Hi... I'm Tinxy and I'm one of the "horrid" one day coursers! :)

[bombini]

Well that was my intention... I can't change peoples minds for them but just MAYBE we can learn something... even if it's to not judge everyone straight away
Moving forward I'll do the courses that interest me, I intend to work for myself, one of the biggest bonuses to changing my career to this for me, so all I in theory have to please is my insurance company and myself. But based on all I've heard so far if anyone asked me what route into beauty they should take if they wanted to work in a salon I have to say I'd advise them to stay clear of NVQs... what I found before starting and several have confirmed for me then NVQs are not actually the standard to aim for in a lot (not ALL) cases.

But I'd still love to try and see if more of a basis could be found for WHAT the minimum qualification should be... I'm well versed in making arguments in a business case and I'd be happy to write something up - but it would be pointless without constructive suggestions from people from ALL backgrounds in the industry...

I have some ideas of my own but I really wanted other peoples ideas too...

Its interesting you say that you would advise anyone wanting to work in a salon to stay clear of an NVQ as this is precisely what most salon owners require their therapists to have.

This is going to be one of those subjects that people will never agree on. There are pros and cons for long and short courses but the bottom line is that a one day course can not cover the same as a longer college course in just 8 hours. Yes there will be some exceptional people that do pick it up and succeed in business and ensure they continue the learning journey but there will be a hell of a lot more that expect a business in a box to be delivered in with the certificate and then can't understand why they have no paying clients.

 

[NEVERTOOTANNED]

I think certain things like spray tanning can be learnt in one day courses - you'd have to be an idiot to not be able to do it? Having said that, I have a beauty background and lots of practice helps too (as well as some common sense) but agree, yes that other things such as facials etc... take far longer to learn.

 

[wendynailedit]

I think certain things like spray tanning can be learnt in one day courses - you'd have to be an idiot to not be able to do it? Having said that, I have a beauty background and lots of practice helps too (as well as some common sense) but agree, yes that other things such as facials etc... take far longer to learn.

Completely agree. As Tinxy said, a sound A&P qualification should be compulsary (or a qualification which has incorporated in to a high level) before any one day courses can be taken, but nobody needs weeks at night school to learn spray tanning! I did Reflexology as a one year, part time course, and don't know how anyone could learn this in a day or weekend, but spray tanning was something I picked up in a few hours. I also did short courses in natural nails and Shellac and Minx, but I don't imagine I'd have managed to do L&P in a day (although I haven't tried so I don't know!) I have also done a day course in waxing, and this was fine. I have to say though, that if I hadn't done Reflexology as a long course, which included A&P I may have struggled with understanding the layers of skin and hair growth etc.

Like all courses, it doesn't just stop when you leave the training academy...you practice, you ask questions, you research etc until you feel you know what you're doing. As I said in my earlier post, it is the training organisations and insurance companies who are responsible, as they are the ones who happily take our money and call us qualified to carry out the treatments! X

 

[dandelionpoppy]

Just to add, I did my training at the local college. I needed to; I was a complete beginner, and quite honestly a slow learner when it came to the practical side. Assignments, exams...a breeze, but I had always had an academic career and was not used to working with my hands.

There may have been others in the class who had not had tertiary education, but they beat me hands down when it came to practicals.

I worked very hard, and was thrilled, at the end of my course, to gain distinctions in all aspects. I was approached by a salon owner immediately and 2 years later I'm still at the same place.

I'm proud of what I achieved, but my point is that some people are more naturally gifted than I am and therefore would assimilate the knowledge more quickly. (Of course, qualification is only the end of the beginning; we all get better the more experienced we are)

 

[Kathie]

To summarise so far, it seems that:

If you want to work for a salon, you will more often than not need an NVQ. This is what salon owners want and who can argue with this? it's their business and their choice at the end of the day. They don't stay in business by making the wrong decisions, they decide and rightly so. Then once in, you will need to 'tread the boards' in order to develop and grow into the role.

Should you decide to be self employed and rent a room in a salon, I expect the owner will still require the NVQ as a standard, as you and your work is a reflection on their business.

Working mobile or opening your own salon gives you choice in relation to the study route you take and the qualification and experience level of the people you employ.

Ultimately, most people agree that the awarding bodies and insurance companies need to be a lot more diligent. Colleges etc need to give students a reality check in terms of what lies ahead in that they can't expect to walk into a salon knowing everything and start at the top.

Whether long courses, short courses or 1-dayers are better could be argued until the cows come home! But what most agree on is that regardless, further and ongoing research and practice is still essential.

Overall we agree that those that don't train, have no insurance, buy kits on ebay and undercut can have their 15 minutes of fame and then go back to where they came from.

Tinxy's point about regularly feeling judged as a result of the posts is in my mind valid. It's how she feels and she has the right to air her views, the same right as the geeks that triggered her response.

What didn't get much attention on this thread was Tinxy's aim to find solutions. This is a massive forum, I think I've seen a post on here with almost 70,000 views which translates into that many voices, 'the powers that be' would be mad not to listen to a consensus of that size.

