Two Day Nail Courses...your Opinion!!

[louisenewell]

Hi all,
A issue which really gets me "going into one" is two day nail courses.Now i'm going to be careful here because i really don't want to offend anyone...so here goes...

What do you think of two day nail courses?have you done one?did you feel competent after?Is it unfair to call yourself a nail tech and operate as one after such a short course?Can you really learn all the theory about nails,diseases etc on one of these courses?

Is it a case of "depends on the indivdual?",we all learn at different rates,some of us maybe born to do nails!!

I ask because the number of clients who have taken an interest in this profession whilst i have been doing a treatment.Personally i done the nvq in manicure and pedicure before i done my nvq in nail extensions.I'm not saying i know every thing about nails(god..i wish!!!lol) just that this was really through and everything had to be up to a certain standard.I don't feel i got the best from college and wish i had just knew of creative before hand.

But i do feel really cheated when i hear of/meet people that have done a two day nail course then go and open a shop or assume two days makes you a nail tech.

Only now can i say i could produce a nice set of nails.There not fantastic...but ask me the same question next year?

I really hope my thread hasn't offended anyone,i know i have offended someone before on this subject.But i'd really like to know what you think of this express nail education programme!!???

 

[caz3]

This is something that has been talked about a lot on hear and the views ar a lot like yours.

I did a 4 day course and came away with my head banging and really did not know anything more that the basics cost me £700 + petrol and B&B so nearly £1,000 as I also had to but kits for each thing I did.

I have now gone on to train with ezflow I have done one course with L&P so I am really starting all over again.

I am still at the very early stages of being able to charge for a set of nails and will be doing lots more courses first.

I think these places that offer courses like the first one I did should maybe be looked into its not us the person that takes the course fault I paid good money and do feel that I should have never even be offered to do manicure, pedicure, gel, l&p, fibre glass, silk, nail art free hand and using a compressor all in 4 days.

Like you have just said I could have gone out and opened a shop LOL!!!! I know one thing I would not be still open now.

Caz xxx

 

[crystals]

i too done a 4 day course, at 600 and more. only really learning the basics as far as im concerned, i can honestly say i have picked more of this site.

so i really want to learn more but untill iv'e got the dosh i will just keep soildering on bo hoho. xxx

 

[caz3]

Yes Di you are like me a Big family so money is tight at times I have to wait and save for my courses. We will get there in the end if I win the Lottery I will think of you LOL!!!!

Caz xxx

i too done a 4 day course, at 600 and more. only really learning the basics as far as im concerned, i can honestly say i have picked more of this site.

so i really want to learn more but untill iv'e got the dosh i will just keep soildering on bo hoho. xxx

 

[louisenewell]

At the end of the day it all comes down to money.I really want to do my creative l&p master classes but at £95 for one class and a four year old to feed...at the moment the four year old wins!

 

[louisenewell]

caz if you win the lottery you can take us all on your courses with you..now theres an idea!!lol!!

 

[Fingertips ND]

I just want to say:

Some of you have done 4 day courses - and felt you were naff at the end of it.

I did a VTCT spread out over nine months - and I too felt I was naff at the end.

I believe it's a) the training and b) how quickly you adapt to something.

My biggest regret is doing my VTCT (but hey it's 2 certificates)!

 

[sundial]

Hi louise, I have to agree, I cannot understand how you can possible learn everything in 2 days, when I first started taking an interest in nails it was purely to add an extra service in my tanning salon and when I saw these courses I did think that it must be easy to learn, although I booked in at college to do the vtct, even after this I am dissapointed in the level of training and have enroled to do creative shortly as I want to give any future clients the "best" nails possible, There was a couple of girls on two day training courses with me who walked away being told you are ready to work and apply what you have learnt I suppose you do get to know the basics, but unless you take it further then how can you answer any clients questions they may have, this was one of my worries, I also do not wish to offend anyone. If I had done the two day course I would have followed it up with more as this industry is always changing, and you need to keep ahead of the competion, but what i sometimes find with two day courses,some people (not all) use this as a quick method not really worrying too much about health & safety that goes with it. This is just my opinion and I felt I needed to know more when people would start to come to me and put their trust in me as a nail tech. God I bet some people are hating me now:Scared:

Hi all,A issue which really gets me "going into one" is two day nail courses.Now i'm going to be careful here because i really don't want to offend anyone...so here goes...

