So your curious about our apprenticeship program, huh?
Topcoat Nail Bar is a locally owned nail salon consisting of a team of beautiful caring personalities from all different backgrounds, ethnicity and genders. TNB’s mission is to provide high quality nail services using vegan organic spa products & medical grade sanitation. All of this is made possible through education & continuous considerate mentorship provided to you through out the program. We built our community in 2014 with these core values in mind because we believe success is shared between the artists & the salon. We personalize our training to focus on your individual needs and support you in perfecting your skill set & build a clientele from day 1. We ensure your success with continuous mentorship and coaching through out the apprenticeship and after your graduation.
We do things a bit different then your every day salon.
That includes our apprentice program! If you are looking for a non-traditional approach to your education an apprenticeship is the route you want to take.
Our program is built around growing your skill set to empower you to be successful as a licensed Nail Technician in Utah. Teaching you the fundamental technical skills necessary for services, as well as advanced skill sets that we specialize in.
375 Hours of Real Salon Experience
This is the magic sauce to our apprenticeship! From the beginning you will be fully immersed into salon life. You will gain 375 hrs of real world experience in the hustle and bustle of taking walk-ins & scheduled appointments in a high end salon setting. You will learn how to apply a superior guest experience to your services, how to build a relationship & communicate effectively with your guest, & all the ins and outs of the business of nails. This experience is truly invaluable to your future career as a Licensed Nail Tech. Our goal is to fully submerged you in the Topcoat Nail Bar culture and provide you with first-hand experience of taking appointments & building a clientele in a high end salon.
We mentor & guide you with business coaching through out the program. Advanced business skills to expand your understanding of the beauty industry are taught in our monthly meeting with the entire team. While personalized 1 on 1 business coaching sessions with our Salon Directors & owner provide you the space to grow. In these 1 on 1 meetings we review the skills you have developed and provide industry proven tips and tricks to further enhance your skill set. This personalization to your education is what sets you up for success in your career!
Fundamental Classes
Knowledge is vital to your success in the beauty industry. The state of Utah requires that you have knowledge in Practical content (manicures, pedicures, sanitation, etc.) as well as Theory content (Anatomy, Chemistry, infectious diseases, etc.)
Most of us entering into the beauty industry aren't exactly natural born scientist.. To support your understanding of the Theory content we provide an online learning platform of content including online workbooks, study guides, & exams. Our program is outlined to support your instructed skills classes with the theory content that is directly related to what you are learning in person with your instructor such as:
Instructed Skills Classes
• Natural Nail Prep Class
• Waterless Pedi Education Class
• Acrylic Prep & Application Class
• Intro to Gel Enhancements Class
• E-File Class
• Shaping & Balancing Class
• Builder Gel Class
• Gel X Class
• Hard Gel Class
• Nail Art Class
• Practical Exam Class
Fundamental Business Classes
• Guest Communication Class
• Mastering the Guest Experience Class
• Products & Services Class
• Social Media Marketing Class
Day to Day Practices
To ensure that our apprentices have a complete understanding of the guest experience & all rolls within the salon, apprentices are extensively trained on the scheduling system, sanitation, & how to retain and rebook their guests. Apprentices will spend time through out their day assisting with booking, checking out & rebooking guests as well as accomplishing mandatory sanitation practices.
*Please note sanitation is the most important in this industry and the state licensing exams. Coming into this industry you have to be willing to go above and beyond when it comes to cleaning.
When apprentices are not assisting learning the ropes of guest relations, it is expected that they spend their time practicing the skills sets they learned in class or completing the digital theory content.
I wish I could tell you an apprenticeship is as easy as pie. The truth is it takes effort on your part to be successful! The most successful apprentices we have had are not afraid to ask questions when in doubt and take every minute of those 375 hours working towards enhancing their skill set or theory knowledge no questions asked.
We offer flexible
Scheduling
Your instructor is permitted to have 2 apprentices scheduled at a time & your instructor must be present for the hours your scheduled per state regulations.
Your schedule as an apprentice will be a set schedule as we have to accommodate the states regulation & the existing apprentices we have scheduled.
However, we determine the schedule based on your needs. Learning at your own pace allows us to offer you a flexible schedule that fits your lifestyle & availability.
Professional Kit
We are all about the latest and greatest products on the market! This is one of the many reasons we fell in love with the nail industry. You can expect to be working and learning from experienced Nail Artists on all the latest products.
As an apprentice at TNB you will be learning with professional grade high quality products and the latest nail products on the market. This provides you real world experience with the products you will need to master in a professional salon setting.
We want our apprentices to have complete knowledge of the many products & services we offer. To ensure nothing holds you back we give you open access to all our professional supplies & supply you with a personal kit with all professional quality products and tools necessary to be successful in our program.
Earn $ while your learning!
One of the best part of doing an apprenticeship with us at TNB is that you get paid while you learn! As our apprentice you will earn a paycheck for the services you complete.
As an apprentice you make 30% commission + 100% of tips= :D
With our high end clientele you can expect your average tip per service to equal 20%-30% the cost of the service.
The amount you can expect in a paycheck will vary as it depends on how fast you are at completing a service (the quicker you are = the more services you take = more $ in your pocket). Being that we are a busy elite salon our overall price point for services is higher then average. To give our apprentices an advantage at booking appointments, we discount your services based on your skill level & timing. Guests welcome discounted services & seek out our apprentices to take advantage of this!
