Feeling somewhat ripped off

Discussion in 'Training & Development' started by throbscottle, May 15, 2014.

  1. throbscottle

    throbscottle New Member

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    Ok first (well, second, if you count "hello") post here.

    So, I did my training with Cerco a year ago, been having patchy work with them since then, been very quiet lately, finances in extremely bad shape (if not for family help we'd have lost the house by now since my wife can't work and doesn't get any benefits, but that's another story). So I applied for some real jobs, following morning I got a call from someone at Meynadier saying the client had "loved my CV" and wanted me to join their team of 6 upgrading 40,000 desktops over 2 years. Ok sounded good, pay sounded really good.

    So the next thing I was told was that in order to be put on the team I needed to have an MCTS qualification (for perfectly plausible reasons), which was available as an on-line course from the Geek Academy for the princely sum of £250 - he said that normally it would be £300 but since it was required for the job the employer would subsidise £50. Filled with suspicion I said I'd ring back. So anyway, this looked like a genuine company, and I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

    By this point I'm sorry to say I had the £££ signs in my eyes, the promise of a proper job at short notice was too much to resist, so we stumped up the money, and I spent the next two days watching the training video's back to back (The video's are actually okay, if you ignore the variable sound quality) believing I would be going to meet the employer at the end of the week (tomorrow, to be specific, and it looks like this isn't going to happen).

    I was actually under the impression there would be some kind of exam attached to this training, but it appears there is not. I rang the chap who had contacted me and he said they will see when I've watched all the video's and Microsoft will send me a certificate. (OK you can stop laughing now). It says on the site that you get a certificate, so I guess I'm going to get one that says I can watch online videos. Since then this bloke has been impossible to contact.

    So, does anyone have a similar experience? Should I be looking at trying to get my money back, as it's increasingly looking as if I've been sold the course under false pretences? Does anyone know about this firm?

    At the moment I am feeling stupid, bewildered and angry in equal measure.

    The irony is, I got the call just when I was choosing a coursebook for A+, which at £20 seemed like a lot of money, not to mention the exam fee. No chance of being able to afford that now :(
     
    Certifications: CCSN (Cerco certificate)
    WIP: MCTS
  2. dmarsh
    Honorary Member 500 Likes Award

    dmarsh Petabyte Poster

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    Maybe speak to trading standards or Citizens Advice Bureau.

    You could maybe take them to small claims court if you think you have a case.

    Probably not going to be the easiest case to prove, unless you've got something on paper that proves they miss sold you.

    Generally con artists do all the lies verbally face to face to cover their ass, if you take them to court it will be your word against theirs, unless you recorded the conversation ?

    http://www.datacentreworld.com/page.cfm/Action=Press/libID=1/libEntryID=203

    They are effectively the same company.

    You get "Certificate of Completion" which means nadda, might as well get your kids to make you one.

    £300 is not really a lot of money, and since you did in fact watch the course in full, and say it was 'OK', it kind of weakens your argument.

    I'd just get back to your jobsearch, if the house is at stake, take any job to keep a roof over your head.

    Welcome to certforums ! Sorry its not in better circumstances.
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2014
  3. throbscottle

    throbscottle New Member

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    Hi

    Thanks for the quick reply! I know I should just put it down to experience. It's just so annoying they don't provide any kind of exam. And that such a big and apparently respectable company would pull a dirty trick like this. Needless to say I didn't record the conversation.
     
    Certifications: CCSN (Cerco certificate)
    WIP: MCTS

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