Essential nails course!

[Flesh_and_Bone]

I've said this before but I'll say it again, I don't understand how anyone can class themselves as 'qualified' when no-one has seen them work face to face.

I'm a bit 'on the fence' on this one, I probably don't know enough about the EN courses to comment fully but I do have a question....

I understand that the EN Courses are approved by both Habia and the Guild and that successful completion of the course is sufficient for the student to obtain insurance and work as a nail technician. So... if it unreasonable for an EN graduate to consider themselves qualified, why are Habia and The Guild telling them the opposite? If the course is not good enough to produce proper 'qualified' technicians then is it not a bit unfair that people are led into parting with what is quite a lot of money because they are reassured by the endorsements of these respected organisations?

 

[Vetty]

If the course is not good enough to produce proper 'qualified' technicians then is it not a bit unfair that people are led into parting with what is quite a lot of money because they are reassured by the endorsements of these respected organisations?

IMHO, yes it is but that is the joy of working in an unregulated industry I guess....... That is a really good point you made.

 

[julia_james]

I'm a bit 'on the fence' on this one, I probably don't know enough about the EN courses to comment fully but I do have a question....

I understand that the EN Courses are approved by both Habia and the Guild and that successful completion of the course is sufficient for the student to obtain insurance and work as a nail technician. So... if it unreasonable for an EN graduate to consider themselves qualified, why are Habia and The Guild telling them the opposite? If the course is not good enough to produce proper 'qualified' technicians then is it not a bit unfair that people are led into parting with what is quite a lot of money because they are reassured by the endorsements of these respected organisations?

this is exactly right i qualified with EN and I AM A NAIL TECHNICIAN
I HAVE INSURANCE
who has the right to say that just because it is a home based study course that it isnt propper
is the same person whosays this thinks the same way about the open university?? they are home learn too and millions of people study this way
home learn suited me as i didnt and still dont think that being in a classroom for 5 days makes you a nail tech i worked every night on my nails for months before i sent my results in
AND NONE OF MY CLIENTS HAVE HAD GREENIES, OVER EXPOSURE, OR ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THAT
and why?? because i am a good nail tech

 

[Vetty]

this is exactly right i qualified with EN and I AM A NAIL TECHNICIAN
I HAVE INSURANCE
who has the right to say that just because it is a home based study course that it isnt propper
is the same person whosays this thinks the same way about the open university?? they are home learn too and millions of people study this way
home learn suited me as i didnt and still dont think that being in a classroom for 5 days makes you a nail tech i worked every night on my nails for months before i sent my results in
AND NONE OF MY CLIENTS HAVE HAD GREENIES, OVER EXPOSURE, OR ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THAT
and why?? because i am a good nail tech

But Open University learning is academic and Nail Tech training is practical (with the theory alongside) and that for me is the difference. I maintain that a hands on skill is best learnt in a hands on fashion......

I'm so pleased you are a good working tech and your clients don't have problems. I know I couldn't have learnt without being shown, guided and corrected, but I admire your tenacity and desire to be the best nail tech you can be :hug:. I wish more people in our industry had that passion, but that's a whole different thread!!

 

[julia_james]

But Open University learning is academic and Nail Tech training is practical (with the theory alongside) and that for me is the difference. I maintain that a hands on skill is best learnt in a hands on fashion......

I'm so pleased you are a good working tech and your clients don't have problems. I know I couldn't have learnt without being shown, guided and corrected, but I admire your tenacity and desire to be the best nail tech you can be :hug:. I wish more people in our industry had that passion, but that's a whole different thread!!

thanks hun im just so passionate about this that i take it as a personal insult when EN is slated
there are bad and good and great nail techs out there who use all different systems and none are slated as much as EN but i support them 100 percent

 

[mum]

Learning on a plastic finger is NOT enough for a professional nail technician working on the paying public!

It is a good START

It cannot be compared with Open University as that is academia NOT practical skills on real people.

Would you like your hair cut and coloured by someone who has only worked on a plastic head? Or a dentist learning on a plastic jaw. Or an electrologist who has only 'invaded' orange skin??? They all start with those training aids but then move on to the real thing!

The Guild do not promote any course, long or short, as being the only requirement for a professional. This, together with accreditation by Habia is being taken out of context. Ask them for their comment!

I don't see any 'slating' of EN just the continued repetition of the fact that it is a start!

 

[geeg]

Learning on a plastic finger is NOT enough for a professional nail technician working on the paying public!

It is a good START

It cannot be compared with Open University as that is academia NOT practical skills on real people.

Would you like your hair cut and coloured by someone who has only worked on a plastic head? Or a dentist learning on a plastic jaw. Or an electrologist who has only 'invaded' orange skin??? They all start with those training aids but then move on to the real thing!

The Guild do not promote any course, long or short, as being the only requirement for a professional. This, together with accreditation by Habia is being taken out of context. Ask them for their comment!

