Wanting to Train as a Beauty Therapist..Advice Please

[bridget1802]

Hi All

Not sure I have posted this is the right Forum so excuse me if I am asking in the wrong place....
I am wanting to do Beauty Therapy part time, I have contacted my local college and the course for Level 2 is full and I am on a waiting list to start in Sept 2009
If I dont end up getting a place on this course are their any other options that anyone could recomend me, I live in York
Is their any train 2 gain courses or anything like that?
Any advice would be apprciated

Thanks
Vicky

 

[xxnaughtyfairyx]

i dont live by york, but could you ring all the local colleges? i was travelling 50miles to college it shows that you are dedicated x
there is apprentiships but again its searching for it
sorry im not much help good luck x

 

[Meriden]

Hi Vicky

If you are happy with the local college and what they are offering, then September really isn't that long to wait.

Its always tempting to want to get started as soon as possible when you have made a decision to do something.
Thee are quite literally hundreds of places you can go to for 'workshops' of quick courses.

The quality of these 'quickie' courses can work out a lot more expensive in the long run, and your training can become quite disjointed.,and the quality variable to say the least.
(I made that mistake myself, and ended up doing it all again to become properly qualified. Just my personal experience )

If I were you I wouLd use the time to get some salon experience one-day a week to start- offer your services for free, make the tea and sweep the floor if you have to - in return for observing some treatments , and just generally getting a feel for working in a salon. At least you will have a head start, will have made some contacts and it may help you decide if Beauty is really for you after all.

Good luck

Meriden x

 

[bridget1802]

Thanks for the advice, I have applied to my local college but I am on a waiting list as the course if full and they said their are quite a few people before me even on the waiting list so it might be that to do it at York college, I would have to wait a year in September (2010)
I have rang the Yorkshire College of Beauty in Leeds and they also do part time courses in Sept 2009 and by the looks they have spaces so if I can't get on at York I will go their the only difference being is York do the NVQ in level 2 Beauty therapy and Leeds do ITEC course called Beauty Specialist, does anyone know which is the most favorable with an employer?
I can see me asking lots of questions in the next coming months lol!!

Thanks
Vicky

 

[Teebster]

I am nearing the end of an ITEC beauty specialist course at the moment, 2 years part time at adult education. I don't live any where near your area I am further south in the country but my course is a level 2 and therefore does not cover massage, electrical equipment or epilation which from what I am led to believe would be a problem for most employers. I am working from home already offering other treatments that I am qualified in and have spent a lot of money on equipment and setting up so for the time being it was not my intention to work in a salon due to family circumstances, but if it is what you want to do you must look into this first as the ITEC training I have paid for is expensive and incomplete in a lot of areas for seeking employment.

I cannot do a level 3 in my area and the collage I am at will not/cannot consider offering a level 3 to complete my training as they cannot afford to purchase the necessary electrical equipment and the nearest collage to me would be 147 miles away - a 300 mile round trip is not possible. Just check first before you enrole and your fees are due. hthxx

 

[lenna]

I am nearing the end of an ITEC beauty specialist course at the moment, 2 years part time at adult education. I don't live any where near your area I am further south in the country but my course is a level 2 and therefore does not cover electrical equipment or epilation which from what I am led to believe would be a problem for most employers. I am working from home already offering other treatments that I am qualified in and have spent a lot of money on equipment and setting up so for the time being it was not my intention to work in a salon due to family circumstances, but if it is what you want to do you must look into this first as the ITEC training I have paid for is expensive and incomplete in a lot of areas for seeking employment.

Hey not sure where bouts you live so could be different but im from ireland and i covered all electrical machines in college and to be honest no salons around use them so should not be a problem gaining employment as i find the basics which is what is covered in the itec course like waxing, skin and eye treatments manicure and pedicure are really the salons main treatments and then you could go ahead and do a day training in spray tanning and specialised waxing and after that you should not have many problems getting a job, but as i said not sure where bouts your from so things could be different there

 

[Teebster]

lenna, thanks for your reply I feel better knowing that, I was under the impression that everyone still used electrical equipment (from a friend that did an NVQ and has worked in salons for a few years) and salons would find it hard to get insurance for someone like me.

