My name is Stefan, I'm a swedish student living in London, and I am speaking on behalf of my girlfriend who happens to be immensely interested in getting a massage diploma (ITEC, as I have heard this is relevant internationally), but also lacks any kind of high school/GCSE/A-levels; I am under the impression this won't matter to certain schools though (she speaks english fleuently and if I am wrong, please do correct me.)
We have understood ITEC, VTCT or C&G are pretty much all as useful - but we are under the impression ITEC can tend to be the most popularly preferred qualification, especially if you might live abroad in the future. So ITEC it is i guess - to be on the safe side.
I simply wonder (not such a simple matter actually) if anyone here, with experience of studying or even better, accomplished/graduated massage therapists, can recommend a school for her? A school you have attended, or someone you know have attended - with satisfying results in as many ways as possible.
Also: There's alot of choices when it comes to massage diplomas. What I modt commonly see is "ITEC Level 3 Holistic Massage Diploma", "ITEC Level 3 Swedish Massage Diploma" and simply "ITEC Level 3 Massage Diploma". What are the differences here - and what signifies an ITEC Level 3 Diploma at all? I know Anatomy/Physiology/Pathology is a consistent aspect of it.
Any help will do. It is rather intimidating not knowing a thing about the British educational system and trying to find a good school here, there are so many, and simply finding ordinary recommendations about schools seems very hard.
Thanks for reading,
Stefan and Amara
Hi Stefan - I think it may be useful to know that ITEC, despite having the designation 'international' is NOT recognised everywhere. I do not have an ITEC qualification, but have lived in the USA, the Middle East, and Belgium, where very few qualifications are recognised other than those gained 'in country'. Does your girlfriend intend to move around to different countries in the future? If so, it may be a good idea to check out therapy associations, or even Spas in those countries, to see what their criteria are for qualifications. When I lived in the States, I had to go to a private massage school and undertake intensive training over 6 months - and even with 300 hours of in-class tuition under my belt, the qualification was not recognised is some states, who required a minimum of 500 and sometimes 1000 hours of in-class training.
In Belgium, in the village where we lived, I was not allowed to practice massage unless I registered as a sex worker. Yes - quite an eye opener!! I could only work on friends and family.
Most schools will ask about your previous qualifications but some wont care.
I'm afraid I don't live in London so cannot comment on the courses and schools over there. I'd personally lean towards ITEC over VTCT but I understand that VTCT courses are a lot more in depth now, so you will benefit greatly from either.
It may be useful to think how you learn, would a weekly class for a year be best, or a monthly class over a period of time, or an intensive one. We are all motivated differently.
If you can find a few schools, call them and ask to speak to the tutor, you may find you click better with one, or one has a slant on the course which appeals to you. Don't always take the cheaper option, go for the one which feels right and will give you what you need to learn to be confident and competent.
Lycka till!
The problem with both these course is their structure
ie: they only have two units so it is very difficult (impossible) to complete them in a progressive manner and virtually useless when wishing to transfer their credit value to other QCF qualifications and exemptions (new name for APL)
It also makes them extremely difficult to verify (Ofqual speak for regulate the quality) and that is why the courses are so variable in nature
If, however you did a qualification which had (say :rolleyes: 8 units) everything is then in much more manageable chunks and the knowledge you gain can easily be transferred to all manner of other qualifications (personal trainer, exercise referral specialist, gym, aerobics instructor etc etc) so you wont have to do everything twice
Hi Stefan
All good advice. As been stated quality does vary from school to school, so look at their reputation, facilities, length of course as well as the qualification. Yes it's not straight forward, but even at university level people have to investigate and see if a course is right for them.
And yes ITEC is not recognised around the world just like any other UK qualification. Each country has it's criteria. Some don't care what you do and other countries will be arrested for practising without a state license. If only life was so easy as doing a 3 to 9 month course and travel the globe without a care in the world :rolleyes: The dream of many a therapist, especially on Hp 😉
As for entry qualifications on a level 3 massage course, most schools take on mature adults regardless of previous qualifications. If in doubt she could do a level 2 course first to bridge the gap in her education.
Best wishes
RP
Try contacting Morley College - I may well be biased because I trained there 😀 but I think it is a great college (ten minute walk from Waterloo station). The fees were reasonable when I studied and the tutors were good. I studied ITEC back in 1995 and it was an in depth course over a period of 7 months. I have more recently studied aromatherapy VCTC (or VTCT... always get mixed up!) - and did not like the structure of the course at all. So I guess it's each to their own!
Hi Stefan
The previous are all good advice. I am writing from Italy and here too is a bit difficult to know if a course is right for you. I have been very lucky because I studied at Scuola di Massaggio ArteCorpo in Genova, where I live. This massage school have a very good reputation in Genova and Liguria, since they have physiotherapists and qualified massotherapists in their staff. They are also members of WMF (World Massage Federation). I attended the Traditional Swedish Massage course, which lasts 8 months, and it's been a pretty tough but very nice study and massage practice experience.
So, my suggestion is to look very well around you, ask people, read the school programs and go visit and meet the staff. That's the best thing to do!
Ester
Ester, I suspect you may not get an answer from Stefan as this thread is over 3 years old. Hopefully they have found the course they want by now.
As Energylz points out, this is an old thread, so Stefan and Amara have probably found an answer to their question. To everyone else who might be wondering, a good way to find out which schools give the qualifications needed to practice would be to ask a practicing massage therapist in your area. If he/she has worked as a massage therapist in more than one country, then he/she may know about which qualifications are internationally recognized. The massage therapists I go to, at Elkhart Massage, have gotten their qualifications from a few different places.