Retraining schemes with job placement

[Mainframeguy]

Hello world

(again!) Hopefully I am back online, albeit in a lesser posting mode I would guess, having recently been through loss of relationship, home, and job which took me offline and will keep me away for some time in the active mode I used to take anyway...

But enough of that - the reason for my thread is I am going on Thursday for an outfit called UK IT training who claim guaranteed jobs (after training) at £20k and up. There was a brief telephone screening, from which i still could not get them to state any fees I have to pay or other "catches" though I did ascertain that they make some of their money from the employers they place you with as well as some from yourselves. The training leads to the European IT "drivers license", then MCSA then MCSA then the Cisco qualification, I do not know how long it takes (though it is aimed to fit around full time work also, so must be flexible I am guessing).

So I thought i would ask here is there is anything I should be on the look out for, given we all know there's no such thing as a free lunch. Sounded pretty genuine, according to the Sales Director I was speaking to - but maybe folks here know different? I have seen similar offers online, usually linked to around £3,000 fees that the applicant has to fork out - though they claim to refund if you get no job. I have felt these were not for me and steered clear given I have a 30 year history of working in IT I am hoping i can reskill partially and still bring my earlier experience to bear for the right company.... Well I am considering all options because I hate being out of work.

Have not yet googled them, they advertise no web presence and the name will be unlikely to be fruitful I think!

[edit] they do have webpresence, google is still my friend! [/edit]

Anyway folks - what tips have you to offer me before the Interview on Thursday (way I see it getting interview practice is in itself enough of a reason to go ahead initially)

As I learn more later I will post up here also....

 

[LordOfLA]

No such thing as a guaranteed job. I found out the hardway. I would be surprised if this cost lest than £3000 and they still existed in 6 months time.

 

[ray_gillespie]

Yeah make sure you check them out as much as you can before you fork out any cash, perhaps try to find someone who has completed their course.

As far as interviews go, the most important thing I have learned is just to act supremely confident - speak loudly, clearly, look people in the eye when you are talking to them. Stuff like that.

Good luck anyway, I hope it all works out for you, I'm sure a guy with your knowledge will get something sorted pretty quickly.

 

[LordOfLA]

One thing I'd suggest doing is calling the places that have supposedly accredited them to see if they are legit.

The place I went to in 2003/4 for CIW Webmaster training took my £3000 and disappeared before completing my course.. Being a bit naive and all back then I didn't react quickly enough to claim my money back and got myself stuck with a £5000 loan.

 

[falconguard]

Yeah what Lord said, if this is a legitmate school, they would have an accreditation certificate.

 

[Henyman]

i would say go with http://www.computeach.co.uk 40+ years experience, m$ gold partner, free resits if you fail, custom built building, careers department, cv writing, etc, and i use then

but yeah these courses dont come cheap.

 

[LeeJend]

Find out the terms and conditions completely before committing to anything.

1) If they were legit they would have mailed you a brochure explaining ALL details of their tuition payment system. By bringing you in they plan on hitting you with a high pressure sales job to sell you into signing a contract.

2) No one can "guarantee" you a job at any salary. You will still have to go out and interview and convince your ultimate employer you are capable and presentable.

3) Even if what they said is legit you will still need to be aware of what commitments are made to recover your education expenses. Things like if you leave the job in less than 1,2,3 yeras you will be responsible for the placement fee which could be very expensive.

4) The folks I know who went to tech schools for a specific skill instead of to a general college (2 or 4 year program) regretted it afterwards. It was very hard for them to find a position. Most larger, stable companies want employees who went the whole way, not just a narrowly focused person.

5) Find out how many classes they have graduated. Talk to graduates or near graduates to see how job hunting went.

 

[ming]

Have you tried JustIT? They're based in Liverpool St. My friend went there for training and they'll assist you to get a 3 or 6 month placement after you finish the course to help you get started in the field.
They'll also help you improve your CV.

Think the site is www.just-it.co.uk

 

[Mainframeguy]

thanks guys - went for interview yesterday and they decided I was unsuitable for their "program" anyway, so did not have to decide. Got what I could in way of interview experience and know to use computeach now...

someone in the waiting room commended to me a company online called something...train.com for online use, but I cannot remember what the first bit was except it began with S now - anyone here heard of them?

Honestly not sure if an MCSA/E or cisco qualification is going to help someone in my position to be honest anyway, I have experience and knowledge and want a starter position to use what i know and learn more - think it is going to be a long haul to find something though!

[edit] oh and ming - not tried them, but they kept coming up from google searches and their location is far better than the outfit i went to, plus the deal on offering places looks the same, so thanks for that - if i go this route I'll likely use them or computeach then [/edit]