Apprenta Who Are They?

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I'm confused about this whole thing, so please correct me if I'm wrong.
You go to an IT training company and they tell you that the course is £16,000, but if you pay £6,000, they'll fork out the other £10,000.
What to themselves?
Doesn't this just sound like estate agent speak for 'the course costs £6000'?

 

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from the info i was given.

the course costs £6000. (to apprenta)

i pay £1500 and when i get a job i pay back the other £4500. (in nice tidy little lumps)

the 4500 isn't being payed by apprenta to apprenta.

the money is paid by apprenta to get the instructors. (which apparently cost £500 a day)
also the books cost a fortune.
you get the use of their technology.
and the ability to work at their company using live databases and programmes.
and the certificate.

 

I suppose so.
If someone was an experienced MCSE, MCSD and MCT I guess they'd charge £500 just to get out of bed, and I've seen text books in Waterstones for £80.

I would just be wary of anyone who seems to be doing you a massive favour. They are letting you off a massive chunk of your fees until after you get a job.
If they stump up the fees at the outset to buy the books and hire the instructors then they are out of pocket until you get that job.

Companies don't like being out of pocket.

They seem to be taking a huge risk on you actually completing the course then getting employment. This leads me to suspect that they aren't really...

I could be wrong of course.
I have been known to do that.

 

Hey guys...

Think of it this way....

You have 6months to learn the .NET framework with C#, a fairly complex language in my opinion, if you havent studied programming before. Six months is a very.. VERY short time to learn such a language... Do some research on C#... Feel the text books on C#.... go to microsofts website and view the requirements of the MCSD.NET C# qualification.. the exams .. the modules... the type of knowledge....

6 months.... (3mnths study + 3mnths hands on). If anyone can do it in 6mnths, I reckon they deserve a six-figure salary!!

 

hello

I too found this apprenta stuff and thought it was a good opportunity.

i do have the qualifications but no experience and all employers want is exp. If no one gives me a job how can i get experience.

having gone through the some stuff u guys are saying i am confused...

is there anyone out there who has actually got placed by apprenta?

 

i was told something about job applicatons.

they ask for people with 2 years experience.
but with the wages they offer they're not going to get people with that expereince.

so put in for it and you'll probably get a chance of getting it.

 

Hello all!

I just signed up today (24/Jan) - after looking for more info on Apprenta;

I am looking into a career move from Telecom (currently a technical trainer) to IT - web development.

I put my CV on a number of websites and was contacted by Apprenta two weeks ago.

Well, I went for an interview, in Birmingham, last Friday (20/Jan) and spoke with a consultant named **** ******.

Before the interview I was asked to fill out a questionaire with questions such as 'what are your ambitions in IT ... blah blah' and two or three technical questions such as 'What are the three basic concepts in Object orientated programming', and 'What purpose does indexing have in SQL?' (can't remember the exact questions) ... anyways, during the interview the guy wrote down a few things (like my name and age) but didn't actually look at the questionaire nor did he seem to be that interested in my CV.

He showed me a presentation about Apprenta and telling me stuff like; 'we mostly work in the domain of banking' and that I (with my background as a trainer) could well apply for a senior IT role.

Basically what I was told is that Apprenta will pay 14K for my training and that I am expected to pay Apprenta 8K ...

Training can be full time; Mo. to Fri. or, if you allready have a full time job like me, between 18:00 and 21:00 every working day of the week.

I waited for the Apprenta to come back to me ... well, today I got the news that I am through to the next round, which is going back to Birmingham and sign the botom line plus paying them 10% of the £8000. I set a date for next week but couldn't get rid of this feeling that I was about to walk into a trap ...

I told the guy (****) that I was a bit worried about being able to study because I travel quite a lot for my current company ... but 'no worries', **** said, 'you can now also do the training online' ... ... ... that wasn't in the presentation he showed me though ...

... well, what can I say? I'll says this; The info on this forum has been very useful. I made up my mind and stayed away from Apprenta/ICS!

