In my career as a nail technician for over 13 years, I have attended a fair number of courses; some were bad, some were OK and some were amazing. Hopefully, I can help shed some light on all things nail courses.
Whichever route you choose, there are typically options for branded or unbranded training, which both have pros and cons.
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In my career as a nail technician for over 13 years, I have attended a fair number of courses; some were bad, some were OK and some were amazing. Hopefully, I can help shed some light on all things nail courses.
There is a plethora of classes available, and one of the first questions you may think of is: Do I go to a complete school to advance my education, or do I pay for individual training? I can picture it now—scrolling through all the companies’ websites and training they offer while you are thinking "how can I possibly make the right decision?" Well, the good thing is that there is not just one right option. There is an abundance of courses available, but the question is which courses are the right ones for you personally? Just because someone completed a specific course does not mean it will suit your needs or what you are planning to achieve as a nail technician.
Firstly, in most countries, you may need to attend a college or school to get your nail license. These are beneficial, especially to get your qualification, but you usually are required to cover all types of applications (gel, acrylic, acrygel, etc.)—regardless of which process you want to learn. Sadly, you only cover the basics of each application, so you may not feel 100% confident to do everything after passing. Many nail technicians say they learn much of their nail knowledge after school, but it gives you the opportunity to gain additional qualifications or certifications. To pick a nail college or school, always check the reviews first, and follow some of your local nail technicians on social media.
Once you have earned your license as a nail technician (cosmetologist, manicurist, etc.), the real fun begins. This is when you can choose which path to take. You may choose to do another complete training school—either branded or unbranded—or you may choose to do some day/short courses. Always remember, though, that whichever path you take, it is not the end of the road if you make the wrong choice. You can always take new courses along the way. Personally, I always try to attend at least one or two courses every year to update my skills and learn new techniques.
Complete Training School
The first way is attending a complete training school. These are beneficial as they will cover every subject, such as acrylics, gels, manicures and pedicures. Or, you can sometimes choose the applications you would like to learn. You will have a tutor to guide you through all stages in the nail industry, gaining experience along the way. The problem is that sometimes you are paying a large sum of money out when you have already paid so much to get your license. But, you can choose to complete branded or unbranded training. While getting your license, you would have most likely tried a few different brands and maybe have found a personal favorite, so this is now a good opportunity to explore more from that brand and learn about the specific applications for those products. You will gain relationships with other like-minded nail technicians along the way, which can help you grow as a nail technician.
Day/Short Courses
The second way is attending shorter classes that can range from a day up to a week or so. These will be classes you can choose very specific topics like gel manicures, nail art, e-file, etc. The options are endless, but it means you can choose exactly what you desire to learn. You can take time off work/commitments to attend these classes, as they are all shorter and may fit around your schedule better. You can also scatter them throughout the year, so you do not have too much pressure to learn everything at once while spreading the costs over time rather than all at once.
Unbranded
PRO: You can choose the products. It is up to you what your budget is for a kit, and you can purchase them privately. Also, the educators will usually be unbiased on products, so you may find it interesting to explore different brands.
CON: These educators are not always informed on the best way to apply each brand’s products, so they may be teaching you a universal way that does not suit your product properly. Then you may end up not developing your knowledge as much as you could have on the products you purchased. In the end, you may spend more money on more training or possibly even more products.
Branded
PRO: You will nearly guarantee that you will learn how to use products correctly by the educators assigned to that brand. They use those products regularly themselves, so they will know the best way to apply them and will assist you with any problems or questions you have.
CON: You will need to purchase the kits/products from the brand, which can be more costly, and, unfortunately, if you struggle during the training and find yourself not liking the products, you have already spent all that money. You may also have to travel a long way to find an educator in the specific brand you want to train in as not all brands have educators in every city/state.
Questions to ask the company are:
- Are your courses accredited? Courses need to be accredited for you to get the relevant insurance and education for your job. If a course is not accredited, then I would eliminate that class, unless you are wanting to attend workshops for smaller topics like nail art. In which case, it is fine to just get a certificate of attendance.
- Do you offer additional training for students? If the company does not offer help after the original training, then I would reconsider as you may encounter problems and lack the support you need to solve them.
- How many students are in each class? If there are more than eight to 10 students in a class, then I would mull the class over because the educator may not be available for one-on-one time per student.
Online Education
Online education can be a convenient way to gain insight into the nail world, but there is a time and a place for them. These can be live on platforms, such as Instagram or Zoom, or they can be prerecorded for you to watch on your own time. I would personally not recommend doing any beginners training online for any techniques, such as e-filing or application methods for a completely new product. Online courses are a fantastic way to improve your skills for or to learn a new brand application for a method in which you are qualified.
PRO: It is usually a more cost-effective, convenient way for most nail technicians as they can follow the training in their own homes around their normal schedule. You can learn with nail technicians around the world, so if you cannot travel to a nail technician to learn their skills, then you can join one of their online classes if they offer them.
CON: You cannot always see as much on a screen, especially if it is something detailed, and your educator may not be able to help you improve as much as if the course were in person. Not all insurance will cover online education, so it is always good to contact them and find out what they will or will not cover. If the course is prerecorded, you may struggle to get in touch with the educator while you are going through the material. This could hold you back from fully understanding and completing reviews.
Make sure to do more research, and talk to the educators. If the educators do not have much time to talk to you before the course, they may be unavailable to speak with you afterward as well. So, try and gain some friendships in the industry before you get started to help provide more insight. But, always remember: No matter which training you complete, we all can be fabulous. Keep striving to build your education each year, even if it is on the same topics. With the ever-growing nail industry, you can always learn. Thus, taking a few classes each year will help keep your knowledge up to date while potentially filling in gaps previous educators may have missed.
About the Author:
Based in Waterlooville, Hampshire, Nicolette Manesh (@nicolettesnails) has been a nail technician for at least 13 years and has been an educator for over three years for Magpie Beauty.
