Complaint Review: Westminster College - London Internet

On the 14th of October 2009 i visited the Westminster College of computing at New oxford street in London to book an MCDST (microsoft certified desktop support technican) that was due to begin on the 14th December.

The building was being renovated and the company name was i now discovered actually Icrave. I was desperate to start a course and paid 590. However as the payment "apparently" didn't go through i was asked by the two course directors Udeni and Dr Aras to make another payment......I did so       

I thus paid 2x 590 pound for the course....Over the next few days i phoned and asked Dr Aras repeatedly with regards to the second payment. He didn't reply or when he did was rude and angry.

I am relatively new to IT i therefore was not a hundred percent sure what courses to go for, however as the college had been recommended by the London Evening standard newspaper (i am looking into whether this is actually true)I thought the college should be a good one   

The MCDST course on the 14th December didn't go ahead....Though i received no apology from anyone despite loosing a week off work...

After yet another visit to the now London scool of E business (another new name), I met a very convincing teacher who along wth Udeni suggested i enrol on the MCSE (Microsoft certified support technican) course . I did so and paid another 300 pound....Bringing the total to 1380 

On commencing the class my five fellow students and I were a little shocked at how poorly equipped the classroom was and that we had to cannibalise parts from other computers to get them going. Though the teacher was excellent the class lasted only lasted three weeks before the course was suddenly moved to the sister Bickenhall College in Baker street.

The reason for this was that the Bickenhall college had better facilities. However the MCSE class there had started many weeks before and thus was ahead of our schedule. It would have been difficult if not impossible for us to understand what was being taught,  whats more the teacher had no idea the class from Oxford street was merging with his class!!!

....Add to that the classroom wasn't big enough for all the students!!!!   

By now i was growing immensely frustrated with the complete lack of organistation indeed almost total incompetence.

After some argument with Dr Arras and realising that getting a refund was going to be difficult I thus booked for the MCSE course and

 commencing 21^st January from 14.00 to 1700 on Tuesday and Thursday. Dr Arras then said that i could also do the MCDST course (on a two for one offer) that would go ahead on the 11th January at Bickenhall college. I thus cancelled another week off work so i could do the course.   

After phoning Bickenhall college however they told me that there was no  MCDST course planned and i have tried by received no feed back on the MCSE course.  

I visited the new Oxford street branch  more times than I care to remember and chatted now to various receptionists but have gotten nowwhere  

From experience a  promise from DR Aras and indeed everyone at Oxford street is only as good as the moment it is said or written. 

People say they would call or e mail etc

but that doesn't happen. The general opinion of DR Aras especially is that he just doesn't care less.. (is he really a Doctor?)  

 I would have liked a refund but judging by the way things have turned out, i dont expect that will be easy to get.

This "school" is an absolute shambles....I am certainly curious how the Evening standard recommended the Westminster college to begin with.  In hindsight I was stupid trusting anyone at the college.