VCTC Level 3 sports massage

[H H]

Hi

Just wanted to check if my experience is normal, I thought a change of career was in order, my son is starting school next year so will be able to work more from then and fed up of retail work. I signed up for the level 3 at my local college and even though I am quite a way through, I feel like I dont really know what I am doing. I have to do 50 hours of placement at sports clubs, done 30 so far, but no one there watches me or any of the other students, no one there is checking if we're doing it right, tutor shows us the routine once in class and then observes us briefly but she hasn't got time to watch us all the time, all seems more theory than actual learning to do the proper massage. Is this normal, I am worried I spent alot of my hard earned money on nothing and money is tight.

Cheryl

 

[Charity Dulzura]

please PM me

Ray

 

[David Wang]

Hello Ray,

New members are not able able to PM while they are on moderation.

On behalf of the moderators,
Myarka

 

[Sassy Miss]

Hi Cheryl
Have you expressed your concern to the tutor?
Ofqual guidelines state that every 6 wks the tutor should do a course evaluation and if,as you say, you are a fair way through it, I would have expected you to have had at least one 'one to one' tutorial

Unfortunately the standard of course delivery in College is 'variable' (which is probably why they are less expensive than Private Training providers)
Please don't get me wrong there are some colleges providing excellent courses however it is (generally) due to the quality of the tutor not the course

As the author of two (level 3 and Level 4) QCF Sports Massage qualifications (not VTCT though) from what you have posted I have a couple of questions

1 If you have done 30hrs of sports club treatments "but no one there watches me or any of the other students, no one there is checking if we're doing it right" are you covered by any public liability insurance?
This also means it should not submited as evidence toward your qualification (since if subjected to External Verification it should be rejected since cannot be authenticated)

2 "the tutor shows us the routine once in class"
Is your tutor telling you to treat every person you see the same?
Sports Massage 'even' at Level 3 is a treatment and as such should be targeted to meet individual requirements
In certain instances pre / post massage can be considered 'routine' however sports massage is much more than this
Ray

 

[aqeapunpicmigpefh]

Thanks Ray

Your post was really usefull.
There are no 1-1s or course evaluations so far to see how we are doing.

We do all have insurance so thats not a problem, but I can see that I am going to come out with a useless qualification as we are being allowed to put hours down at places mostly where we have no one watching us. I will talk to my tutor tomorrow and see what they say about it.

We have not been taught yet to tailor things to an individual but I think we are doing that soon from what my tutor said last week.

Its really frustrating, all that money for nothing much. If I ever do another course at college I will research it more next time and learn from this experience.

 

[Matthew. Aka_ No LiMitz]

Hi

I have done the Level 3 VTCT Sports Massage course when I did Level 3 Sports Therapies.

However in the first year (2yr course) we did basic swedish massage to know all the techniques, routine etc. Once we knew the basics we then did level 3 sports in 2 yr which did pre post massage routines, plus compressions, frictions, PNF stretching etc.
We were assessed throughout the course on a 1-1 basis and had to do various assignments. We did the anatomy and muscles in 1st yr, so we knew it all before starting sports massage.

Have you done all this? If not, it is a lot to take in in 1 yr, especially doing 50 case studies.

I too worked with clubs when training and no one watches you, just practise as much as you can, it helped me gain confidence. No massage is ever the same, so don't worry about that, or if you remember the techniques in the correct order, because you can't.

Practise makes perfect.

If you are really struggling, talk to your tutor and ask for help, that is what they are there for. if she won't, talk to the campus manager.

Hope this helps

Vickie
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