Erin wins Scratch Stars Educator of the Year

ABT member Erin Adeyemo has been named Scratch Stars Educator of the Year 2017. Not only is Erin an ABT-insured nail technician, but her award-winning Nailgaga education holds ABT accreditation.

ABT's Marketing Assistant Amelia Black spoke to Erin about her win, and how she triumphed at this year's awards.

Amelia: Congratulations on winning Educator of the Year! Can you explain the process you had to go through to enter?

Erin:  Anyone who educates can enter the Scratch Stars awards. Apparently, this year they had over 3,000 entries overall! The process of entry was to answer a number of questions regarding your teaching experience, how you deal with students, support after training, student testimonials etc. Supporting documents were also required.

AB: What procedures did you put in place to become Educator of the Year?

Erin: I have been a finalist for this category three years running now, but this was the first year that the judges wanted to actually see us all in action and deliver a lesson down in London at the LCBT.

During the lesson, I was able to show my teaching skills and abilities by having great use of resources, in-depth lesson plans, confident course delivery, knowledge in the course content and student feedback etc. I also needed to show that I could gain the students interest and maintain great interaction throughout.

AB: What are your views on raising standards in the industry?

Erin: I was asked a similar question by one of the judges, and my answer... I am obsessed with trying to raise industry standards through great education and training! From beginners to experienced technicians, I feel we should always be improving our knowledge and skills to ensure a great client service.

By offering a great training experience I believe any student can enter the industry knowledgeable and be confident in the skills they have learned.

AB: How the awards were for you and what was it like to win?

Erin: Winning the Scratch Stars award for Educator of the Year was a massive personal achievement for me.

All five finalists attended (the awards final at London's Tropicana Beach Club) to find out their fate, along with those in other nail categories.

When the host began to read out some comments from the judges, I had a gut feeling it was me!  "great use of resources, dedication to future training, fantastic student feedback"

Then they shouted out my name! I screamed and ran up to the stage to collect my award!

I'm still on a high a few weeks after the event! It's a great personal achievement for me, a pride in the work I do and hopefully confidence for any students who would like to train with me.

AB: What would you say to anyone thinking of entering in the future?

For anyone thinking of entering I'd say go for it! And if you don't win first time, think of it this way, you've set your own bar to improve the next year, and that's what will drive you. If you've got the passion for what you do, be determined to be the best you can be.

AB: Why did you choose ABT as your insurance provider and ABT to get your course accredited with?

I decided to go with ABT for my own personal insurance because I found the prices competitive, yet with great cover. I felt it was an insurance company I could trust in.

So then to accredit my Nail Gaga courses, I decided again to go with ABT based on my previous experience with them: efficient, professional, great cover, competitive cost, and a credible company to back my courses. A company with a great reputation and a confidence for students looking for their first insurance.