Academy archive notice: This page began as our January 2016 course launch announcement. It has been updated in 2026 to record ten years of Level 4 Laser and IPL training at Ray Cochrane Academy. Historical dates, fees, premises and course arrangements are included for context only. Prospective students should use the current course page for up-to-date information.
2016 to 2026
Ten years of specialist laser training
What began with a small launch intake has developed into one of the Academy’s largest specialist training programmes.
Where the story began
In January 2016, Ray Cochrane Academy announced its new VTCT Level 4 training in laser hair removal and IPL skin rejuvenation. The first advertised intake began on 12 February 2016 at our former 118 Baker Street premises. The original six-week programme was launched at an introductory price of £999, followed by further intakes in March and May.
Those details belong to a different period, but the principle behind the course has not changed. We believed that safe laser practice required more than a short introduction to a machine. Students needed a regulated qualification, a sound understanding of skin and hair, supervised treatment experience and the confidence to make safe clinical decisions.
Developing our blended learning model
Over the next ten years, we developed our own blended learning approach for laser education. Students complete structured theory learning before and alongside intensive practical training at the Academy. This gives them more time to understand laser science, treatment planning, contraindications and safety before applying that knowledge in the clinic room.
The model also allows classroom and clinic time to focus on questions, consultation, treatment technique and tutor feedback. It has been refined through repeated course delivery and the experience of teaching large numbers of learners with different professional backgrounds.
A clinic environment built for training
Laser equipment and a permanent clinical training room require a serious investment. We chose to make that investment because practical confidence cannot be developed through theory alone.
Our Baker Street Academy has a dedicated live clinic room and two laser systems from Alma, an established professional laser manufacturer. These systems are reserved for education and supervised student practice. Learners can become familiar with consultation, machine setup, treatment parameters, safety checks and live treatment delivery in a realistic clinical environment.
Why dedicated equipment matters
Students need enough supervised machine time to move beyond observation. Dedicated equipment allows tutors to demonstrate safely, correct technique and give each learner meaningful practical experience.
Growing into a high-volume specialist provider
The 2016 launch was the start of a much larger programme. Based on our current course schedule and internal learner records, we now run two or three laser cohorts in a typical month and train hundreds of learners across our laser programmes each year.
This scale places Ray Cochrane among the UK’s larger specialist laser training providers. More importantly, it has given our teaching team the experience to recognise where learners struggle, improve the training process and build clearer progression routes into advanced laser practice.
What we are most proud of
We are proud of the facilities and the growth, but the real achievement is the people trained here. Over ten years, our students have progressed into clinics, salons, self-employment and further laser qualifications. Many arrived with no laser experience and left with a regulated qualification, practical experience and a route into a new area of work.
The programme continues to change as qualifications, insurance expectations, licensing requirements and technology develop. The aim remains straightforward: give every learner the knowledge, practical time and professional judgement needed to work safely.