Maybe I have not made such the mistake I thought I had then and Bridget1802 should not take on board what I said. Thanks xx

 

[lenna]

lenna, thanks for your reply I feel better knowing that, I was under the impression that everyone still used electrical equipment (from a friend that did an NVQ and has worked in salons for a few years) and salons would find it hard to get insurance for someone like me.

Maybe I have not made such the mistake I thought I had then and Bridget1802 should not take on board what I said. Thanks xx

yeah it might be a case of differ things being more popular in different areas, i did the electrical machines for both body and facials a few years ago and they have never stood to me, now i teach the itec beauty course and just advise the students to get spray tan and specialised waxing behind them and really then there valuable to any employer as long as there good at what they do! so dont be worrying at all, u have the main and the most important things behind you, id be surprised if you could not get a job out of it

 

[Teebster]

Thanks so much, I will pass your info on to the other girls at collage as I know they are a bit worried too.

We have just done our spray tanning ourselves and intend to do the specialist waxing as soon as we qualify. I really appreciate your advice, thanks Lenna xx

Hope this helps you Bridget1809 - may be enquire at salons in your area?

 

[bridget1802]

Thanks for your replies I think both colleges are charging pretty much the same, but I will ring Leeds to see what the ITEC course covers compared the the NVQ at York and it may be a better option for me to cover the anatomy side of things and then do the beauty therapy.... this can get rather confusing as their seems to be some many different options!!

Thanks
Vicky

 

[Teebster]

I think may be ask as well how both courses are structured and how the final exams are carried out. They will all be strict and abide by the regulating bodies requirements as you would expect and want, but I know that our course has dropped from 14 people to start with to now just 3 of us and as there are now so few of us, we found out the other day that we have to sit all of our written exam papers in one day. 5 papers in all I think, each of an hour long in one day. Ask as many questions as possible and that will put your mind at rest. Good luck x

 

[Annie23]

Thanks for your replies I think both colleges are charging pretty much the same, but I will ring Leeds to see what the ITEC course covers compared the the NVQ at York and it may be a better option for me to cover the anatomy side of things and then do the beauty therapy.... this can get rather confusing as their seems to be some many different options!!

Thanks
Vicky

I think you will find that the antomy and physiology is a level 3 course where as the Beauty Specialist is level 2. I am doing the Beauty Specialist and we cover anatomy and physiology within the course. I would ring up the college to confirm but I would personally definately do the Beauty Specialist first and then think about A&P later as you'll be able to earn money doing treatments whilst studying the A&P. just a thought!

anne xx

 

[bridget1802]

I think you will find that the antomy and physiology is a level 3 course where as the Beauty Specialist is level 2. I am doing the Beauty Specialist and we cover anatomy and physiology within the course. I would ring up the college to confirm but I would personally definately do the Beauty Specialist first and then think about A&P later as you'll be able to earn money doing treatments whilst studying the A&P. just a thought!

anne xx

Thanks for the advice, I have checked the sylabus for the ITEC course and its looks really thorough and covers quite a lot, unfortunately my local were not so helpful they couldnt tell me what courses could be an alternative for me if the Beauty therapist one was full; as they wont know till end of May beg June which ones they are running so looks like I will have to hang fire a bit;patience was never a strong point of mine lol!
To get me started I am considering going on a spray tan course through the summer so I can start building on my treatments

Thanks
Vicky

 

[Annie23]

Good luck with your choices and I hope youre able to study what you really want in September. I'm studying at one of the private colleges in Leeds, in the centre very near the railway station, and its a really good college. If you want any info feel free to private message me.

anne xx