Enrollment Fee
[Due ASAP]
$1,500
To enroll into our apprentice program we require a $1,500 non refundable Enrollment Fee to reserve your position on the waitlist. Our waitlist is typically booked 6-9 months out. Our next availability is projected to be Summer 2023.
(Don’t delay! Space is limited, demand is high, & it is first come first served).
Instructional Hours Fee
$4,500
The cost of the apprentice program is $12.00 per instructional hour, which totals 375 hours =$4,500 total.
Professional Kit Fee
[Due during registration]
$2,000
Once your Enrollment is complete 2-3 weeks prior to your start date your $2,000 Professional Kit Fee is due.
You will receive you Professional Kit Items on your first day.
Total Program Cost
$8,000
• Enrollment Fee = $1,500
• Professional Kit Fee = $2,000
• Instructional Hours Fee = $4,500
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Total $8,000
Program Costs • Payment Plans
Payment Plan
We offer a flexible payment plan schedule to all our apprentices.
All payment plans are automatically processed based on the payment schedule agreed upon.
We accept a minimum of weekly payments by averaging the hours you are scheduled to work with in a week.
Examples:
Your scheduled 20 instructional hours a week =
a payment plan of $240.00 is due each week
Your scheduled 30 instructional hours a week =
a payment plan of $360.00 is due each week
What we do for your career
At TNB we are all about growth and providing a lauch-pad to your career. We love providing our graduated apprentices an opportunity to work with us as a licensed Nail Tech. (Many of our graduates go on to receive their instructor license and/or step into a position in leadership at TNB).
Regardless of your plans post-graduation our focus is on teaching you how to
• Do beautiful nails services in all the latest trending products
• Build your business by mastering customer retention & relations. (This is a vital skill needed to build a clientele that is not typically taught in other programs and schools!)
• Utilize social media and organic marketing
• Implement high quality service standards to your craft
Our program will provide you with
• Bench marks to create a sustainable career through business coaching & continued mentorship
• Personal empowerment to help you overcome your fears and set you up for a successful future as a Licensed Nail Technician & possible future employment as a Nail Artist-Instructor at Topcoat Nail Bar!
Who thrives @ TNB
We want our partners to be successful, that is the motivating factor for anyone on our team. To be successful in our program you have to have the dedication & motivation to apply the feedback given to you and the knowledge taught in class, to your craft.
We walk through this journey with you constantly offering tips & tricks in the form of feedback to assist you in enhancing you skill set & build a solid clientele. The apprentices that thrive within our program do not hesitate to ask questions, practice their skills regularly, & welcome instruction and feedback.
Frequently Asked Questions
-Is there any Financial Aid available?
•Yes! We are the only Federally Registered Nail Technology apprentice program currently in Utah. That means you may be eligible to receive financial assistance from the Department of Work Force Services, Military & VA Benefits, or a number of other federal or local grant awards & assistance. Please note, most awards are determined based on your personal financial situation and are not a guarantee of payment. Applying for these benefits does extend the length of your apprenticeship to a total of 2000 hours. If your interested in more info on using benefits shoot us an email info@topcoatslc.com
-What is the minimum age requirement?
•In the state of Utah you must be 14 yes old to begin an apprenticeship with the consent of your legal guardian.
-Are there any education prerequisites?
•There are no educational prerequisites. The only "prerequisite" would be obtaining your apprentices registration prior to your start date which we will guide you through obtaining.
-If I have a criminal record can I still join the program & become a Nail Tech?
•Given that the apprenticeship is regulated by the state of Utah, the Division of Occupational Professional Licensing has final say on who is approved as an apprentice and Licensed Nail Tech. Before applying to our program you will need to check with DOPL to see if your unique situation will prevent you from becoming a Licensed Nail Tech.
-Do you have a class on how to pass the state theory and practical exams?
•We have multiple classes and teaching materials that we provide you to ensure you get a passing score on both the theory & the practical. The practial class we have we will review multiple times on many occasions until you feel confident in your knowledge and prepared to take the test. The theory exam covers all the knowledge you learn thru the text book. We have created online flashcards & practice tests to assist in studying for the theory exam. Often our apprentices find a study partner among the other apprentices at TNB.
-I started a program at another school & its not working for me. Can I finish my remaining hours with Topcoat?
•Per Utah regulations hours accumulated in a school are non-transferrable towards an apprenticeship. If you already have hours accumulated as an apprentice outside of TNB's apprentice program you may request that DOPL permit you to transfer the hours you've already accumulated. (It is not with in our control to approve a transfer. DOPL makes the final determination on what is approved. Please note that we may ask that you complete additional hours & training based on your skill level & the required skills needed to be a Licensed Nail Tech & pass the theory and practical exams.)
Let's get together and make your dreams come true!
If this is the program for you then your next step would be to come in for a tour. We want you to come in ask all the questions, get to know some of our team and get a sense of where you will be working and learning. Fill out the form below, call, or text us to schedule your salon tour today! Once you have visited us & would like to continue with our apprentice program, you will complete & submit an official Apprentice Application with a $25 non-refundable application fee. We will then schedule a final interview & determine acceptance at that time. Thank you for your interest in our program we look forward to being apart of your future!