Education - Post-graduate Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


technology will help you develop more skills and talent, which will ultimately better your performance when it comes to dealing with clients. Whether you’re an individual or a business, staying in the know is what will help you earn credibility as professional, be the best at what you do, and build a devoted clientele.”


Money on my mind


Another barrier often cited against post- graduate training is the cost. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that embarking upon training course after training course can be a costly expense, especially if the company you work for are unwilling to contribute, but there are so many ways to access free, or heavily discounted, training courses, either through the product houses you use, who may offer training upon purchase of a kit, or by taking advantage of the seminars often available at trade shows.


“In my opinion post-graduate training is a must, not an option,” says Mariga Sheedy, of Skin Essentials by Mariga. “With technology, ingredients and regulation changing all the time, no therapist can afford to be left behind. [But,] it does not have to cost the earth to keep yourself up to date...”


“As well as formal training programmes from colleges and brands, every salon owner should be subscribed to trade magazines, both Irish and international, involve themselves in online forums for exchange of ideas and experience and get involved with local business groups such as Chambers of Commerce or business networking groups to help stay abreast of issues such as employment law and business skills,” Mariga adds


Time to change


For many, time also seems to be an issue – particularly for those who can’t afford to take the time off work to attend training sessions, and for those who have busy family commitments during their free time.


If you fall in to this category you may be surprised to learn that many post- graduate training courses take place on a Sunday / Monday to enable you to learn and develop your skills outside of your normal working week or during the quieter periods of opening hours.


If, like me, the only time you get to yourself, is once the kids have gone to bed, then perhaps an online course could be the answer to your post- graduate training woes. Online training courses give you the opportunity to learn


78


Defining your goals is vital to making the most out of post-graduate education.


the theory behind a new technique or treatment. Of course the practical elements of your training will still need to be completed under the supervision of a tutor in a classroom but there’s no reason why the background fundamentals of the course can’t be learnt in a time and place that is entirely up to you.


Getting businesses on board


Perhaps one of the biggest difficulties many would-be learners encounter is getting their employers on board. It’s hard to argue that post-graduate training would undoubtedly become much more accessible if more businesses were able to look past the short-term expense in relation to the cost and time of sending therapists for training and see the bigger picture of what further training could do for their business.


“Continual professional development and post-graduate training is an area that has experienced significant growth in the past five years,” comments Derek O Kelly, Education Manager at The Waverley Academy.


“Salons and therapists should be always looking to upgrade skills particularly in the current climate to meet client demands and offer the best service possible,” he adds.


Mariga goes on to elaborate this point further: “For the salon owner, continuous education brings benefits in terms of increased client confidence and referrals as your team can speak with confidence about the treatments they perform and the products they recommend. For the individual therapist, as well as a personal increase in confidence, the more post-


graduate education you can show, the more employable you become.”


“Sending staff for training is great for business as it keeps staff motivated, happy and they tend to be more driven after attending a training session,” Audrey agrees.


Take your pick


When it comes to choosing a post- graduate course either for yourself or for your business, there are some key points to consider:


“Choosing a post-graduate course can sometimes depend on your client base and their requirements, or the direction you want to take your career,” explains Derek.


“It is always a good idea to do some research with your clients and establish what additional treatments they would like. Although, from a training point of view, the post-grad courses we find that are in constant demand at our colleges are advanced waxing, gel and acrylic nail courses eyelash extensions, combined short courses and massage. While for the more forward thinking therapists, qualifications in teaching and assessing have proved extremely popular in particular the new ITEC teaching and assessing awards which are mapped into the Irish qualifications framework at levels 5 and 6.”


Whatever post-graduate education pathway you choose to follow, I think it’s important to seek out education opportunities for yourself, where and whenever you can after all why should anyone else invest in you if you are not prepared to invest in yourself?


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84