Erik


Admin Edit (J) : Individual's name removed

 

Follow up on my previous posting ...

I canceled the appointment by email explaining that I have found another provider for distance learning and got the following reply back:

... apparently people are queing up and can't wait to pay the £6000 to £8000.

 

I went to one of the interviews in Birmingham on February 3rd.
I had all the speel, that they would "Guarantee you a £26,000 job after 3-6months of training!"

Mmmmm, I've looked on the ICS website for their distance learning courses for the MCAD/MCSE/MCSA/MCSD and it's much cheaper to go it alone.

I was almost taken in by all the story telling, and the gloryfying up of the entire industry. I've just got back into work after being off for 10yrs, and I've already got my MCAD in VB.net all off my own back and it only cost me £900, if I did the C# MCAD in 6months as I did the VB.net, I would have my goal set, and all for a lot cheaper.

I know that they were offering training, but it was all in house, and I've done my home work for this, and it seems that most of the companies that are with them are all singing from the same hymn sheet.

They reckon they serve Microsoft, HA! NOPE!!

 

I had an interview with apprenta this morning.

Seemed quite a nice office, in a good part of Bristol.

I was told that i could learn in a classroom 10 - 4 or from home in a virtual classroom, or 6 - 9 same as.
that thier agency would get me work whilst i was training, (which i thought was really good as it ment i could work to keep the finances going)

the whole this will cost 16k, but they would (ICS) pay apprenta 10k towards my training, i would have to find the remaining 6k,
the reason i would have to pay the remander myself was that it was proof of comitment, as they didnt want to pay for all my training for me to disapear half way through,

And.... they guarantee a job afterwards.

This sounds fantastic, but its the money situation, i've always gone for the if you have to pay to work for someone then this isnt right, but the way the woman explained it, actually did make sense.

of course you will have ppl say you will never learn all that in 6 months, ok she told me that they average about 8 - 9 months, this gives you a chance to retake any exams you might of failed.

in total you had one year to do the course and pass.
I feel i could do it. but at the back of my head is 6k, i dont have it, i dont know anyone that would lend it to me...

the other option was to pay it at the end when you got a job, hmmm sounds better i thought, sounds more like a student loan,

i don't suppose there is anyone out there that did take up the offer and go for it? i have searched the forum and read whats been posted, so am aware that it possably is a too good to be true offer.


Help..

 

i saw one of the ICS adverts the otherday.

they do courses for book keeping.
probably do courses on pet grooming as well.

if i want to do a course i want the people to be dedicated to one sector.

as for the work while trainign.

i was told
'obviously you wont be paid for this. how do you feel about that?'

it wouldn't be a proper job. it would be working on their own systems. gaining work experience.
which is not to say that htat is a bad thing.

 

16 k

So they pay 10 k,you pay 6k.
What certs do you get for that 6 k then??

Seems like a lot of money to me,no matter what certs they are offering.

Why not self study,and just save yourself an absoloute fortune?

 

You do get your mcse certs in .net

but i've asked my m8 to have a little look around the net about this company and he came up with this...

http://www.ics-information.com/

there are a lot of negavtive stuff on this company
i wanted to find ppl that have done the course and had posted, that was all we could find at the mo.

I'm no way standing up for this company, as i've just had an inverview, and i have that niggly feeling, but with the sales speech i've had today with the powerpoint presentation, i did understand the 6k part, its like a scholarship that you have to pay into, as a security that you will stay do the full training.


ohh i don't know soo confused

 

The work around that is they sign you up to their agency and find you suitable work during the hours that you are not training, ie i'm looking at the option to work during the day and then do my 'virtual training' at home from 6 - 9 at night, this gives ppl the chance to still continue to work whilst training,

 

Hi guys,

I read some of the comments on here regarding "Apprenta" with much interest. Today, I responded to an advert for a seemingly legitimate .NET role on Workthing.com which had been posted by this company.

It promised much, saying that the company was looking for experienced candidates but would be prepared to invest in training for inexperienced applicants, as long as they were prepared to "invest in their own careers" (there is absolutely no mention of what this actually means though, either in the advert or any initial conversations).