I think if you're going to be a geek with an opinion you either have a thick skin or need to grow one fast because when people feel strongly about what they believe is right, it's likely to rub people up the wrong way. Of course it's courteous to apologise or explain yourself if you have offended someone but let's be real, if you're offended, don't hold your breath waiting.

I personally have enjoyed the thread, it's a good subject to debate, even being put in my place gave me a little chuckle.

Kathie x

 

[Susie H]

I think the question here is WHO
Who trained you to do what?
CND trained me to do Liquid and Powder acrylic nails.
I trained with Anne Swain, my course was held over 7 weeks, one evening a week with a one week gap at the end to perform a rebalance and a written exam.
My certificate says competent, not attended.
I have since then completed many one day courses and a couple of one week courses.
All my certificates say competent, not attended.
Finding those courses takes a heck of a lot of research.
One of my one day courses was with Kim Lawless, I learned, basic speed waxing, before the day of my training she sent me my theory pack, on the day of my training I had to prove to Kim that I had not only read my theory pack, but that I'd understood it and could apply what I'd learned from it, I then spent the entire day waxing and was under no illusion that if she wasn't satisfied with my performance, she would not pass me, she would make me come back and do it all again and she was prepared to keep doing that until I had proved it to her.
My spray tanning course was conducted in exactly the same way.
Currently I'm at college studying Btec Beauty Therapy. Finding a college that I would be happy with took me several weeks and for the next year and a term I will continue to get in my car and do an hour long journey each way.
Has it proved worth it?
Yes.
The practical skills taught at the college? Most are no better or worse than the industry short courses I have already attended but the theory!
WOW and for things like massage and facials, no, there is no way you can learn those subjects on a short course. It is possible to condense what we are learning, bottom line my full time course is only 15 hours a week and I spend another 5 hours a week of my own time studying.
But the industry is right to insist on a level 3 before they will give you product training.
I shudder to think of what harm could be done by someone using electrical treatments who does not have a solid grounding in A&P. You must know how the body systems work, the way the electrical treatments work as they repel or absorb the human body. When to use them when not to and I'm sure anyone who has followed an A&P course will be nodding their head when I say, until you have followed such a course you don't understand how much there is to it.
But like every other course out there, they are all stepping stones, so no, I don't think it is wrong to do short courses, but I do think the more you want to do the more in depth your studying needs to be, and at some point, you will find that you need both styles of learning if you continue to expand your service menu.

 

[Rebeccasbeauty]

The last 2 posts are very well said

 

[Calminginfluenc]

A post I read somewhere mentioned about the insurance you get on one day courses will only cover you for friends and family in some cases, has anyone else come across this? I have nvq lv2 I did a year long massage course but couldn't complete due to pregnancy issues so I did a day course in massage to give me a certificate foe insurance purposes, am I not going to be properly covered though? Unless I go back for another year? I'm having a mini stress on over this! I haven't slept!!! Xx

 

[izzidoll]

A post I read somewhere mentioned about the insurance you get on one day courses will only cover you for friends and family in some cases, has anyone else come across this? I have nvq lv2 I did a year long massage course but couldn't complete due to pregnancy issues so I did a day course in massage to give me a certificate foe insurance purposes, am I not going to be properly covered though? Unless I go back for another year? I'm having a mini stress on over this! I haven't slept!!! Xx

I have never heard of Insurance that only covers you for friends and family, how can you be covered to do some people and not others ?
If in doubt and for clarification and total peace of mind, you would need to contact your Insurance provider and double check with them.

 

[jcpark]

A post I read somewhere mentioned about the insurance you get on one day courses will only cover you for friends and family in some cases, has anyone else come across this? I have nvq lv2 I did a year long massage course but couldn't complete due to pregnancy issues so I did a day course in massage to give me a certificate foe insurance purposes, am I not going to be properly covered though? Unless I go back for another year? I'm having a mini stress on over this! I haven't slept!!! Xx

Who was the one day course accredited to? If you didn't complete your year long massage do you have the relevant A&P? Short courses usually require A&P but I'm not sure about the beauty industry as their massage standards are lower. The best thing is to contact the PA that accredited the course and ask which insurance companies recognise them as not all will.

 

[Calminginfluenc]

It's accredited by the guild of beauty therapists, I've just called them and they said I am fully insured for paying clients, when I decide to do them, I'm not going to offer massage to clients till I have done a good few months of practice on friends and family first anyway, I did my course with star beauty schools in Kent, they offer an upgrade to NVQ or VRQ. For with them for an extra £200 odd, I think just for my own peace of mind I am going to spend a couple of months doing that, they are a good school I have a go faster l&p next Wednesday with them and I am completing a diploma with them as well as the NVQ in beauty therapy I already have, then I am going to upgrade to NVQ with all courses that is available as an add on that way I have full peace of mind that I am as qualified as I can possibly be! It might mean that I have to find a bigger wall for all my certificates!! I need to find out if the NVQ upgrades will give me a level 3 or if I will just have lots of NVQ at level 2! Lol xx