Different Paths to Becoming a Nail Educator in Alberta, Canada

There are different ways to become a Nail educator in Alberta, depending on your final goal. Ask yourself a few questions to help you clarify your goal. For example, do you visualize one-on-one training or large classes? Do you want to be self-employed? Or would you prefer to work for a school?

Working at an existing school is a good path for those that want to mentor future service providers without worrying too much about administrative details . This pathway follows a student-centered approach where the focus is the development of your students.

Schools have their own criteria when hiring these positions. Leadership and organizational skills are important qualifications for instructors.

Smaller classes

On the other hand, smaller classes or one-on-one training, also known as private trainers or private vocational training, is the path for entrepreneurs.

Private trainers develop their own curriculum. In addition, they are often responsible for student recruitment and procurement of goods. One-on-one training is a good way to start as it allows for low delivery costs with little financial risk. 

Certainly regulations exist at most levels of government to ensure private trainers meet minimum licensing requirements in their fields. Consequently, there are many requirements to meet to achieve a training license. For instance, private trainers must show that they have consulted industry leaders in approving their curriculum.

Are there teaching requirements?

Nail technicians are not regulated in Alberta, Canada. However, industry guidelines exist to help Nail Technicians reach their goal of becoming effective nail educators. We recommend that Nail Techs have at minimum 2-3 years of experience in their field before taking the next step into education.

Will I need a teaching license?

If you are visualizing larger classes or courses that will cost students over $1,000 in tuition fees, you will need a teaching license. This license is different than a business license issued by your municipality. 

Not all private educators have curriculums that require a teaching license. There a few exemptions to licensing revolving around the price and purpose of your course amongst other factors.

EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP 
Beauty Industry Resource Centre 
(780) 604-2772 
info@executivespagroup.com

What questions are OK for the employer to ask?

There is this wonderful thing called the Alberta Human Rights Act. It applies to everyone, including employers who are interviewing potential employees.

This act was created by the Government of Alberta to promote fairness and equality. The act emphasizes 15 protected grounds which are off limits when asking interview questions.

The Alberta Learning Information System lists the following protected grounds (alisalberta.ca, 2024).

• Race
• Religious beliefs
• Colour
• Gender (including pregnancy and sexual harassment)
• Physical disability
• Mental disability
• Age
• Ancestry
• Place of origin
• Marital status
• Source of income
• Family status
• Sexual orientation
• Gender expression
• Gender identity

In other words, any questions regarding the items on the list above are deemed inappropriate. Take a look at this ALIS article on how to handle unacceptable questions.

Did you know we have a beauty industry job bank?

Our job bank is free, fast and easy to use. VIEW JOBS

EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP
(780)604-2772
info@executivespagroup.com

Who is Ieisha and WHY you should be on the lookout

Ieisha got her first taste of the beauty industry at sixteen years of age. She worked at GS Aveda in Kingsway as a reception/assistant. Little did she know the part time job she landed while attending high school would turn into her dream career.

We met Ieisha when she attended Executive Spa Group. She credits Executive Spa Group with shaping her business mindset while working on her personal development. She states she found the program rewarding and loved being surrounded by powerful women that left an impact on her.

The years rolled by as they do. Ieisha explored other industries, but something always drew her back to the beauty industry. Perhaps, it was her love of beauty products and the sense of confidence they bring out in herself and other people. Or perhaps it was her entrepreneurial spirit. Either way, Ieisha decided to take a chance and follow her passion.

Did we mention the sister?

Ieisha has not always gotten along with her sister. Lucky for them that changed as they grew older! In 2018, Ieisha and her sister, Shamira, started an online lash business. They managed to invest their profits into the purchase a lash vending machine. Currently, the sisters operate a store-front shop, ISJ Beauty, at City Centre mall in Edmonton, Alberta.

ISJ Beauty is a family owned and operated company that aims to empower other small businesses by retailing their beauty lines. All lines and products are crafted to enhance natural beauty and elevate your self-care routine.

