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View Full Version : My Skillstrain Experience


MaverickUK
04-05-2007, 06:00 AM
Hi, i'm new here and i found it via Google and as soon as i read a few posts i just knew i had to share my experience with you guys as people are being put off from this company just because select people get service of a lower stature than they bargained for.

By no means are this company rogue scammers, they, in my personal opinion are a valid company who offer services that they say they offer. I have signed up for the A+, N+ and CCNA, which cost me around £3,400 - money well spent.

I seriously can't see how you guys are having such bad service whilst i'm flying like an eagle over the top of you. This can't be right, surely. I'm yet to do any practical work with these guys and if i do not receieve this, i will obviously cancel with immediate affect. A lot of people are complaining about the resources they offer for A+, but they are very good and up-to standard for the A+ 2006 exam objectives - i've learnt so much from this course and i will not look back.

I have receieved consistant help and customer service, where i needed it and when i needed it. Do not let all these 'bad' reviews put you off having a career and being successful - the number of bad cases vs good cases are greater for the good.

My review is as below.

People are portraying this company to be money-lynching criminals - yet as of now i have receieved everything as promised, however if anything has been missed out it has been at my own fault for not answering these questions prior to signing. They have now updated their course materials, making it more specific to the curent year we are in. I have been on this course since September 2006 and the only major discrepancy i have had is as follows; i rang up the company via their telephone number and made a general enquiry, i was then told i had 3 months to complete the A+ course before the 2006 materials came out - either this or i could go onto the new course as of there and then and as the other coursework was actually from 2003, i chose to change without second thought..

Generally speaking, their customer service is excellent - they are yet to make a major error whilst dealing with me via telephone. When you receieve your materials back, it is not done by a teacher but looks as though it has been done through a computer - i would of liked a more personal view on my markings, but this isn't a really big issue.

They did say i would be staying over at hotels and doing hands-on, and i still beleieve i will receieve this once i have completed the theory part of the A+ course. They also provide me with a free Dell computer to use for what i wish and when i wish - i can buy this at the end of the course for only £75.00.

I had recently won a competition and got a weekend FREE in a five star hotel for two, now this was a very much welcomed suprise - i also even got to meet the Liverpool Football Club. Now not every company offers such a great rewards system - i beleieve people who wrote the articles on this website regarding this company have never actually told the whole truth, where-as i guarantee i am; i want to make people aware that this company is nothing like it is being depicted - most reviews are from 2004, since then they are an amazing company (so far).

I receieve all my submitted work within seven days of submission - leaving me a good seven days to read and re-read over the course materials. I have noticed a lot of people thinking they have to wait seven days before submitting the next TMA, but in reality you can actually submit the next part of the course a day or two after you submitted the previous one - how? You simply log into student world and view your online progress, this will show your TMA's completed and will also show your most recent one, before you even get it in the post. In turn, this will contain the number for the next part of the course, simple!

I have just this minute called the company and they said the qualifications are SKILLSTRAIN certified and if i wish to do the examinations of CompTIA, they will refund the cost in full - all £108 of it. This would mean i have two certifications - this surely cannot be a bad thing! It clearly does state in the materials they offer that the certification is Skillstrain certified, so if you have accepted the course and didn't realise this - blame yourself.

I am paying a total of £3,400 for these courses and with the final course i will need to re-do the examinations every so often in order to maintain the recognition - i don't have a problem with this. I am on a generally low wage and i dont find it a major problem to be paying these sort of costs.

Overall thoughts:

I feel this company is good and reliable thus far, i suggest anyone looking into dealing with this company take all that i have said into consideration, this is coming directly from a current student of the company - i will also complete a full and more precise review once i have completed the A+ part of my course, hopefully this will help educate people about exactly what you get from these people. I'm yet to find a major disadvantage regarding this company, i am not being bias in any way - afterall i am forking out thousands of pounds for this course.

Make your own decisions based on this review, other reviews are complete tell-tales and fantasies of people who knew nothing about the course before they took up the option - i suggest you blame yourselves as opposed to the company. Don't base a company of a few actions, base it on overall service, quality of study materials and also organisation.

These are my own personal views and experiences, please remember that.

koyo4
04-05-2007, 06:22 AM
Hi there in response to your post. I take it your one of the salespeople for SKILLSTRAIN? How much did they pay you for this essay you posted?

