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Are online nail technician schools for real?
We keep getting enquiries from our regular visitors about online nail technician schools. This post is intended to get the facts straight on this topic. Do online nail technician schools exist? Well, the answer is yes and no. How so? Let’s find out.
Nail technician training
Almost all the states of the US need nail technicians to obtain a license for practicing in their territories. The basic qualification required by all state licensing agencies is certain hours (often ranging from 300 to 600) of training in nail technology at an approved school. The licensure examinations conducted by the states assess the candidates’ theoretical and practical knowledge in all areas of nail technology to see if they are fit to ply their trade. None of the states approve of online training in nail technology for licensing purposes. However, many of the states that have continuing education requirements for license renewal accept online training in lieu of classroom training.
We have a post “What is involved in nail technician training courses“, that gives an overall idea of the components of typical nail technician programs. In brief, such programs have an even mix of theory and practice the former involving such topics as physiology, nail anatomy, sanitation, hygiene, legal aspects, business management etc. and the latter involving application of various techniques like manicure, pedicure, polish and the like. While a firm grounding in the theory of nail technology makes one a competent professional, it is the skill of applying the techniques that determines one’s success in the profession. It is here that we realize online nail technician training is not a practical concept. There however are a few schools offering online nail technician training, but these are meant for:
a. Those who want to learn the techniques for home use.
b. Nail technicians who practise in a state which has continuing education requirements for renewal of their nail technician license.
What is taught at online nail technician schools?
As mentioned in the above section, online nail technician schools do exist, but their programs are meant for those who either want to learn the techniques for own use or are looking to fulfill their continuing education requirements for license renewal. For instance, Universal Class an online provider of vocational education, offers a training course “How to manicure”. This is a six month course equivalent to 1.1 CEU’s (Continuing Education Units) for a grade of 70% or higher. The subjects covered in the course include home manicuring and pedicuring, nail polishing, nail lotions and their application, the various tools used etc. The application of the various techniques are taught through live demonstrations by instructors. Besides Universal there are a few other online nail technician schools that offer similar training. Outside of the United States, the UK is one country where online nail technician schools are common.
Conclusion
The concept of online nail technician schools is not a realistic one as nail technology training involves as much, if not more, practical work as theory. With an online training program this is not possible. Besides, in acknowledgement of this fact, the various state licensing agencies do not accept online nail technician training in lieu of classroom training for licensure. There however exist a few online nail technician schools that teach some basic nail services primarily for the trainees’ own use. These courses are also taken by practicing nail technicians as part of fulfilling their continuing education requirements for license renewal.