What do you think of two day nail courses?have you done one?did you feel competent after?Is it unfair to call yourself a nail tech and operate as one after such a short course?Can you really learn all the theory about nails,diseases etc on one of these courses?

Is it a case of "depends on the indivdual?",we all learn at different rates,some of us maybe born to do nails!!

I ask because the number of clients who have taken an interest in this profession whilst i have been doing a treatment.Personally i done the nvq in manicure and pedicure before i done my nvq in nail extensions.I'm not saying i know every thing about nails(god..i wish!!!lol) just that this was really through and everything had to be up to a certain standard.I don't feel i got the best from college and wish i had just knew of creative before hand.

But i do feel really cheated when i hear of/meet people that have done a two day nail course then go and open a shop or assume two days makes you a nail tech.

Only now can i say i could produce a nice set of nails.There not fantastic...but ask me the same question next year?

I really hope my thread hasn't offended anyone,i know i have offended someone before on this subject.But i'd really like to know what you think of this express nail education programme!!???

 

[crystals]

hi caz, no just what you mean. and with it being this time of the year all i ever say is, that things will have to weight till after xmas. xx

 

[Sassy Hassy]

The only nail courses I have done are short expensive ones. I've had loads of different tutors and I can honestly say that it all comes down to how well that person can teach - they may be a fantastic tech but a crap teacher, and vice versa, or they may be both.

Short courses teach you a lot in a short time, a certain amount of pre-course reading is usually required too. I think the onus should be on the training provider to really emphasise that these course are foundation only, and that you are NOT qualified, but need further training and practice to get to an adequately professional standard.

The classes tend to be a lot smaller though than FE courses and you definitely get more individual attention. I spent a year on a part time cosmetic makeup course at college and I can honestly say that I learnt more in one day at LCN then I did in that whole year at college.

A lot comes down to the individual, I thrive on cramming, whereas other people need holding by the hand a lot more and taking their time.

But I'll end as I started, 2 days training does not make you a nail tech, and if you get crap training then you'll be crap!

 

[caz3]

I am sure no one is hating you now!!!! I am sure this is most if not everyones views in this site.

I did the 4 day course because hubby lived away he managed to get a weeks leave from the Army so I could go and train I have 5 kids that had to be looked after.

If it had been 4 days on one subject like l&p and a good teacher then maybe it would have been ok but I had far too much to learn.

I thought at the time I could fit it all in together but as we all know it does not work like this LOL!!!!

Like I said I am now training with Ezflow and can do some training weekends while hubby is not working so I hope to get really trained up now.

Caz xxx

Hi louise, I have to agree, I cannot understand how you can possible learn everything in 2 days, when I first started taking an interest in nails it was purely to add an extra service in my tanning salon and when I saw these courses I did think that it must be easy to learn, although I booked in at college to do the vtct, even after this I am dissapointed in the level of training and have enroled to do creative shortly as I want to give any future clients the "best" nails possible, There was a couple of girls on two day training courses with me who walked away being told you are ready to work and apply what you have learnt I suppose you do get to know the basics, but unless you take it further then how can you answer any clients questions they may have, this was one of my worries, I also do not wish to offend anyone. If I had done the two day course I would have followed it up with more as this industry is always changing, and you need to keep ahead of the competion, but what i sometimes find with two day courses,some people (not all) use this as a quick method not really worrying too much about health & safety that goes with it. This is just my opinion and I felt I needed to know more when people would start to come to me and put their trust in me as a nail tech. God I bet some people are hating me now:Scared:

 

[caz3]

Ok watch this space LOL!!!!!

Caz xxx

caz if you win the lottery you can take us all on your courses with you..now theres an idea!!lol!!

 

[HappyHands]

Hi guys... I did a 2 day course then went away and practiced taking the exam after 4 weeks.. i have to state that my course was intence but i was only trained in one thing l&p if i wanted to be trained in anything else that was classed as a different course, i then proceded to do a course on manicures that was a day course.. I do go out and do peoples nails but i state that i am only just starting out and i do not do anything that i am not trained in, even if begged and pleaded.... I know that these course do annoy people but i do know that there is more out there to learn and intend on doing so...