If you have had such success with this company then you wont mind telling us the job your currently in and how you got on with your 'interview for Manpower' which is part of the contract.

:censored

MaverickUK
04-05-2007, 06:35 AM
Hi,

I am not a representative for this company, why is it that everyone never has faith? I mean, come on, this is a place to discuss and share experience, this is what i am doing. I work for Homemakers Nationwide, located in Runcorn - you may even feel free to call me and 'make sure' i'm not a liar and i am actually a student on this course.

Infact, to make you a happy chap feel free to check the Student of The Month for December (or November) 2006. You will see myself, Nikki Mather. This should clear up any confusion or whines you have about myself and my authenticity.

If you really did read the post, which you just suggested, you will infact realise that i said i have not yet completed the course - i'm still in the process of education. Not everyone is a fake, beleieve it or not. My views differ from yours and a lot of peoples here but does this really make me a fake? Seriously, get real.

Nick.

koyo4
04-05-2007, 06:43 AM
That says it all then, keep us posted on the job situation after your successfully complete this non-existent course. I wish you all the luck and hope your right.

Also it is not strange to you that so many posts have been posted about this company 95 % negative. Stats say it all mate.

MaverickUK
04-05-2007, 06:49 AM
In my opinion it is my own problem in sorting out a job opportunity, if Skillstrain do not keep to their end of the bargain i will still seek advice from a solicitor but i really do not mind finding a job for myself - we can't get it all spoon-fed to us, since we are infact not babies (or me atleast). I will definately let everyone know how the course has gone upon completion, but 25% so far says "thanks" to Skillstrain.

I'll even be happy sueing the company if they do not offer all that has been told, this is where the trade descriptions act may come in useful. I will get a full copy of the contract as of today.

Edit: Non-existant, how's that? I've already gained a VERY high knowledge of the technical and hardware specific material, it is definately of great use.

Thanks,
Nick.

koyo4
04-05-2007, 07:09 AM
Yes would be very keen to know how you get on in completion of this course. Also who said anything about being spoon feed, i worked very hard at this course but luckily came across this forum after searching on reviews about this course.


Just note BBC watchdog have been contacted about this course I would check it out if I were you, you could save yourself some £s

Prove us all wrong.

MaverickUK
04-05-2007, 07:20 AM
You are seriously giving me doubts about this course, which actually depresses me. I've done some investigation ever since i heard of all the bad 'press' this company has had and i'm still in the same boat as i was before, receiving everything as they said when i first met with them. I called them literally minutes ago and brought up issues with the public examinations, the practical part of the course and also the time-frame i have to complete the course. I was satisfied with the answers, but if i do not get what promised from this company upon finishing the A+ course, i will definately be pulling the plug on them and getting legal advice (so i can ofcourse persue a valid claim of mis-conception and refund).

I hope all goes well for me and others as at the end of the day, this is my life and your lives we're talking about afterall. The money isn't the big issue, but the time-frame is. I do not have time to re-study and all the malark, so lets hope this does not happen.

Thanks for your input koyo4 :)

Tallisker
04-05-2007, 09:02 AM
Some of us had a different experience is all:

Some of us were promised a personal tutor - we got a fairly anonymous pool of six.

Some of us were promised hands-on training at a local 5-star hotel - never happened.

Some of us were promised Live Internet classes - never happened.

Some of us were misled over the ease with which ST qualifications would get us a job, and their relationship with Manpower.

Some of us have found the tutors to have a limited knowledge of their subject, except for what is written down for them.

Some of us get sent the wrong course material time and time again.

Some of us want to work faster than having to wait several days for TMA's to be marked will allow - and were promised we could when we signed up.

Some of us found the course material had far too many errors in it considering the amount we pay - especially the old A+ course (although that at least is better).

Yes they refund the cost of external examinations - by a credit off the amount you owe them at the end of the course. Wait till you have to pay for the exams and see how that feels! We were promised there was no charge for the exams - well, true in a way; an ST sort of way, anyhow...

(Others can chip in their own beefs here....)

So, yes, Nikki, some of us have been pretty pissed off with ST from time to time.

They are getting a little bit better - especially after the BBC programme - but how much of that is PR and how much is real?

Too early to tell.