I have been contacted by the store I took my classes at and a Wilton rep. about teaching classes,and I want the real scoop.
I am a SAMH, (reg. Vet. Tech. working 9 hours a week) I don't want to leave my child with a sitter so I work when my DH is home. I also babysit 5 days a week, and have been doing a few cakes on the side here lately.
Is this something that will fit into my life, be worth wild, and profitable, or should I be appreciative that someone noticed my improvement enough to offer me the chance and move on?
Just thinking...

Most of the classes are in the evening ... I'd check to see what the pay is .. I don't think they hold out taxes, or they don't here .. you'd have to see if you'd really come out financially by doing it .. I think teaching people how to cake decorate would be fun though

I am an instructor for Wilton. The first thing you need to do is complete an application online at Wilton.com. If there is an account in your area, a supervisor will contact you. You will need to send photos of cakes you have completed as well as when and where you took course 1, 2, &3.

As an instructor, you are an independent contractor. You have mandatory quarterly demo's which you are paid in product vouchers. Wilton would ideally like to see you run a course 1 every month and then the other levels as you have demand. Yes, most of the classes run at night, but you schedule with the store around your personal schedule.

With regard to pay, you are paid by the store on a scale set by corporate. The scale varies from corporation to corporation (ie: JoAnn, Michael's, etc). No taxes are deducted and if you earn less than $400 in a year I don't think the store reports it to IRS.

Beyond the logistics, Wilton wants its instructors to be well trained and informed on the product line and they offer opportunities for you to attend seminars and training. The cost is usually $25 which is returned to you after the class is over. The freebies are fantastic. I attended a weekend training in Baltimore and came home with complete kits 1.2. &3 and tons of extras and a wonderful experience.

Personally, I think it is a great job with tons of flexibility. You meet wonderful people and share something you really enjoy doing. As a bonus, you get a check!

If you have other questions, you can contact me directly.

Junebuggey

Wonderful Junebuggey!! That was very informative. I'm so glad you posted that info. I'm interested in teaching also. Your post will help a lot of us on CC. Thanks for posting!

One big P.S.

You receive a 40% discount on product found in the year book as well as periodic incentives.

Junebuggey

I've been a WMI for 7 years and love it. There are things I don't like about Wilton's policies (such as "mandatory" demos for which they only pay in Wilton gift certificates) but otherwise, it's a lot of fun. It's really rewarding being able to teach people something that most have always wanted to learn.

Go for it! If your area is hard-up for instructors, you may get a $100 Wilton GC after teaching your first class.

~ Sherri

I think if you enjoyed your classes, you will enjoy teaching. Ditto everything already posted by other instructors. Each company will have different guidelines as far as demos and nights open to teach.

Once you know you have an opening, you'll want to meet with their EC (Education Coordinator) and discuss how often they want you to teach. Most, MOST, stores are flexible to your own schedule. But don't assume before you talk about it.

Besides the pay and the Wilton "extras", it is also SO rewarding to meet, teach and make so many new friends.

Rose

Thanks everyone for the wonderful info. I really enjoy teaching anything, and my new found love of decorating is just as you say- icing on the cake. I have the on-line application filled out and have been contacted by a Wilton rep in NY. It seems as if having someone to complete all 3 classes in this area is rare and the position has been open for about 2 months or so now. I think I just might give it a try. Thanks again for all the wonderful information I knew I could count on you all for the "real scoop"

i'm glad you posted this thread, I, too was wondering about this. My current instructor asked tuesday if I would like to teach the class. apparently she is moving in the next few months (she lives on base nearby). tuesday was only my first class in course 2. I'm glad to hear they work around your schedule. I work days at my regular job.

i guess i need to fill out the online application.

I have only been teaching Wilton classes since July, but truly LOVE it. Other than teach my Wilton classes, I am a stay at home mom, and full time online student, so it is nice to have interaction with someone other than a 2 yr old and 1 yr old..and be getting paid for something that I truly enjoy doing. I teach day classes. There are already two other instructors at the store that I teach at, but I am the only one that offers day classes. As for the required demos, I am required to do one demo per quarter, but am compensated for it. In addition, if I do an additional demo that is not required by Wilton, I get my "store instructor"pay, plus Wilton gives me a $5 coupon for each hour of the demo. I truly enjoy my job, so if this is something you are interested in doing part-time, I say go for it.

Teaching is very rewarding - though I found it hard to be away from my family also. I too work 5 days a week - 9 hrs a day and have a 5 yr. old at home. I value all my time with my family and found I could only teach one night a week. My store had co-instructors so the mandatory demo's were better for my situation as we would share the demo's (which are usually held on Saturdays. I love teaching though - it's so awesome to see the students progress in their techniques and when that "light" goes off when they finally get a technique they've really been struggling with - it makes it all worth it. Wilton does want alot out of it's instructors but remember you have another life and don't be afraid to limit yourself cause they will take advantage of you if you let them. They are corporate and that's how they think sometimes. Do it cause you enjoy it. Good luck and keep us posted on your decisions.

I ask my instructor about this same subject and she told me that she gets $10.00 per student, discounts, plus you have to attend a seminar each year.

