My only qualification to teach is my experience and as anyone that has met me knows my absolute love for balloons and the joy and affect they can bring.

If there was anyone that was interested I would be more than happy to give a run through of the basic principals of decoration so that they could decide if they would like to go on a full course.

Well the only one that I can see this working at this year would be the Northampton day which I think is not too far for Roger to travel but it's not until the 22nd November.

Saturday 22nd November! A bit close to Christmas could be a problem. I get lots of corporate work around that time of year.

Sorry, wrong month :oops:
Wed 22nd October

A Wednesday in October now that may be possible.

Sorry Roger, please forgive me, I was not trying to imply the Pioneer courses where no good, just that there was a choice of courses available for beginers going on at the moment, that you did not need to buy a lot of expensive equipment to start with, and these days have a choice of quality balloons available.  

I personally am a Certified Balloon Artist through the Qualatex Balloon Network and one of the awards we have won with our Decor is that of Eurpoean Qualatex Decoration Company of the Year and as our personal prefered choice use Qualatex Latex Balloons, but have also tried and used others.

Pam

I was interested to see Roger's response.... I am the trainer who taught at Balloons to Go and actually the one who recommended it to him even though I do teach my own classes at yes £250 per person...   He just needed his insurance urgently... or at least that's what he said and I didn't think he needed anything too in depth given the length of time in the industry.... so a shame to see it so negative...

I have taught for Qualatex in the past... and am a NABAS Approved Instructor.  This actually means an external person has assessed me teaching as well as an industry assessor.  I have also taken a professional teacher training qualification, which is unique in this industry and only Nabas Approved trainers have needed to take them although 1 or 2 others have...

I do not favour any product or have to sell you anything at a class so can teach without the requirement to sell.  I provide all of my students on my courses with extra material such as marketing, Job Cost forms, business plans and other business material templates, marketing advice and have just developed new blank business cards, postcards and recipe cards for, at present, just basic skills which are given to them.  Students also ring me and say help after the courses which is given willingly... as are industry contacts and a selection of wholesalers and manufacturers.  My students also get passed work in areas I do not cover as the marketing often gets normal decorating enquiries.

We also carefully pick our venues, so I am sad he doesn't think our choice of training rooms are as good as purpose built training rooms... I take my own equipment to my own classes and it is all in full working order and more than suffient for the limited number of students in my classes which could be as small as 2 or as many as 6.  I choose a venue close to my students in whatever part of the country they are in and they can then can take excellent starter shots for their portfolios of their work.  I have a checklist of the skills I wish to see my students perform to ensure they are competent to go into the world and make some money with sound work, confidence and the knowledge that they can call if they need help.

I am sorry this sounds like a sales pitch... it isn't, but it is why we charge £250 per student... we are not spronsored and provide all product (from lots of sources and give them the opportunity to choose), certification is not free we pay for it, we pay for a venue, lunch and travel all over the country to take training to them, hotels if necessary, travelling costs - sadly only car as trains don't like helium bottles.. etc... it's up to you where you get your training from but we are giving independent training and great value for money if you add up what we put in...

As with most trainers, I also train at some wholesalers or get asked by manufacturers to go and do things on their behalf, so I can see first hand what is out there and the choice is up to the individual but please do not think that all courses are the same because they quite clearly are not..  sorry...

Amanda as I said in my post I was happy with your instruction, and yes it was about the fact that I could not find my old certificate and needed one to become part of nabas and get cheaper insurance than I previously had.

 I deliberately did not mention any name's, as this was not about having a go at anyone/company but the fact that the teaching at Pioneer was being shown in a worse light than I felt it actually is and nabas courses were all sweetness and light.

 After meeting you I have no doubt that when you run your own courses the equipment is of a better standard but the course that I attended, where as I said before the teaching was fine the room and kit was not.

As you have brought it up the room and equipment at the course were not good (I know it was not your own but supplied by the wholesaler) but as you said "We also carefully pick our venues," well old electric pumps that had bits taped on or were falling apart and not even one between 2, and as for foil inflator, well we never did find a proper one did we ended up using a tilt valve.
  Finally you would have to admit no thought of yours you had to keep rummaging around to find stuff we did not have as they had not put it out.

And did you not say that the reason the course was cheaper at the wholesaler was because they subsidised it, as they hoped we would purchase stuff from them. No difference form Pioneer then.

I do believe we are all clever enough to realise that we are being sold to in this way. If we feel that something may make us money then we may try it but if it doesn't always work as has happened with me  I bought some magic tricks and I have learnt that I am just not good at magic and leave it to those that are (any one want to buy a levitation table).

Roger

Sadly like everything else you get what you pay for...   I like being independent and showing everything that is available as I believe as a teacher that it is my role to ensure learning.. when booked by a client I have to use what I am given..  Might I suggest like I said in private email to you - if you have an issue with anything it may help if you contacted the company direct and chatted to them...?  I am glad you managed to get your insurance sorted.

Well I am glad that Roger has pointed out some things to be careful of because I was looking for a decorating course but have now decided not to.  

I have never done decorating and have no I idea if I like it so I don't wish to pay £110 (plus VAT) let alone more to either find out I hate it or that the venue and equipment are not up to the job.  That is not the kind of money I spend lightly unless I know I will get a return from it.  Not only that most of these course seem to be all day things which I struggle with.  I find I just cannot retain that much information if I am going in cold.  Has NABAS ever considered doing taster courses that are just a couple of hours long to give people a chance to see if they like it (and the venue etc) before committing to a longer course?

Taster type classes are done by Nabas at various events including the Spring Fair and of course the Nabas Show.  Spring Fair classes at NEC in January were free and the classes at the Nabas show (next one mid november in Warwickshire)are £25 each.  HTH

as ive just put the items on ebay and we seem to have gone off topic, feel free to close this thread graham.

on last couple of years I am working as a event manager, and I found so many website which still offering very good range with cheapest price of latex and foil balloons please try these links

//http://www.partydecorate.co.uk
//http://www.balloonshelium.co.uk

if you are buying a lot of balloons I would suggest you look for your local wholesaler and open an account.

Those sites are retail sales sites  

Pam
xx