Does anyone know this site (http://www.balloon-training-online.com) and especially it's content after paying such a price?

Carsten

Edited by Graham Lee Admin, please note the remarks below are not associated with the company above.

PS:
Mark (Bad to the Balloon) has taken a look inside this one http://www.balloondecorsecrets.com and wrote at another forum this statement:

"I got it 41 pages of crap you can find on the internet.
The "instructional drawings" suck.... Talks about putting together quads while showing 3 balloons.... huh?"

So BEWARE of that !

Seems a bit strange that all the people who "love" this course are not in the UK,  also more strange is that the contact address in Tyne and Wear ( I think )  yet the comments regarding how much money you can make without any advertising in is in $'s -  maybe someone paid a bomb for this from the States and hopes to make a packet from people who think that Balloon Decor is a cheap way to make money -   I wish !!   hope no one joins and ends up out of pocket because they will.

Debbie

It doesn't look any different to what you can learn on hands on course, instructions from Qualatex or BalloonsIT or could work out for yourself after doing either of the above.  I certainly wouldn't pay £199 for it all.

Sorry folks, been away in the sun visiting friends.

This site is a video training site relating to balloontraining.co.uk here in the UK and the videos they have taken at their training courses around the country. As far as I am aware and led to understand these courses are not approved by the balloon industry for some reason.

In fact NABAS have in the past sent students to us and other NABAS teachers to take a NABAS approved course before they will allow membership, stating they require Health and safety and theory knowledge. I get the impression there is past history between them and both NABAS and Qualatex but do not know what that may be.

Pam

Hello Everyone,

I am the person who developed the site you are discussing. I teach balloon decorating in the UK and developed the online video site initially for my students. The reason why people who "love" the course are not in the UK is because I mainly Market the online course outside the UK. I much prefer domestic people to do the course I run throughout the UK and I also give them access to the online videos.  

I'm sorry to hear you hope it will fail. I don't see why as there is nothing underhand and the videos cost a lot of money to produce as well as the massive amount of time in producing the videos and editing them.

I would like to clarify there are no issues with Qualatex or NABAS. Please feel free to contact both.

I'm very busy and have very limited time to contribute to message boards like this one. I am often away for several days which also makes it hard. If anyone would like to discuss anything my direct telephone number is (0191) 4209868.

Kind Regards

Adam

Nice to see Adam on the site... Hopefully he can help with any decor queries members of the forum have to...

As discussed with him I was not aware the NABAS exclusion had been lifted because I have in the past had students of his refered to me to take a NABAS course before they allowed them to join the association asking for the additional advice to be given

Pam
xx

Whilst £199.00 seems a lot of money let's bring some balance into this, it really depends on the standard of training.  I've spent a tidy sum on Training with Qualatex and have always found people like Jodie and Dee, Sue and the rest to be inspirational trainers.  However even then the first course I did (fundamentals) had to be rerun because the trainer was not up to the task on the day.

I've also met some fantastic decorators and twisters who had no formal training and if they had the ability to teach I would certainly consider going to them.  I'm a member of NABAS and fully understand why they approve certain courses as a requirement to entry, it doesn't mean other people can't teach to that standard or content just that they have not been vetted in the same way as those currently approved by NABAS.

Pam either you or Paul are members of the NABAS committee aren't you, have they had bad reports or did the people directed to you by NABAS complain or fall well short of expectations if so then maybe there is a concern, if not then they were directed because membership of our organisation is strictly controlled by approved courses, it doesn't necessarily mean they were not trained, just not on an approved course.  Until anyone has firsthand knowledge we shouldn't condemn someone who clearly seeks to improve their skills, joining here as I recently did is a clear example.  The cowboys tend to be conspicuous by their absence from places like this, but they should be routed out when found.
I've been twisting for many years, but having stopped for a few I too need to brush up my skills to improve our art (a lot in my case to get to the standard I want and used to have, twisting has moved a long way since I did it seriously).

The site seems excellent by the way and I look forward to a long association.

Quote from: "ab-fab-balloons"Until anyone has firsthand knowledge we shouldn't condemn someone who clearly seeks to improve their skills, joining here as I recently did is a clear example.  The cowboys tend to be conspicuous by their absence from places like this, but they should be routed out when found.