 

[geeg]

Of course no one is competent after 2 days learning ... or 4 days or in some cases 9 months! Only a fool would think they were!

Learning is life long .. as in most professions. Even when lawyers start out or doctors, they are not the same lawyers and doctors they were at the beginning, in 5 years time.

Experience and continued learning are the key to success ... and as I said in a thread the other day, no one becomes experienced overnight .... as the word implies, it takes time and dedication to your craft.

We all have to start somewhere! Not everyone makes the best choices at the beginning either. Finances (or lack of them), geographical location and just plain ignorance of what is available push people at a tangent sometimes.

With further experience and education, the good ones pop out at the top! the bad ones ... disappear in the cloud of dust that those ahead of them are making. I never worry about the bad ones ... they are not around long enough to worry about. Don't waste your energy and forget them.

 

[RedAdmiral]

I think short courses are fine if you feel that you will always have back up from your tutor.
On a NVQ or VTCT you spend more time with the tutor and know they are training you at your speed and have confidence that you can ask them anything. After the short course its up to you at the end of the 2 days to go back, ask questions and have your progression monitored. Most people dont go back unless its for more product.

I dont think it is the time of the course just simply the back up. A foundation course should be just that a foundation - and we should all be taught that we have to step up.

 

[louisenewell]

I think you all have fair comments.No ones trying to offend anyone but it is a sensitive subject.When i was doing my nvq (with jaydee...hi honey!!)we were taught by a beauty therapist whos love and passion was beauty.She was in the process of opening her own salon and it was quite obivous that she wasn't really into nails and to teach it i think you should be.It's now something i really want to do(just not sure where to start).

You would think the standard on an nvq course/long course would be better yet,for example,i was referred on my rebalance.When my tutor told me i replied "well of course.i haven't got a clue what i'm doing,haven't been showed or even had a lesson on rebalances".I think it was pathetic.I had to do a practical exam on something the tutor hadn't even passed comment on.First thing i done when i left...Creatives real rebalance with liza smith.Thank god for liza.

 

[HappyHands]

Learning is life long .. as in most professions. Even when lawyers start out or doctors, they are not the same lawyers and doctors they were at the beginning, in 5 years time.

Experience and continued learning are the key to success ... and as I said in a thread the other day, no one becomes experienced overnight .... as the word implies, it takes time and dedication to your craft.


I completely agree with you and would never say the I know everything there is to know (because I am far from it) and I do intend on getter more and more knowledge under my belt, wheather it be 1 more course or a 1000 more courses and even then with all the new things that come out there is always so much to learn, .. there is not alot more that i can say without it sounding rude... but the course that i did taught me more that the basics but not enough to call myself a pro. but without any hands and nails to do i can not progress any more... I work on word of mouth if people lke what they see they tell there friends and i always believe that is the way toa good business ( of which i do not).

 

[roo]

Hi,

I am new to this site and thought I would give you my views. I have done a couple of short courses and although my certificate says that I am qualifed I don't think I have enough experience or confidence to do other peoples nails. I don't have a Manicure and Pedicure certificate and I feel that even though some things were covered there are a lot of contraindications that I may miss! I was told by both trainers that once I had completed the courses I could go out and start a business.....well I'm glad I didn't because I may have got myself a bad reputation. I have learnt a lot from this site and have decided that although I enjoyed doing the courses they haven't taught me enough and am going to do a full Nail Tech course at a local Beauty school. (can't get to any Creative courses). I will not be starting any business until I feel that I know enough about the industry.

 

[HappyHands]

Sorry if it sounds like im on my high horse... Im not i just find it hard to write what i mean,

 

[louisenewell]

...And the funny thing is...my nails always look s*** when i have to do them in front of an ambassador.When i done my one to one with ketan(well worth the money!!!)i was shaking,having this fantastic expert on nails watching my every move.He thought it was quite funny!!!I was all over the place.Imagine what i'd be like doing a full set in front of geeg or gmg!!