As an IT professional looking to further my career, the advert caught my attention, as I know of other companies who have invested heavily in training for new starters who have business knowledge, but maybe lack technical expertise (my current company also does this for some roles, taking the view that they would rather have someone who has been trained "their way".)

Following a telephone conversation with a gentleman from this company, lasting barely 20 mins, I've now been invited to an interview within the next few days which I found rather surprising, considering he had only my name and had not asked to see my CV at any point. I have never, ever, been invited for an interview at such short notice having given such little information!

Feeling suspicious, I did some research on Google, and found forums such as this which have made me aware of what this company is really about; and now I will certainly not be attending any interviews with this company.

There are many legitimate companies out there who are prepared to train and develop their people for long term success, without the neccesity for individuals to part with their own hard-earned cash (hey, its called a development plan).

But it is now abundantly clear to me that Apprenta is not one of these companies.

I intend to voice my concerns to Workthing.com at the fact that Apprenta, in my opinion, is masquerading as a reputable employer on its website. I was fortunate enough (and perhaps not so desperate for a new job at this moment) to smell the "rat", but someone else might not be so lucky!!

Thanks for sharing your experiences guys, this has really helped me to make an informed decision. I hope me sharing mine on this forum will further enlighten any individuals seriously considering working with this company.

 

i saw that advert as well.

looking for experience but would be prepared to invest in training.
it was just reems and reems.

the same advert just differnt location

croydon
dudley
edinburgh.

same advert differnt location

 

Hi ,

I only found this site this morning, and have read here some worrying thoughts about ICS and Apprenta. Worrying because I've already signed up with them. I did a search on them beforehand but for whatever reason didn't find this site. So call me stupid, but I've committed the money though I haven't yet started the training.

There's clearly a lot of cynicism about this company, perhaps justified, but nothing that says anything along the lines of "I trained with them, and they were hopeless." Or con-merchants, or whatever.

I mean, could it be that they actually do what they say they do, with regards to finding me work?

Of course, I'd like some positive feedback to stop me fretting, but would also be interested in any negative feelings from anyone who's actually trained with them and can talk from first-hand experience.

Thanks.

 

Greetings, GMH. Welcome to CertForums. While some training vendors have a process where they assist in finding work for their students, I don't think anyone can promise you a job with 100% certainty. Don't depend on others to do your work for you. Even if your trainer is in the process of helping you find work, it never hurts to make your own effort as well. You never know where your next job is coming from.

 

I applied fro this Career Path thing yesterday and a guy rang me today already! He said exactly what other have posted on this site. For me payin 6k to get trained on .net and to learn it only 6 moths sounds toooo dodgy.

I have a degree in Computer Sciecne. Now I know I cant get a job in IT with just a degree, I need experience. BUT sayin 6k for cert and "experince" seems ok. The fact tha they say "we gaurantee a job at the completion of ur studies" sound too good to be true, and nothing ever is that good these days.

I got a bad vibe from the way the guy was talking to me, like he was doing ME a favour by ringing me!!! He was like "ur really lucky we chose u".

All in all, from whjat Ive heard I think this is a scam. Only if there was someone who actually ompleted the 6 month course, but being that they only set up in Nov 05 there wouldnt be anyone out there how would have completed this course.

I say dont jump the gun, wait and see. My guess Nicky Cambell (two l's) will be investigating this on Watchdog in a couple of months time.

PS: Im really glad I found this forum. It brill!

 

Hi all,

I'm curious if anyone has seen anything legitimate about this company at all? I went to one of their 'interviews' earlier today, and although some of what they said seemed feasible, a lot seemed to be trying to hook a line and pull me in (in regards to wages). I've got to call them on Monday to see if I'm interested and if so make arrangements for their £6000 training fee.
Although I am very weary, I have yet to find anything on the net which states they have actually ripped anyone off, but I haven’t found anything by anyone saying they completed the course and gained employment.
How much would the certifications they offer cost if one was to do them solo?

Chris