Success Stories

We’ve recently seen a surge of international students signing up for our Level 4 Certificate in Trichology course at TrichoCare Education. Here we talk to one of them, Michelle Schoeman, and ask her why she decided to study trichology with us.

Michelle lives in Qatar with her husband and young family. She’s originally from South Africa but moved to the Middle East five years ago when her husband was offered a new work opportunity. Michelle had studied at film school, and from there developed a passion for beauty and hair.

“I did runways, fashion shoots and celebrity weddings, and ran my own business, which was very successful. So when we relocated it was natural for me to carry on working, developing my creative skills and expertise,” she says.

Michelle currently works for Madi International who specialise in premium professional product distribution and education across the region. So how does studying trichology fit into her career plans?

“I’ve always loved to learn, understand why things happen the way they do, and solve problems. So diving deeper into how the hair and scalp work, what can go wrong and why, seems a natural extension to the hair and beauty skills I already have. And here in Qatar we see lots of climate-related hair problems, so studying trichology will help me understand much better how we can help people’s hair health.”

Michelle researched trichology courses online, and found TrichoCare Education.

“I was especially attracted to TrichoCare because their Level 4 course is accredited by iTEC. I studied hairdressing on an iTEC approved course, so I know the quality of content is guaranteed and, of course, it’s internationally recognised, so it’s a qualification that’s valid wherever I work.”

Michelle was helped to sign up by TrichoCare’s Jackie Passey, who looks after Quality Assurance. She then raced through TrichoCare’s Introduction to Trichology course, and moved straight on to studying the Level 4 Certificate.

“I’m an eager beaver! I’m really enjoying it. The content is detailed and definitive. And I’m getting great support from Course Director Keith Barker-Jones, who always seems to be there to help if I have a query. But I have to be very disciplined with my time -balancing my family and work with my studying,” she says.

Michelle reckons she studies around 10-12 hours a week, and hopes to finish the course within a year. She keeps a careful note of the time she spends studying.

“I try to focus on small bites of information each session. And I have a big board on the wall where I pin lots of notes, useful research and reminders of key terms and definitions. That really helps to fix in my mind anything I find a challenge.”

Michelle is ambitious for the future once she’s gained her qualification.

”I’m sure it will prove a big asset in my career. For instance, I’d like to put my new knowledge to practical use training others to recognise and solve hair and scalp conditions. And one day I’d love to have my own clinic and fulfil one of my long-term ambitions of developing my own product line.”

What advice does Michelle have for other international professionals who are looking to add trichology to their skills?

“You do need to be motivated and self-disciplined about studying. Create a routine, have a plan, and stick to it. Once you’ve made up your mind, take the bull by the horns and just do it. It’s well worth all the effort!”