I don't see any 'slating' of EN just the continued repetition of the fact that it is a start!

Always the voice of reason!! listen TO IT.

 

[Mikey dee]

How do you think hairdressers start their training? They use...yes you guessed it... a plastic mannequin head. No one would dream of letting an untrained student loose on someones head would they? Then, as they improve they move onto the real thing. In the same vein, who in their right minds would want an untrained student using nail products, files, tools etc etc on a real hand? THATS why people use the Nail Trainer!!

There is homework each night of the CND Foundation Course which when I did it was done on a Nail Trainer..... That is combined with working in class on firstly a NT then a live model so your educator can see what you're doing and how you're doing it so she can correct all the mistakes. As Angie said it not a numbers game with CND it's about working correctly and showing the educator that you have grasped the process. Don't forget you also have to pass a written exam to pass the CND Foundation Course.

I've said this before but I'll say it again, I don't understand how anyone can class themselves as 'qualified' when no-one has seen them work face to face. There is so much more to doing enhancements than the end result, for example, correct prep, preventing over-exposure, sculpting with your brush not your file....... That can only be taught face to face and then practiced under a watchful eye.

If I discovered that my hairdresser had only worked on a plastic head before cutting the hair of paying customers I would be horrified - how is that different with Nail Techs?

 

[naturalnails]

From what I understand the Nail Trainer is not the issue here - we all agree the Nail Trainer is one of the best innovations in our industry for years.

However using the above analogy - is the hairdresser working from only a video/DVD or is there a person there giving them instruction.

That is the issue here!

 

[Mikey dee]

Wow!!
So what youre saying is you'd look only at the source of someones qualification and not the standard of their work? Thats worrying!
Im sure those who run successful businesses, have moved on to become educators, have won competitions, all on the back of EN courses and qualifications will be happy about that!!
Ive seen some "Qualified Technicians" (in other words theyve done a 5 day course with CND,NSI,EZFlow, etc etc) who CANNOT do a decent nail!!
But you'd employ them? Is that what youre really saying??

in my salon i would not employ someone who had only done an EN course, because speaking as someone who has done one, you do not cover everything you need to know for me to be comfortable to have someone woring in my salon, just my oppinion, no disrespect if you understand that you will need to do more to have a realistic chance of being an amazing tech and getting the most from your career.

 

[julia_james]

Wow!!
So what youre saying is you'd look only at the source of someones qualification and not the standard of their work? Thats worrying!
Im sure those who run successful businesses, have moved on to become educators, have won competitions, all on the back of EN courses and qualifications will be happy about that!!
Ive seen some "Qualified Technicians" (in other words theyve done a 5 day course with CND,NSI,EZFlow, etc etc) who CANNOT do a decent nail!!
But you'd employ them? Is that what youre really saying??

this is my arguament it seems to be that its the name of the company you employ not the quality of the work i have had my nails done by a creative tech and they fell off 3 days later, se had only done a 5 day course and set up a business straight away, she wasnt even qualified in manicures but still did them

 

[ellewopter]

Thats not what im saying at all, as i said previously is I STARTED WITH AN EN course!!!!, and of course i would look at the standard of someones work that goes without saying, i have had some awful trade tests from ppl who have done classroom based courses, im saying that on its own i am dubious about distance learning and the level of education it provides.
If i had my time over again i would not have started out with an EN course. Im not entirely bothered who someone has trained with its the standard of what they produce that is important, i am more concerned with the fact that a new tech with no experience at all would consider themself trained when potentially they really have a lot more to learn and will go out and butcher people ( i am not accusing anyone on here of this btw)

 

[blondie80]

This arguement seems to be on going and I think it should really be ended now as to many people are getting upset by the comments made :lol:.

I did train with EN but I have to say that I didnt feel confident at all in doing nails and needed help with the little things that I was doing wrong. I did then go and do a CND conversion course and I have to say that I am now doing fine, my nails are lasting longer and I have perfected my technique at last.

EN is a starting point for people to do nails, but alot of people do then go onto do further training but that is there choice. I think people that do home courses will always benefit from doing a little course with someone to just get that little bit of help and also to learn a bit more.

Its not a dig at anyone doing Home courses as I have done this as well due to having kids and not being able to do it at college. I also think that people dont just look at your qualification to get a job in a salon,you are expected to do a set of nails to show them at the salon as well, but I do think that unless you have been doing nails for a while you wouldnt get a job in a salon with a home learning certificate.

Maybe this post should now be put to sleep before anyone else gets upset with it, we all choose to train in different ways but as long as well all enjoy it, does it really matter how we train x x x

 

[shell28]

Enough already mods please close this thread its going round in circles now

 

[kirsty]

I find it quite funny that the people who are against EN say it's because it is only a start, it doesn't provide enough training, but at the same time all the people who are doing EN courses or have already done one, are ALSO saying they are treating it as a start, so what's the problem?

