of it!

I have been lucky in that i am pleased with the training i am recieving, and i think its unfair that so many others are paying for training in the belief that the course is simple enough that they can come away with the skill to do perfect nails, its also unfair for the clients of these people who may be being charged top price for poor work.

I agree that responsibility lies with both parties- the training provider for offering false claims that their training qualifies a person completely, and the trainees for not looking into their training providers or indeed their profession to see how they compare and realising that they need further training!

they should all get involved in this site then they would probably realise that they need to keep learning and they would have other peoples work to compare and aspire to.

 

[NAIL FRENZY]

I took a VTCT course for 1 day a week for a year, at college, and at the very first lesson we were told absolutely loads about the nail industry. We were informed how difficult it can get and that even when our course was over we would never stop learning and practice would be always ongoing. We were recommended to also train with providers of our chosen products and to continue to get regular training after that.

I am always really suprised when I see threads where people have said that they did not rate their VTCT and college training. We learnt so much on our course about all aspects of nails including indepth input on nail diseases, contra-indications etc. We also did out Health & Safety exam. I would definitely recommend the course I did.

 

[Jeni Giles]

Glad to see this thread bumped up, especially in light of recently asking for recommendations on updating my nail technology curriculum.

 

[Snugglepuss]

those that are passionate about their profession will always embark on a journey of knowledge and technique - those that don't lose clients :Love:

 

[ScoobySue]

I had to respond to this one!

I got into nails by accident - another story! I did C&G Manicure at the local Tech College - it was very good and we had a one play day for nail extns. I was hooked! and also scared - we practised on each other and 1 of my nails was filed down so far I had to wear a plaster for 8 weeks and couldn't bear to touch it for ages after that! The same girl said at the end of the day - 'can't wait to get out there'. I was horrified & was told 'there can't be much else and any way it can't be that difficult' when I said 'but we haven't really learnt anything'. yeah right - well I hope she has insurance cos i sure wish I could have sued somebody at the time. The experience taught me 2 things :

1) I vowed to ensure that I NEVER did that to anyone - it hurts :cry:

2) I thought she'll never get away with it she'll get caught.:evil:

Well the first one has stayed with me but the second? Who does regulate the nail tech?

I think that the supplier / college or whoever is doing the teaching should make it quite clear that learning is an on-going thing - but I also believe that it is the responsibility of the tech to keep up with industry knowledge and training - just like any good CEO of any company would do.

I like the anology of the driving instructer, there are some crap drivers out there though and you can't always blame the instructor. Sometimes people just think they know it all - in any business. I have managed a team of 20 and I had brilliant people and some crap too - no matter what I did or how much time I spent with them - some people are just in the wrong job but don't know it. It's about mamaging expectations - back to the supplier / tutor again

My nail training was crap - I wish I'd known about this site before I started - I have come to the conclusion that I just have to sart again with the right Company!

I did a 4 day beginners course during which we had to choose which system we wanted to go ahead with! I didn't know the differnce and chose l&p cos i found it easiest on the day. We didn't do sculpting or re-balance becuase the company wentt belly up before the 'advanced' course was completed- still got a certifiacte though! At the end we had to do an 'exam' but the tutor parctically gave us the answers and no-one failed! and some of them should - I had another one who liked to apply a lot of pressure when buffing the nail and I boosted the plaster business again!

Maybe even I should have failed - I guess I won't ever know until I do some more training - which is my intention. I work mobil etoo so don't have anyone checking me as I go along which is difficult - in a salon environment I guess you get structured training etc

I did not go out thinking I could 'do nails' & I don't class my self as qualified at all - only in manicure & pedicure - and I am still learning there. I only have one customer who has regular full sets of nail etxns & rebalancing and by practising on her I have got quite good and produce a fair set of nails, with tips & overlay - she is very happy with them which makes me happy too - but I know they could be better and I want to know more. . .. .

Night Night:zzz:

 

[pennijar]

I agree with what you are all saying about training, but I feel I have gone into it with my eyes open. I decided to do the NVQ level 2 Nail Services course at my local college a 12 month course done in two evening sessions a week. It seems slow, but we have had a thorough grounding in nail disorders and diseases, skin conditions and diseases anatomy of the nail, structure of the skin etc etc etc, then it was on to Manicure and Pedicure plus all the treatments that can be given with each. Now we are onto Nail Art and soon we will be upto Silk and Fibreglass enhancements. The course gives thorough grounding in Health and Safety etc etc etc. Acrylics and Gels are not touched until you sign up for NVQ level 3 which is another full years course . We have two excellent Tutors both of whom have spent many years in the nail industry.
I am not saying that the course is the be all and end all of my training, I have all the information for the Creative Foundation Course (which I will be attending once funds allow). with many more to follow. But I do feel that this foundation course in the nitty gritty is needed. But ------

A girl where I work is lucky enough to have a Husband who has bought her a beauty salon. She has no knowledge of anything to do with nails or beauty, but she is going to do a 4 day course "to be qualified in Acrylics" she has done a 1 day fake tanning course so now she is qualified in that field as well, and she is doing eyelash tinting and waxing on paying clients without any training at all. Thus showing why Regulation within the Industry is needed.

Ok I am jealous of her but at least my dream will be fulfilled eventually once I have received thorough grounding in all aspects of the Nail Industry and when I do finally have my dream, I will feel confident about when to do and when not to do a treatment on a client.

Joan

 

[Sassy Hassy]

she is doing eyelash tinting and waxing on paying clients without any training at all. Thus showing why Regulation within the Industry is needed.

Ok I am jealous of her

NEVER be jealous of a fool hun!

 

[pennijar]

NEVER be jealous of a fool hun!

Exactly, she is asking for Trouble with a Capital T, I wouldn't dream of going down the route she has taken. Even with all the training in the world you don't know everything.

Joan