Anyone else done a "fast track" trade course?

[justgotconned]

Watchdog...now there's a thought!. My plan is to fight this as loudly and publicly as possible, so that fits well. Not because I am shameless or because I would relish the limelight, but because I do genuinely believe there is a salient message in this that should be shared with other people who may have been made redundant and might be thinking of investing their hard-earned cash on securing their families future through a change of career.

i earned my cash by serving Queen and country, so really resent con-men ripping it away from me.

 

[handyman77]

React fast were bought out by Homeserve over 2 years ago. RF training is a new company.

Andy

Homeserve are probably trained by them thatwoud explain a lot, been in after a couple of there plumbers and the work was shoddy!

 

[justgotconned]

Spoke at length with my brief today and I can confirm that the company involved is RF Training.

Still not heard back from RF Training. Still not received any refund for the Gas course that i cancelled, never mind the other 2 courses that I complained about. Utterly disgusting customer service and I am starting to wonder whether they are financially precarious to the point that they don't want to or can't make refunds? Just a thought...

I am in the process of setting up a website and online blog to inform would-be customers of some of the issues they may face in the future if the book training through this company.

A little unorthodox but hey this is 2012 so I may as well use the internet as a name and shame tool!

Will post the details shortly!

 

[doitall]

I would take advice from the Mrs before you go too mad.

For what it's worth and it will remain secret for now at least, but there's another incident ongoing at the moment with rft.

 

[kirkgas]

Watchdog...now there's a thought!. My plan is to fight this as loudly and publicly as possible, so that fits well. Not because I am shameless or because I would relish the limelight, but because I do genuinely believe there is a salient message in this that should be shared with other people who may have been made redundant and might be thinking of investing their hard-earned cash on securing their families future through a change of career.

i earned my cash by serving Queen and country, so really resent con-men ripping it away from me.

i work in gas training amongst other things, and would be happy to give some input into your training fiasco if it would help your case, thinking along the lines of perhaps backing up what you paid for wasnt fit for purpose etc, or just some input about what training level you would expect to get from a reputable centre (there are some, but like you lot, you dont get a gold star in Britain for doing your job you only get pelters when it goes wrong, but thats life) via bpec we run a 26 weeks full time gas foundation course which is fairly intense and split 50/50 between theory and real on site portfolio building, not sure if 26 weeks is classed as fast track or not, but if i can be of any assistance PM me
good luck sorting it out

 

[arfurrrr]

Spoke at length with my brief today and I can confirm that the company involved is RF Training.

Still not heard back from RF Training. Still not received any refund for the Gas course that i cancelled, never mind the other 2 courses that I complained about. Utterly disgusting customer service and I am starting to wonder whether they are financially precarious to the point that they don't want to or can't make refunds? Just a thought...

I am in the process of setting up a website and online blog to inform would-be customers of some of the issues they may face in the future if the book training through this company.

A little unorthodox but hey this is 2012 so I may as well use the internet as a name and shame tool!

Will post the details shortly!

did you pay be credit card ? Or any part of it over £100 quid

 

[justgotconned]

i would be very interested to hear about the other incident, if possible?

I have 4 people willing to make statements about the quality of training that they received and another handful that are a little reluctant to get involved at the moment, but I am sure they will come around.

Didn't pay by credit card unfortunately, it was all paid by debit card - again, you live and learn!

I will PM you about the gas course. Part of my argument will be to prove that you can't possibly train people within the timelines set by these courses, all you can do is train people to pass an exam then conveyor belt them out the door as they next lot arrive.

For example "regs weeks" involved 4 days of sitting with a highlighter pen marking up sections and sentences in your regs book. You then have an online exam where, strangely enough, all the answers can be found in the sections you have highlighted. Having spoken to another centre they are adamant that your regs book should be unmarked and totally clean when you go into the exam.

 

[doitall]

Not possible without the Authors permissions.

 

[arfurrrr]

i would be very interested to hear about the other incident, if possible?

I have 4 people willing to make statements about the quality of training that they received and another handful that are a little reluctant to get involved at the moment, but I am sure they will come around.

Didn't pay by credit card unfortunately, it was all paid by debit card - again, you live and learn!

I will PM you about the gas course. Part of my argument will be to prove that you can't possibly train people within the timelines set by these courses, all you can do is train people to pass an exam then conveyor belt them out the door as they next lot arrive.

For example "regs weeks" involved 4 days of sitting with a highlighter pen marking up sections and sentences in your regs book. You then have an online exam where, strangely enough, all the answers can be found in the sections you have highlighted. Having spoken to another centre they are adamant that your regs book should be unmarked and totally clean when you go into the exam.

may i suggest you contact ARGI and OPGO who maybe able to assist

 

[HERTS P&D]

More reading for Justgot conned:

http://www.building.co.uk/comment/the-amazing-five-week-apprenticeship-(for-cowboys)/3153949.article


Andy

 

[doitall]

Regarding my post I believe there may be a development in the near future that could be beneficial to the OP. .

 

[franksonny]

Part of my argument will be to prove that you can't possibly train people within the timelines set by these courses, all you can do is train people to pass an exam then conveyor belt them out the door as they next lot arrive

Really sorry you had to find this out the hard way but unfortunately you've hit the nail on the head. These fast track training centres have been around for so many years now, that I'm surprised cases like yours haven't been publicised on a grander scale.
What p1sses me off is that a lot of the trade bodies that are supposed to represent our industry, haven't been more vocal in their condemnation of this type of training.
Good luck with the fight.

 

[justgotconned]

Firstly, sincere thanks for the info you guys have thrown my way. The article in the posted link was very useful indeed. Big thanks to Hertdrainage.

not sure what ARGI and OPGO are, but I will get my googling head on and see what I can pull up.

Doitall, you are just a tease!!

 

[doitall]

not sure what ARGI and OPGO are, but I will get my googling head on and see what I can pull up.

Arfurrrrr, you are just a tease!!

ARGI and OPGO are gas organisations you can't see, don't worry they will be aware of the problem, so sit tight for a couple of days.

 

[justgotconned]

Good to know mate! Many thanks!