Wilton instructors

I have been teaching for almost 8 years and I absolutely love it. Wilton is really good to their instructors. I have been to many AIM's (annual instructors meetings) and met many other Witlon instructors. They also have training seminars from time to time and we always come home with a boat load of free stuff Wilton gives us. I have gotten so much I have had to sell some because I have so much. If you want any more info feel free to PM me

Lisa

send me a PM with your email address and i will send you an invite to join a wmi only message board.

I have been a WMI for a few years now. I absolutely love it. Seeing the look on the students faces after they learn the techniques and realize 'They can do it!'. It makes my day. Feel free to ask any questions!

I am going to say the opposite, and this is just my opinion, but I want you to think about a few things.

I was a Wilton instructor and loved it, however I had to quit because it was taking up too much of my time for too little pay. If you own a cake business the evening it takes away each week from your cake baking or your family will begin to take a toll on you.

Not only do you have to bring mixers, ingredietns and pack your car up each week but you have to get there to class early and stay late cleaning up and clock out, plus the time it takes to pack your car up and drive there, get home and unpack each week. That being said, i did love teachin students, that was the best part, and if you have no other job and no cake busniess on the side, it is an excellent part time job. BUT if you have kids, another job already plus a cake business I think you really need to think about the extra time spent away from home for the little bit of pay they provide, which in my opinion is not enough.

Now the pay from what i remember is based on students, so i fyou get 12 students or more in your class then it may be more beneficial, however if you have 3-5 you get paid way less, and you never know how its going to work out.

Just some things to think of and I wish you the best!!

Other than at the mtgs mentioned, do the instructors get any type of discount on products or other benefits ... maybe at the store they teach at or at the Wilton annual tent sale? Or better yet, at classes held at the Wilton store in Illinois? Have been considering it as well. Thanks.

I teach at Michaels, I get the store employee discount, wmi's also get 40% off anything ordered through the Wilton Yearbook.

A previous post mentioned about packing up a lot every week. The first night of Course 1 you are taking in a cake and everything mentioned on the list. Course 2, the first night you are taking in a mixer and ingredients for icing. All the other nights you really only need your binder, apron and some other things that can probably fit in the binder. There's really not a lot of packing each night. Michaels has baskets for all employees. I keep my binders and aprons in there so I really have nothing to carry each week.

Yes, they pay is low if you have just a few students. However, if you are looking for just some extra money it's great.

I did it for about 1 year.
Pros:
~I loved sharing info!
~You make new friends!
~Discount at Wilton and Hobby Lobby!
~You get to practice!

Cons:
~TIME CONSUMING. Prep time adds up. Yes, during course 1, you haul ALOT of stuff. The rest of the courses, you are not required to take so much stuff but you still need to take stuff. The way that Wilton cycles its courses, you are going to be doing course 1 more than once a month.
~Expense: You are considered a sub-contractor (if going thru Hobby Lobby) which means that you have to keep receipts for EVERYTHING. When I say everything, I mean everything: phone, internet, gas, supplies, ingredients, electricity, etc. At the end of the year, you have to add all that to your taxes.
~You are required to be available for your students questions before, during, and after class. And also via email, phone, etc. Basically, year round.
~If you have a family and/or job and/or business: SAY GOODBYE TO ONE OF THEM. I taught 3 classes a week, have kids, part time job and weekend cakes. Wilton took up about 30 hours a week for me (prep, communication with students/Hobby Lobby, classes, drive time, etc.)
~You have to "soft sell" and endorse products that you yourself might never even consider buying due to its quality and performance.
~Pay not worth it. I wasn't looking to get rich, I just wanted a little spending money. Well, with the amount of time/supplies I was giving to Wilton, I was basically paying them to allow me to teach.

All in all, I loved the students and had fun but it was not worth the time it took away from other more important things. I feel that the Wilton supervisors need to be a little more forthcoming when it comes to really explaining just how much time/money you have to put in and how you are expected to be able to teach more than 2 classes a week.

The Wilton experience is different for everyone. This is just my experience.