ITEC versus VTCT

[Ned]

Hi
I was amazed this morning - I had a phonecall on my mobile from a woman asking if I was ITEC trained. I said I am VTCT trained. She said she has my details from my website - therefore she would have read I am VTCT trained anyway on the front page. But then she said she went to London and the consultants their told her to go to a reflexologist who has been ITEC trained.

Now with no disrespect to ITEC trained reflexologists or any other therapy, I was bemused as to why she did not want my help. Are we not all trained to achieve the same results? Are we not all trained to Diploma level ? Is there something about ITEC that is so more advanced than little old me who is VTCT trained?

She said oh well never mind I have your number if I cannot find anyone else, I smiled and thanked her for her call and wished her daughter well as apparently she has lots of medical problems. But coming off the phone I was so annoyed.
Has anyone else come across this? I did initially try to do an ITEC qualification but there were no colleges in my area that did ITEC only VTCT.
Best wishes
T x

 

[sieujuneitgikpedo]

I haven't got any ITEC or VTCT qualifications so I haven't experienced this.

I would suggest that if anyone gets someone questioning their qualifications in this way they make a point of highlighting that it's just different examination boards for the same subject and that the recommendation they have received was probably to indicate to them that they should find someone who is properly certified to treat them rather than someone who has just learnt it out of a book.



Love and Reiki Hugs

 

[AverageJoe]

Hi
I know what you mean but it made me feel quite inadequate. In my opinion it comes across as being ignorant - no disrespect to the woman - but she may not have an idea of qualifications and just heard ITEC was a good one to go with! To be honest I had not heard of VTCT either but it was quite odd that she would not take my word for it when i mentioned they all amount to the same qualification in the end! Just different governing bodies!
Oh well - she may call back - i just hope she finds what she is looking for - for her daughter.
Thanks
T x

 

[My_Babies_Mommy]

I dont have any of the qualifications either but I do have a PhD and you don't ever get one University saying your qualification is invalid because they did not ratify it. There is a universal agreement to recognise qualifications across academia for GCSE's up to PHD's

I wonder if there is a possibility for ITEC and VCTC could do the same are there any members here who are within the ITEC and VCTC organisations could they accredit each others qualifications or are they having the VHS and Betamax fight and waiting until one dominates and the other fades away?

Bearing in mind that the better one faded away in the VHS/Betamax war....lol

 

[Brookie]

Hi TJG,

I wouldn't worry about it too much !! I'm ITEC qualified and did recieve fairly good training and the 40 case studies definately helped to give me a good base of understanding !! My tutor had been a Reflexologist for many years and her experience definately helped !! Having said that, I now know much, much more having been in practice for some time ..... I get my hands on around 15-20 people each week and it's that experience which has helped the most !!

However one thing I would say is that in recent months I've had 3 ladies come to me through different channels who have all studied Reflexology via VTCT and each of them felt they had recieved/are recieving poor training from the local colleges (3 different colleges). They wanted me to give them a treatment so as to get a better idea of what they were doing !!! Some of the questions I was answering for them were very basic and they should have known !! The two who had qualified asked to see my case studies and said there was a huge difference in the size and detail !!! Mine were said to be 3 times the thickness of theirs !! What's expected though may well change from college to college !!!

The problem seemed to stem from the lack of experience of the tutors who are teaching the subject !! One lady is being taught by a tutor who completed her City & Guilds teaching qualification at the same time as her own VTCT Reflexology !! So she has no experience in practice .... this can't be good for new students and to the best of my knowledge wouldn't be allowed to happen in either ITEC or AoR !! Tutors for these courses have to have 3 years Post Graduate experience before being allowed to teach. (I'm sure someone else will know the exact time frame). I do though know someone else who currently training with a different college and doing the VTCT and the tutor is supposed to be fab !!!

In reality it the post grad experience that makes us good Reflexologists, not the piece of paper we recieve on qualifying !! I can think of a couple of people who've been ITEC qualified for several years who are, IMHO, very poor Reflexologists and I wouldn't let them near my feet for love nor money !!!

Keep your chin up and don't get too stressed about it !! Word of mouth is the best way of getting new clients ..... and i'm sure your clients talk highly of you and aren't all that interested in what qualification you have !!

Meridianmoon xxx

 

[Sam rabe]

Hi ya

Aikijason: Both ITEC and VTCT Reflexology qualifications are NQF level 3 (about 'A' level). There has been also recently been published core cirrculium (can't spell) for Reflexology.

TJG: Sorry to hear about the doubt in your potential client. There is a lot of mumbo jumbo talked about qualifications. Courses are generally as good as the tutor rather than the exam board.

I once had a woman ring me wanting to study ITEC Indian head massage which I was teaching. Then said she had already did it but it was VTCT. So I laughed and said why do it again, and she replied "I want a ITEC qualification." The reason was a friend of hers couldn't get a job in a beauty salon due to having VTCT not ITEC. I laughed again and said it's all mumbo jumbo and complete nonsense.

One of my recent ITEC IHM students ask me the other day, "Is it true that you can't get insurance with VTCT qualifications". Where all this rubbish comes from I don't know.

The thing to say in these situations is that you are qualified at the same acedemic level as ITEC, that you are experienced, insured and (hopefully) member of an association with a code of conduct.

Don't let this get you down. Good work and customer care is what gets clients in. Ask youself: how many people ask to see your qualifications. Probably not that many.

Cheers

Reiki Pixie

 

[something]

Just read MM's reply.

The lack of quality control with VTCT courses does seem to be a problem, in many conversations I have had with VTCT tutors and students.

I think it is 3 years to teach ITEC Reflex., 3 years to be an assistant tutor on AoR, and 5 years to be the course tutor on an AoR course.

Post grad reflexology is an absolute must. The diploma (whatever it is) is just the start of a reflexologists career..........

RP

 

[LucyIntheSky]

Cheers RP,

There's always someone on here who knows these things !!

MM xx

 

[maria_maria]

MM

My pleasure

RP

 

[Pompal 09.]

Hi
You gals have such words or wisdom! Thanks again.
Since I qualified in March in reflexology not one single person has asked for my qualifications only this lady who called yesterday. When I did my first pamper party I had my certificates in the room so they knew I was qualified but it was not necessary as they did not seem to even look at them!

I do not know what it is but recently I am having clients coming at me from all angles. So I cannot complain. I only do evenings and weekends you see as I am at home with my little boy and also studying. But having 2 or 3 clients a week is enough for me at the moment as my hubby has a well paid job so we are fortunate in that respect. But it is definately word of mouth.
Thanks again
Tea beckons................
Bye for now
Trace x