Hi ab-fab, Welcome to the site, hope you enjoy. I have re-read the thread and I dont think anyone has condemned balloon training, the course that C.K. mentioned that has a negative comment on was posted onto another forum and not balloon chat.

Graham,

Thanks, I can see what you mean, perhaps I read to much into Pams reply which said NABAS had directed clients of theirs to qualatex trainers and that there appeared to be history with Nabas and Qualatex, given the subsequent comments I thought this was clearly Adam's company being referenced.

I think my wife is probably right I get more like Victor Meldrew every day.

Hi Ab-fab, if you are the Tamworth guys, nice to have someone very local on here. Look forward to meeting up at the care & share days.

But glad you sorted that one out guys. I wondered what I had said for a moment... At no point did I wish to condem or decry anyone

To answer questions Yes Paul was voted onto Nabas committee last year. Yes Paul and I are both Nabas teachers.. probably the newest.. him being about 3 years now and me just under 2..

Yes as far as I was aware it was criteria, I was unaware of any other issues! If any where in place it was without my knowledge, and I believe from Adam has been sorted.

As discussed with Adam I found the students that came to us to be well informed and knowledgable. As with all artistic industries there are many paths to take to gain the same goals and If we all took the same it would reduce creativity surely..

Pam
xx

Yes Pam, thats us, havent been pushing it too much wanted to make sure we offered a good standard before we did.  Just putting the last few strings to our bow and well be off and running at full tilt ina few months.

Spoke to Dee, Linda and Sue at the qualatex stand in the spring fair, they were telling us of some of the courses on offer this year, might get one or two of those under out belt before the summer gets really going, cant Paul persued these guys though NABAS to get to the midlands for some of their stuff, Walsalls OK but still a bit out of the way.

Sorry guys if this chat is a bit local. Where are the care and share days/locations.

Confused me!!! and its aimed at me.. I thought you had been going a few years!!!

Qualatex are a manufacturer with teachers, Nabas are the balloon association but their teachers are independant teachers who offer some couses approved by NABAS and some of their own (One of the reasons why my conversations with Adam have been go for it and get approved by Nabas). Not dissing anyone but its 2 different things surely.

I think this is an answer, pm me, email me or phone me and maybe I will understand more, unless I am just having a thick moment.

There is an events section on the forum, it lists out care and share days, as well as a wide rangeof events going on including the sculpture day Paul & I are organising at our unit in Robeys Lane (a mile or so away from you?).. Check it out

Pam
xx

Yep have been doing it for years, but low key, lots of charity stuff etc, wanted to ensure I could produce quality work before we went full blast, ive seen some awful work out there.  Daughter and wife are both fully trained now, dauhgter has also completed her floristry at college so we can add flowers now and having been asked on many occasions to do twisting and face painting again which I had left off for a while whilst mainly decorating and doing wedding flowers we have taken training in face painting to bring the standard back up (well my daughter and grandaughter. Ive left it to them now) and Ive started to pick up my skills in twisting again.  

So we have been around, but not that people other than by word of mouth would know how to book us.  I know thats the best advertising but we turned down quite a bit if it didnt suit us or was something I thought we needed more experience before attempting.  My full time job as a computer team manager meant I didnt have to make a living out of it so I could pick an choose as long as I explained why people understood.

But having got that all under the belt now, my daughter want to work full time so this year will be the big push, so you might perhaps see a little more of us than before.

The meet and greet type events sound good and I'll try and get to them when I can, other peoples experiences are fantastic for expanding your knowledge.

The point about Qualatex is that if Paul has any influence, I mean these guys are more likley to listen to a NABAS comittee member and CBA than me, perhaps he could persude them to run some of their specialist course close to Tamworth.  The ones we have done with them in the past were fantastic, just like to save on the fuel if I can, have you seen the price of that now.

Perhaps we should PM from here rather than Hijack the thread, or when I see you ASDA next introduce myself..

Hi Everyone,

Thank you.

ab-fab-balloons - my wife has been calling me Victor Meldrew for years, we're probably getting grumpier with age!