Truro educator shares success stories of former nail students
By Guest Writer | 28 September 2020 | Feature, Tech Talk, Training
Sarah Brenton-Sara, lecturer in Level 2 & 3 Nail Services & Beauty Therapy at Truro & Penwith College, shares how she supports her present and past nail students in the quest for a great career in the industry…
My role as tutor, lecturer and assessor does not stop at the end of the day, or when the learners complete their qualification. I have contact with learners on a daily basis out of hours assisting them with problem solving and ideas for progressing their individual skills.
If competitions approach, I may work late into the night on a particular idea and design plan with the students. On one occasion, I woke in the night with a light bulb moment, wrote it down and gave it to the student the next day who then began working on it and developed a masterpiece – which achieved a gold medal the the WorldSkills UK competition.
Previous students then started to contact me and they ask for advice if and when they need it. I give them feedback and it’s great to see how their designs have developed since college. One former student is Rhiannon Boon, who now runs Nails by Rhiannon in Truro, Cornwall. Rhiannon qualified in 2014 and has gained a lot of experience since.
I visited Rhiannon to have my nails done because I just loved her style. I was so pleased I did visit after salons reopened following the coronavirus outbreak. Rhiannon was so professional, and covered all aspects of health & safety expertly. Her techniques used for nail enhancements were creative, she had a strong level of knowledge of the products she used and a passion for the nail industry and her unique designs were amazing.
I gave her an image of what I liked, and she delivered it. Rhiannon asked me to give her my thoughts on her style of nail treatments as she has adapted them since leaving me when she qualified. I fed back with positivity as I could not fault her techniques at all.
My nails by Rhiannon
I would recommend Rhiannon, not only for her excellent nail designs, but for her quiet, calm and pleasant demeanour. It was a great nail experience.
Rhiannon comments: “I completed Level 2 and Level 3 Nail Technology at Truro College, I qualified in 2014 and have been doing nails ever since.
“I really enjoyed my time at college, Sarah was my tutor and was so supportive and lovely, always putting in the extra time and guidance if I ever needed it. Sarah gave me the confidence to go further in my career.
“I love being creative and took to nails very quickly; sure that it was the career path I wanted to pursue. When leaving college and completing my course I worked and gained experience in a couple of salons over a few years. I now have my own business in Truro and enjoy being self-employed, doing the job I love and have a passion for.
“I really couldn’t imagine doing anything else and always look forward to carrying on learning about new techniques to further my business.”
Another students who I have been following is Ruby Reading, also based in Truro. Ruby qualified in 2018 and is so enthusiastic about nails.
Ruby reveals: “Truro college was the start of something big for me. Little did I know that I would have a life-long career ahead of me from just two years of further education. I worked in retail from the age of 15 and really didn’t know what I wanted for myself, so I signed up to apply for a place on a Level 2 Beauty Therapy course in order to assess my options.
“I decided I wanted to be a special effects make-up artist but with living in Cornwall, that just wasn’t an option as I wouldn’t be able to take it much further as a full-time career. Sarah then introduced me to nails, realising my strength in beauty was manicures and nail art. I then gave it a go, I signed up, purchased my kit and uniform for the year and put my head down into my work. I now have a full-time job doing what I truly love, all thanks to Sarah and Truro college.
“It means the world to me that Sarah has given this support to me and followed my success.”