Personally my next step, having passed my course, is to book a conversion course with NSI as I'm using their products and I can ask questions and they can help me to improve. After that, if I still don't feel ready I will book a 121. Of course I will also be practicing long into the nights on my nail trainer!

Can we all agree that it's ok to use EN as a starting point as long as you have longer term plans to continue learning and practicing? This seems to be what most people are saying anyway.

 

[NoLimitNails]

Yes thats what most people do I agree.

What I cannot understand is WHY do people take the EN courses if they want to do a conversion still?? Surely it must cost a whole lot more??? (not talking about those who cannot do it any other way)

If I had found this site back then, I wouldn't have bought the EN-course (which I never send in, as I could se the lack of knowledge and how I could learn some really bad habbits etc) So for me it doesn't quite make sense:hug:

 

[gemzglitz]

Yes thats what most people do I agree.

What I cannot understand is WHY do people take the EN courses if they want to do a conversion still?? Surely it must cost a whole lot more??? (not talking about those who cannot do it any other way)

If I had found this site back then, I wouldn't have bought the EN-course (which I never send in, as I could se the lack of knowledge and how I could learn some really bad habbits etc) So for me it doesn't quite make sense:hug:

in reply to the highlighted.... some people like me are unable to attend x amount of days to do class room based course... for me i could do the EN course at home.. and once completed i will do a conversion with NSI.. the conversion only meaning 1 day i need to sort childcare out.
xxx

 

[mum]

Another home learn thread!!!!

To put yet another spoke or 2 in the works:

- If I was doing a paper sift of CV's of people who had applied for a job as technician, those who had ONLY completed a a home learn with no experience of real people would go straight to the bottom of the pile

- a home learn course (no real people) followed by a 1 day conversion is STILL not enough! A conversion is exactly what it says it is: converting technicians to use a different brand with all its characteristics. It is not a teaching course that has time to put poor practices right or coach people in application techniques etc

Going on from this to self employed as a mobile, home salon or renting a table in a hair salon (for example) of course can be done but who is there to say if you are good enough?

Read all the threads who find this hard enough with loads of training.

Just by saying this is right doesn't make it right. Listen to all the busy successful technicians on here and they all say the same thing!

 

[Mikey dee]

What a shame that is!! Because in doing so you would miss out on a whole load of very good nail technicians who have gone on to own their own salons, do great nails, become educators and even become competition winning - yes winning- nailtechs.
I ran a training school and we used to teach about 500 girls a year. They were such a varied bunch, both in skills and motivation, I could never ever put them into one all inclusive box as "qualified". Some people couldnt learn nail skills if their life depended on it, no matter how good the teacher was! At the same time Ive seen with Essential many people who have completed the course, at its highest standard, and their technique is fantastic. I'm sure a lot of this was on their motivation to succeed.:lol: It just goes to prove that its "horses for courses".
Please everyone, think outside the box! Just because YOU learnt a certain way, it doesnt mean thats the ONLY way. Give people respect for making their own decision. Stop criticising each other, and keep learning!!!!:lol::hug:

Another home learn thread!!!!

To put yet another spoke or 2 in the works:

- If I was doing a paper sift of CV's of people who had applied for a job as technician, those who had ONLY completed a a home learn with no experience of real people would go straight to the bottom of the pile

- a home learn course (no real people) followed by a 1 day conversion is STILL not enough! A conversion is exactly what it says it is: converting technicians to use a different brand with all its characteristics. It is not a teaching course that has time to put poor practices right or coach people in application techniques etc

Going on from this to self employed as a mobile, home salon or renting a table in a hair salon (for example) of course can be done but who is there to say if you are good enough?

Read all the threads who find this hard enough with loads of training.

Just by saying this is right doesn't make it right. Listen to all the busy successful technicians on here and they all say the same thing!

 

[gemzglitz]

i understand a conversion is not the same as doing a foundation in a classroom environment, and i plan on doing a full foundation course as soon as children are abit older... but unfortunaly ive struggled to "learn" right from school... it takes alot for me to actually "take in" information properly... so i feel going straight into a classroom based course would not benefit me as much as the EN course... with this course i can take it at my own speed... if i have to read the same bit of information for 3 days then i can.

At the end of the day, everyone is different and has different opinions and reasons for going the way they do... and im sorry but who are you to judge what course is best for everyone else... its down to the individual, and the way they learn best... if they really want to make a proper go of becoming a nail tech, then they will! Home course or Classroom based course its down to the individual that is embarking on the journey! At the end of the day whatever course you do it doesnt mean that your going to be a great tech and produce perfect nails... its down to what you take from the course and then go on to practise in real life!

but hey ho... i still cant believe this is going on! haha!

Im certainly not letting any one put me off doing it
xx