City & Guilds Complementary Therapy Diploma

Hi Kismetwolf

You don't need a license in the UK to practice massage. Under Common Law anyone can set up as a massage therapist. For insurance purposes, local byelaws (if applicable in your area), ethical reasons, and if massage as a profession ever gets regulated (believe it when I see it), of course you should be suitably qualified.

As for the differences between VTCT, ITEC and C&G, that's debatable. In theory these courses are level 3 (according to the National Qualifications Framework) and should be similiar.

But the reality is: courses are only as good as the tutors who teach them and the students who put the time and effort into it.

The opinion of mine is developed from experience of being a tutor, mentor, practitioner, and of course a student myself.

Best thing you can do is ask around and speak to a few graduates and ask their opinion. Also speak to the course tutor and ask questions. Go with your gut feelings.

They seems to be alot of snobbery and B_S_ spoken by therapists about qualifications. It's all nonsense.

Whatever you do: learn, enjoy, graduate and then chuck the routines you learnt in the bin, then do advanced/post-grad training and develop your own style.

Best Wishes

RP

I agree with RP, the qualification is just the thing you get at the end of your course, its the training you get before it that matters.

Your clients will come to see you because of your skills, not because of a piece of paper.

That said, there are changes in the massage industry afoot, so it wont harm you to have a look for a course through the General Council for Massage Therapy (GCMT)

Good luck!

Hi Kis & ST

As far as I know, ITEC, VTCT, C&G all follow GCMT guidelines and National Occupational Standards, but don't quote me on that. And as far as I know again, graduates of ITEC, VTCT, C&G courses can join organisations that are connected with the GCMT. Unless someone can prove otherwise.

RP

Good morning to you RP and ST! Thanks so much for taking the time to read and reply to my post.
__________________

I'm a bit hesitant about not getting the best traning and credentials because I had a situation that threw me for a loop when I first moved here from the US 6 years ago.
I'm licensed in the US as an Aesthetician (you have to be licensced in either Aesthetics or Massage in order to practise either of them in the US and be hired at a Spa/Salon), and even though I was working as an Aesthetician for 3 years in a reputable Spa (and I hold a business license as well), when I moved to the UK I was told by a prospective employer that my license was not recognised in the UK! I didn't know anyone here in this profession at the time so I asked at a local college and the director of alternative health studies also said that my licensce was invalid in the UK.

I wasn't told about the VTCT that they may be able to assist, and at that time I had never heard of them. I was completely shattered and I had to find work in an alternative field (Retail Cosmetics) which is not what I wanted to do really and not what I trained for. The retail cosmetics industry is so crap that I had to quit that kind of work and began working in an office in order to make a decent living.
I've been doing office work for 3 years now and I completley hate it - just everything about it goes against the grain for me, it's like wearing someone elses clothes everyday.

So I've decided to get back into holistic healing something that I love and am passionate about and I'm looking at what courses I have to choose from, mainly looking at Massage and Nutrition and Fitness studies.

I'm so "paranoid" about getting screwed over again with this licenscing thing that I've called everyone from the US Embassy (I'm still a US citizen and if I ever move back I don't want to face the same obstacles I faced here), to the VTCT to ask about licenscing and what is the best option for me to take. The VTCT said that an ITEC is good but a City and Guilds means that one is also able to teach with accreditation.

I do find it hard to believe that anyone can practise massage in the UK without having the proper training, credentials, and expertise. How do the Spas out here deal with their business insurance if they put themselves in a position where they can hire in unlearned massage therapists? That's a risk I can't see any Spa or Salon taking on.

I want to present myself in the utmost professional light in this industry.

Any thoughts?

Hi Kismetwolf

I wordered why you used the term license. But yes, it's unbelievable isn't, you can practice massage in the UK with out a license. It is to do with Common Law. Anybody can practice anything unless the state says NO! Physiotherapists (Physical Therapists) are state regulated and were originally a group of medical massage therapists , but went off in slightly different direction (sorry to any physio's reading this and still believe in the power of massage).

Aesthetician, is that beauty therapy? Did you study anatomy, physiology and massage with that? One route I would check out is professional associations and insurance companies. They might except you qualifications. The problem you may have is your qualification is unknown, but that doesn't mean that its useless. Check out:

(insurance only).

As for ITEC, VTCT, C&G, they are all excepted industry standards in the UK. And here is another thing, you can qualify at a private college using their own assessment systems and still get insurance/indemity. If you are concerned about massage qualifications this is what you need to consider: Does it get you membership with a professional body that is recognised with the GCMT (as sportstherapy mentioned)? If so, you are OK now and in the future.

Best Wishes

Reiki Pixie

Or try:

Any other suggestions from anyone else?

In 1989 we moved out to the US for a 3 year posting. My UK massage therapy quals were not recognised by the county we lived in, but were by the adjacent county, so I worked in a spa there on a part time basis. I went on to do advanced massage courses at a massage school in another State - spent thousands of dollars - only to find, when we moved to Belgium, that neither the UK or US qualifications were recognised!!!! ((ITEC may have International in their name, but it doesn't mean that their qualifications are recognised internationally.))

Hello! Mucho thanks to all of you who provided me with some helpful information and some interesting perspectives. I've made my decision on which school I'm going to attend, now I just need to sort out which degree I want to go for!

x KW