Education: How to choose a CPD training provider
As a professional, you'll understand the importance of keeping your skills up to date. However, when you attend workshops or training days, or organise in-salon training for your team, there's so much more to consider than just which subject you want to study.
“Training should be an inspiring and informative experience and something that should be repeated regularly,” advises Marie-Louise Coster, therapist and founder of All About Mi Beauty Therapy & Training School. “Whether learning something new or updating and refreshing skills we, have it is only the naïve therapist that thinks their initial training at college is enough to keep them ahead of the game and make them the very best therapist they can be.”
“Whether you are running your own salon, self-employed or building up your business, investing in training and development can help to future proof both you and your business,” explains Alan Woods OBE, CEO of VTCT. “Education should be seen as tool to progress a person's career that can be used to reap the rewards at every level, and once initial training, such as an apprenticeship, is complete, then the learning should not stop but rather pursued and encouraged at every opportunity.”
He continues:
“The hair and beauty sector is going from strength to strength, adding an estimated £7.1bn to the UK economy yearly, and this the demand for treatments and styling is only going up. There is therefore no better time to invest in diversifying your team's skill set to be able to offer additional services and help your business to flourish and enhance your unique selling.
“However, on the job learning alone might not be enough to provide you with what is needed to retain good staff that are eager to learn more and enhance their skills. Everyone learns in different ways and understanding the options, and that learning does not just stop after formal education is complete, can make sure that your team benefits from the wide range of courses that are available, and are able to develop both personally and professionally.”
“Looking back at where I started, training gave me the drive to move forward in a new career. Just like I did with my career path, there's the potential to become an educator, distributor, or manufacturer,” says Susan Gerrard of Gerrard International and founder of The Susan Gerrard Beauty Academy.
So how do you choose the best place for you to study?
Level & quality of qualifications
“When looking for an academy, there are so many things you should take into consideration,” says Leigh Kerr, Director of Rainbow Room International Academy. “Firstly, you should look at if the academy has an advanced development programme and if any of the courses the academy offers are right for you and the qualification you are looking to achieve.”
You should also look out for training schools and courses that are accredited, or backed by the leading industry bodies, as Marie-Louise explains:
“If the course you enrol on is not properly accredited you won't be able to gain insurance, therefore you won't be able to offer the treatment and the whole expense and exercise would have been pointless. Check that the course and training provider are accredited with the likes of ABT and that your insurance company will accept the qualification and cover you for insurance purposes.
“Some companies are very clever with their wording, so if you aren't sure ask them to clarify who they are accredited by and check with that accreditor that they are in fact accredited.”
You can check whether a course is accredited by ABT by contacting our accreditation team at tamzin@abtinsurance.co.uk. You can also find ABT-Accredited Training Providers using the online tool on the ABT website.
How much will the course cost?
Don't be swayed by the cost of a course; the old adage ‘you get what you pay for' certainly applies to education. A course should represent value for money, but opting for the cheapest may leave you non the wiser when it comes to implementing the skills you wanted to learn in a salon environment.
Marie-Louise offers some advice:
“Although cost is probably going to be the main influencing factor please do not let it be the only factor when making your choice. The cheapest option is not always the best option, equally I acknowledge that it may not always be the worst. The most important factor when choosing a training provider is researching exactly what is covered in the course. Often a cheaper course may be shorter in length and therefore there isn't as much content to the course. It is usually a case that the practical hours are sacrificed so you don't get to practise the skill as many times – and as we are a practical industry the more practise we have during training the more confident and proficient we will be in doing the treatment – in turn making the treatment more successful.
“Don't be afraid to contact the training provider and ask them exactly what is covered in the course to ensure that it will meet your needs – they will be more than happy to help.”
“The experience of the person teaching you is also a factor that should be high on your list when choosing your training provider,” says Marie-Louise. “You are going to learn so much more from someone who has a wealth of experience and knowledge. On the training school's website, they may well have a whole section about their staff – if not ask them what experience they have. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions if necessary, you are investing a lot in them and need to be sure you are making the right choice.”
Leigh agrees:
“It's incredibly important to make sure the academy you are looking at is reputable – do people know about it, is it award-winning or has it produced any industry talent or mentored any top stylists?”
The course location
If you're committing to a longer-term course, the location of the training school or college may be high on your list of priorities. Some people don't mind travelling if they're attending a course they really enjoy, but if you're the sort of person who doesn't like to drive far, or can't face long journeys on public transport, this should be a consideration for you.
Take into account whether the traveling time would fit into your other daily commitments, such as work or childcare.
Investing in a course is not just about spending money, it's about investing your time and only you know how much of that you can spare.
Education should be something you embrace as an individual, and encourage as a salon owner or manager. There is no end to learning; every course, workshop or seminar you attend will have a benefit, and if you choose wisely, can open doors to enhanced career opportunities and business success.
