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.

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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>.

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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.

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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.

Technically you can teach yourself hairstyling. You can teach yourself to do just about anything these days! You may even be able to practice your self-taught skills on your family and friends. But as for teaching yourself to work as a hairstylist…well, that would be a no-no in Alberta, Canada.

THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

However, if hair is your passion and you don’t mind going the extra mile, you may want to learn more about apprenticeship. The apprenticeship route to becoming a licensed hairstylist works for motivated people.

The Apprenticeship path will take you two years to complete. This includes a minimum of 1450 hours of on-the-job training and 10 weeks of technical training each year (20 weeks total). The benefit of this route is the cost effectiveness and the real life, hands on training.

STEPS TO OBTAINING YOUR APPRENTICESHIP

1. Secure a job in a salon.

This could be getting hired as a salon technician, receptionist, or retail specialist. Your supervisor should be a Journeyman Hairstylist to train you and confirm your hours worked. You should mention your long term goals during your job interview to ensure you and your hiring manager are on the same page regarding your apprenticeship.

Keep in mind during your apprenticeship that your employer is incurring a timely and financial cost to train you. We recommend making yourself indispensable. For example, take on responsibilities abdicated by others. Consider yourself a student of every aspect of working in a salon. Even the menial labour that nobody else wants to do will prepare you for ultimate success.

2. Apply to be a Registered Apprentice

After securing employment, you may apply to be a Registered Apprentice in Alberta. Once you have completed your application and pay the registration fee, you may be issued an Apprenticeship Card and Blue Book (this is the official record log in which your worked hours are tracked).

As an Apprentice Hairstylist, you are able to buy product (no chemicals!) from salon distribution centres, and you are legally able to handle the tools of the trade.

3. On-the-job hours

Your on-the-job hours are divided into two twelve-month periods. During each period, you are expected to complete 1450 hours (this is 40 weeks based on 35 hours a week).

4. Technical training

Technical training is arranged by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training.

Your technical training is divided into Period One and Period Two. Both are 10 weeks in length (700 hours total). You may be eligible for financial benefits while in technical training. The average cost of tuition for both periods generally doesn’t exceed $2500. Tool kits would be available for learning purposes only, and it would be your responsibility to invest in your kit for your work experience.

5. Testing

Once your on-the-job training, technical training, and corresponding examinations (theory and technical exams for Period One and Two) are successfully completed, you are eligible to take the theory and technical exam for your Interprovincial Red Seal.

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DON’T FORGET ABOUT GRANTS AND LOANS AVAILABLE!

• The Canada Apprentice Loan is an initiative of the Government of Canada to help complete your apprenticeship in a designated Red Seal trade. You can apply for up to $4,000 in interest-free loans per period of technical training. The money would be available to help with tuition, tools, equipment and living expenses, to cover forgone wages and to help support your family.
• The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (AIG) is a taxable cash grant of $1,000 per year, to a maximum of $2,000. This Grant helps registered apprentices get started in the designated Red Seal trades.
• The Apprenticeship Completion Grant (ACG) is a taxable cash grant of $2,000. This Grant helps registered apprentices who have completed their training to become certified journeypersons in the designated Red Seal trades.
• Canada Revenue offers a tax benefit for Tradespersons’ Tools Deduction . Apprentices may be able to deduct the cost of eligible tools bought to earn employment income as a skilled tradesperson.

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EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP

What is the difference between licensed and accredited beauty training?

Licensed beauty trainers have been vetted by the appropriate governmental bodies. Licensed programs are monitored to ensure they provide students with quality training that meets industry standards. Licensing also ensures student rights and money are protected because they must follow a set of standards. Licensing is synonymous with accreditation in the sense that they are vetted by the appropriate governmental bodies.

On the other hand, designated beauty programs have been licensed to teach, plus more. They have been deemed eligible to participate in government student loan funding. Also, accredited beauty programs can accept international students.

Are all beauty industry programs accredited and/or licensed in Alberta, Canada?

When it comes to esthetics and other specializations that would fall under esthetics, for example, lash extensions, the sad truth is most are not. Esthetics is not regulated in Alberta, Canada. As a result, many estheticians or other beauty experts unknowingly share their knowledge without having the proper license to teach.

Cosmetology is licensed however. This results in enough options of licensed and accredited training providers to choose from.

What about unlicensed beauty courses or programs?

Beauty programs and courses by unlicensed beauty trainers are not necessarily worse in quality. In fact, licensing bodies are very clear that licensing is not an endorsement of any particular trainer or program. However, it is also very clear that licensed beauty programs are vetted to an extreme by their licensing bodies.

There is a positive aspect to unlicensed trainers: They keep the costs of training down. Make sure you do the vetting if you are going to receive training from an unlicensed beauty trainer. Like we stated above, ‘unlicensed’ is not synonymous with ‘worse’.

Benefits of Licensed and Accredited Beauty Training

Licensing provides many advantages for training providers, for the students who graduate from your courses and programs, and industries themselves.

It’s pretty clear how accreditation benefits students; They attend a school that offers payment options.  As for the beauty industry, employers benefit when they hire graduates from licensed schools that they can trust. When schools produce well-trained students, the quality level in the industry overall rises.

Consumer protection

Students can take their complaints to the governing body and find a resolution. Unlike attending a course that is not licensed, the most the student can do is leave a negative review on yelp!

An added incentive for students related to consumer protection is that licensed trainers often help them find jobs as part of the licensing agreement. Last year, 79% of licensed trainers helped graduates find jobs as part of their training.

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EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP

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