‘It all started with soap.’ TQUK-ESEA learner Sherry Kuan talks challenges of looking after her son, starting a new business, TQUK training and a turbulent year for Hong Kong.
Career milestones don’t come much bigger than setting up your own company. That’s exactly what TQUK-ESEA learner Sherry Kuan did when she launched her handmade soap company – and it’s been quite the journey.
‘The reason I took this course is not only for the recognition, but also a responsibility to my colleagues and students, making sure I’m up to the standards of being a successful trainer.’
Sherry recently undertook the TQUK endorsed courses Level 3 Award in Education and Training and a Level 4 Diploma in Teaching Handmade Soaps with Faroma Workshop with the hope that they would help to shape her with increased knowledge and build upon the foundations of her new business.
Born out of the frustrations of trying to find the correct treatment for her eldest son’s eczema, Sherry developed interests in natural products and began to understand how to make natural handmade soap and the benefits it brings to conditions like eczema. Soon after Sherry started her own business, becoming the Chairman of the Macao Handmade Soap Association, and set about finding the right qualifications to further her learning and gain customer confidence.
‘Unfortunately, there wasn’t a suitable training course in handmade soap in Macao that met my needs, the practice and quality control are still carried out in the old traditional ways, and the cost of production and the quality of the products are difficult to maintain.’
‘Once I learned that Faroma’s course curriculum met my requirements in terms of trainer quality, delivery methods, and TQUK’s recognition, right away I enrolled on the courses.’
As we saw across news stations through 2019, political tensions were heightened in Hong Kong and this made for a particularly difficult learning situation for many learners, including Sherry:
‘This has been one of the most profound experiences for me. My mentality travelling to and from Hong Kong for my training classes from Macao changed gradually from "Hong Kong stay strong" in the beginning to "Hong Kong needs to calm down".’
‘In the end, I just asked myself why I decided to take this course in the very beginning and I started to enjoy studying class notes in the middle of the night.’
‘I was looking for the best training course on the market that would help me with the knowledge and confidence for my customers’ best interest. Faroma’s TQUK endorsed course perfectly suited my cause.’
‘I am very grateful to Faroma’s Director Frances and my trainer Kimmy, especially during the time of social unrest, they provided me with a lot of support and caring, which truly inspired me a lot on how I wanted to teach and treat my learners in the future.’
So what does the future hold for Sherry now that she has completed her endorsed courses? It’s about future-proofing her business and producing eco-friendly soaps.
‘I will continue to engage in education, recruiting more people who are interested in natural handmade soap, gathering them together to help save the environment.’
‘I am very grateful to my trainers and related staff at Faroma Workshop. You have given me a chance to complete a milestone in my career. My heartfelt appreciation to my classmates who have helped me and my husband, without his generous support and understanding.’
To keep up to date with the latest news and updates from Training Qualifications UK, return to our blog or follow us Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and LinkedIn.