To me, $10.00 was way to much to pay her. She didn't know how to do a gel transfer, she actually messed up my rainbow cake trying to do one. She even broke one of my birds for the basketweave(eventhrough they looked like they had a disease)lol and didn't even apologize.

I'll stop here because I could go on all day about this woman

Congrats and I'm sure you will do a bang up job!!

The way I am paid is by the count of students in each class - the more students, the higher the pay but it's no where near what she stated for pay. I teach at a Micheals store in CT and it is my understanding that the pay is universal. Tell me if I'm wrong cause I'd think about moving if it was more $ I get paid this way: 1-5 students = $30.00, 5-7 students = $35.00, 7-9 students 40.00. I wish I got $10.00 per student!

BJ ~ Is that per class? How many classes make up each course? What are these demos everyone keeps referring to?

I've been decorating for about 12 years, but I'm self-taught. I've been considering taking the Wilton courses, though, just so I can apply to be an instructor. I applied once, and they more or less told me that even with my amount of experience (and the fact that I taught myself from the Wilton books), I'd still have to take the courses before they'd consider my application! I've taught cake decorating workshops for the 4-H kids in my county for 4 years, but I understand Wilton's standpoint. There are some things that are learned better in person than from a book.

Yes, that's per class. There are 4 classes per course. The demo's are like this: Usually on a Saturday (cause that's when the store is the busiest) you have to come in for about 4 hours and demonstrate decorating techniques (usually no more than what's taught in course 1) to entise customers to sign up for classes. You would bake a couple cakes and just cover them with icing at home. You'd also have to make the icing at home to bring to the store that you'd use to decorate the cake with. It's just promotional stuff. You smile, show them just enough to get them interrested, and then, hopefully, they'll sign up for your classes. I'm sure the classes would be a breaze for you with all that experience but yes, Wilton is a stickler about their instructors.

Oh, and yes you get paid for the demo's as well.

Hi BJ,

If that woman told me that the sun was shinning, I'd have to go and check for myself. lol

Forgot to add that if Wilton was such a stickler for instructors, how in the world was she able to be an instructor?

She must have hired someone to take her place to get by!!!!!

Thanks for the info BJ!

stephanie214 ~ I too thought $10/student seemed a little high. It would be nice though! Sorry to hear you've had troubles with your instructor.

Yes, some slip through the crack. Most instructor's need to be presented to Wilton through their instructors but some get through without and I'm sorry your's was a crack slipper lol

BELIEVE ME, A BIG CRACK SLIPPER!!!!!!

Great minds think alike

well, to be honest with you girls, wilton doesn't seem to be all that strick about thier instructors. As a matter of fact i taught for wilton for about 5 years and never took the wilton courses. All i had to do was answer some questions send them some pictures of cakes i have done. And tell them that yes i made my roses on a nail. Can do either on the nail or stick, They were real excited that i did fondant and gumpaste, guess they don't have many that were qualified for that. Maybe they have changed, but i really think how fussy they are about a teacher depends on how badly they need someone for the area your in.

I did attend all the seminars after i was hired and there were teachers there that couldn't even make a decent rose. Thats pretty sad i think.

Now i'm teaching at an independant cake shop and i can set up the courses as i want. I'm doing my version of course 2 right now and it seems to be going well. I will also be doing thier gumpaste classes.

How long ago did you teach?

Maybe it has to do with my area or the store chain where I teach, but I get paid $120 for 1-5 students, $160 for 6-9 students, and $240 for 9-12 students, for the entire 4 week course.

That basically breaks down to what I get paid weekly but I like the way yours sound better

I was just quoted 4-6 students $120, 7-9 students $150, 10-15 students it was additional per student.
This was told to me by a Wilton rep in NY I spoke to yesterday.

peg ~ That's very possible that Wilton is pickier depending on how badly they need help in a certain area. They didn't even ask me to submit pics of my work; they just said I had to take the courses. Experience or not. Oh well. It'll be fun to see if I know more than the teacher!

i started teaching in '97 i think i taught for a couple of years. The last being for micheals and then it got too demanding, as my children were small and my husband was working odd hours and i also work full time out side of the home. It just got to the point that there weren't enough hours in the day. And i knew it was time to take a brake.

I have been very up front and direct with the store i'm teaching at now. That i will do the occassional class, and yes i can teach the wilton method, i'm just not a wilton method teacher any longer. The store is also under the false pretense that the other teacher is certified by wilton and at least when i was doing it, there was no certifcation for a wilton teacher. We worked as independant contractors or as employees of the stores we taught at.

I must say i did really enjoy teaching classes, but i think my biggest gripe with wilton is the sell, sell, sell mind set. They just want to sell product they don't really seem to care if the people are properly trained to use it, or if what they are putting out is garbage. Now that being said there are alot of good wilton products out there. They have some wonderful ideas, but seem to cut corners so that they can put something out that anyone can afford and quality seems to be lacking of late.

JMHO

I was told today that I had to send pics in before they'd actually offer me the job... I told her I had a website (which is giving me some probs.. minor repairs I have to make and haven't had time yet lol).. she told me she could look at that and I wouldn't have to send pictures in .. so, I guess it differs in areas.. she did mention that it was a marketing aspect for Wilton products, but it was a quote "soft" marketing and we didn't want to shove the products at them .. so hopefully I won't get told that I have to make them sales lol