From luxurious skin care essentials to cutting-edge grooming solutions, they currently carry lines from Angel fade for their men’s line, LUVSPICK for body care, Grow Garden for hair oils, Project Potential for hair care and more.

Ieisha’s tips for budding entrepreneurs

She suggests focusing on a few key things:

Get in touch with Ieisha

For Ieisha, it is important to give those businesses a chance to get their name out there and get all the support and guidance needed. ISJ Beauty currently offers a diverse range of products, but they are always looking for more businesses to partner with. Click the link above to contact Ieisha directly.

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What exactly is a Skilled Trade?

What sets the trades apart from other occupations is that they are directed by a board of directors who use the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act to regulate the involved trades. This board consults with industry experts, for example, schools and employers, to establish and update certification requirements to meet the needs of employers (Tradesecrets, 2024).

Did you know that Alberta has over 50 designated trades?

Amongst this group of trades is Hairstyling. In the case of hairstylists, the board identifies the particular activities that hairstylists do, for example, cut, colour, perm, etc. These are called “restricted activities.” In other words, only people in the trade can perform those activities. Anyone performing or wanting to perform those activities must identify themselves either as a certified journeyperson, or as a sponsored apprentice with Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT).

This is done by either passing an exam to confirm that you meet industry standards, or registering as an apprentice after securing employment under the direct supervision of a certified journeyperson. You can also complete a designated occupational program, but then you still have to work the required hours, plus pass the exam.

List of References

Tradesecrets 2024, accessed 21 May 2024, <https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/learn-about-designated-trades>.

Tradesecrets 2024, accessed 21 May 2024, <https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/profiles/0424>.

Tradesecrets 2024, accessed 21 May 2024, <https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/profiles/0424/scope-of-profession/#restricted>.

EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP

Do you need a certificate to do nails in Alberta?

You do not need to be certified to work from home as a Nail Technician in Alberta.

Yes it’s true, regulations are relaxed for this particular branch of the beauty industry in Alberta. In fact, esthetics as a whole is not regulated in Alberta. There are pros and cons to the lack of regulation.

Professionals who invested time and money attending licensed programs tend to be more concerned with the cons. We get that. But we also understand other personalities that will choose the self-taught route. Some people are born with talent in this field.

We encourage individuals on it to learn Alberta’s personal services regulation and standards to ensure safety, more specifically, the prevention of injuries and infection control. Because let’s face it- the influencers on social media, for example, Tik Tok or YouTube, are not going to bore you with those details! And most professionals who share content on social media will never reveal their real secrets. Finally, remember that at the end of the day, talent is 50%, the other fifty is understanding the science behind your craft.

Learning on social media is better suited once you yourself are a professional that can understand what is going on behind the scenes in particular videos, which parts they skipped, etc.

Home Business License

While you do not need to be certified to work from home as a Nail Technician in Alberta, you do require a home business license. These are granted municipally. In other words, you have to apply for a home business license through your city. This isn’t always a quick process, so give yourself at least 3 months for your application to be processed post submittal.

How do you get a license to be a nail technician in Alberta?

Licenses are issued by regulatory bodies that are able to dispense legal punishment for breaking regulations. In the case of Nail Technicians, such an organization does not exist. However, a nail technician certificate can be granted by beauty educators in Alberta. Do your research when choosing your training provider.

As mentioned above, nail tech instruction is not regulated. As a result, there is no “checklist” of what all instructors need to include in their curriculums.

However, licensed beauty educators are vetted by Alberta Education as private career colleges. They go through a rigorous process of getting their curriculums approved by industry leaders and peers.

While certification may not be as important to some people, it will be to others. For example, most employers want to see certification. Similarly, most clients will want their professional to be certified.

EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP

EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP offers Beauty Industry Resources for business, career, and employment services to Albertans. Contact us to speak with our Career and Employment Consultant who can help you develop a career path that is right for you.