Becoming A Lash Tech Part 9 | How to Become A Lash Trainer
It’s a very common path for lash technicians to turn their talents to teaching at some point in their career – the lash extensions industry has always been based on community and the passing on of knowledge, so it makes total sense that so many of our students have gone on to become successful trainers in their own right. There is a lot you can do with an eyelash extensions qualification, and actually applying lash extensions is just part of it. So how do you become a lash extensions trainer in the UK?
Do You Need to be Qualified to be a Lash Extensions Trainer?
You do. While it was quite common years ago for lash extensions trainers to not actually be qualified lash technicians themselves, it’s certainly not common now, (it is, however, the reason it’s so important to do your research when you’re looking for a training course in eyelash extensions)
Being qualified in lash extensions is one thing, but having been a working lash technician means that you have real-world insight into the unique problems that lash technicians face on a daily basis, and you can answer any question your students might ask you.
As well as this, you’ll need a teaching qualification. Don’t worry, there’s no going back to uni to study teaching involved, you’ll just need to take a PTLLS course to ensure you are ready to teach others. PTLLS stands for Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector, you may have heard of it referred to as ‘petals’ if you’ve been thinking about becoming a trainer already. It’s a relatively quick course and while there is some coursework involved, it’s not too difficult and certainly prepares you for a career in teaching. There are a few available, so do some research and see which is the best option for you.
Being qualified to teach means that you’ll be able to get accreditation for your training courses, which means that you can offer lash extensions training courses officially and give your students an accredited certificate which allows them to offer treatments as a business, and to get insurance and everything else they need.
Training Materials
Once you’re qualified to teach, you’ll need training materials to give to your students when they come to you for a lash extension training course. If you want to save a little time, it’s worth getting started on your training manual and any supplementary materials you’d like to offer your students, whether it’s lash map guides, aftercare advice sheets or client record card samples, it takes time to get everything checked over and printed professionally.
Your training manual will need to be checked over by the accreditation body who will sign off your course, giving your certificate the seal of approval. Be sure to include all of your knowledge, passion and expertise so that you can inspire the students who come to you, and of course to give your manual the best chance of being approved on the first submission!
Building Your Lash Extension Kit
It’s not strictly a requirement to provide a full kit on the day of the course, but at the very least you would do well to make some suggestions to your students. If there is a brand that you know and love (like London Lash, for example) and you regularly use their products then recommend these to your students – explain what you love about them, how they work, why they’re essential and anything else you would have found useful to know when you were taking your first course in eyelash extensions.
PSST! Did you knowwe have a Training Academy Scheme for lash trainers who love London Lash? Get your kits ready made for you and be sure that your students are getting high quality products to set them off on the right path – you and they receive discount codes too, so it’s essentially a bit list of wins!
That’s the process in a nutshell! We’d highly recommend that you work as a lash tech for around 2 years before you think about becoming a trainer, and be sure to take additional training courses in lash extensions yourself – the longer your list of accolades and the more technically perfect your portfolio, the more desirable you look as a trainer to potential students. If you’re on the fence about becoming a lash trainer, remember this: a lot of the students that you meet will see you as a mentor through their entire lash career, you will have made a real difference in their lives and will get to build really lovely relationships with them as well as seeing them grow into lash masters themselves. If nothing else, being a lash trainer can be so unbelievably rewarding, so if you’re considering it, we advise you to take the plunge!
Want to know more? Check out the rest of the series!
Part 1: Picking the Best Course For You | Part 2: Associated Costs with Starting Up | Part 3: How to Price Your Treatments | Part 4: Which Policies You Should Introduce and Why | Part 5: How to Get More Bookings | Part 6: Using Social Media for Business Growth | Part 7: Should You Expand Your Treatment List? | Part 8: What Else Can You Do With A Lash Qualification?
