ICS - You Can't! (ICS Learn)

Member Name: partyoffive

Product:	ICS Learn
Date:	20/11/08 (364 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Distance Learning is very convenient and course material arrived quickly

Disadvantages: Awful support in all areas, and sketchy couse outlines

I have always harboured a desire to be involved in fashion - not so much in the design side of things, more in the construction side. I got to a point in my life when I could make some study work and so I thought why not give it a go? I decided on distance learning, researched some courses and settled on the ICS City & Guilds Fashion Course - it seemed to offer a fairly sensible qualification and the course outline seemed do-able - plus there was no exam to worry about.

So I signed up online and received my course material - I was so excited, I straight away unwrapped and started to read the study guide part. It was a bit confusing to be honest, not very clear in what needed to be submitted and a little at odds with what I'd read on the website but I put that down to starting out and blasted on with the coursework.

A couple of assignments into things, I decided to contact my tutor and ask for clarification on what needed to be submitted. It took a couple of tries before I could get a reply but when I did, boy did I get a shock. In addition to the three garments and course notes that had been mentioned in the course outline, there was an essay on high street trends, comprehensive write up on each of the samples submitted and a 4000 word research piece on a subject of my choosing! I went back over the course material with a fine toothcomb to track down some mention of this little item but it definitely isn't there. So I reconciled myself to the fact that there was a lot more to this course than met the eye and knuckled down to complete it.

Then I hit a second problem - they stopped returning my coursework in accordance with a policy change on their behalf. The only problem with them keeping hold of it, is that they weren't going to assemble the final folder with all the relevant pieces - so that clearly wasn't going to work out well. I called and called to try and get my work back but I couldn't get a response from any one other than a very stroppy customer 'service' representative wanting to know why I had called the number on the website with this matter as this wasn't what they were there for.

Eventually, after making myself the thorn in their paw, they gave in and sent my work back. I'm still working through finishing the course as it was too substantial investment to leave it alone. I have however shelved the idea of enrolling on the other courses with them that I had planned to.

It seems to me that they are set up to sell you a course and take your money but not to support you through the process - I guess the drop out rate on distance learning courses is high and I think they bank on this. Although my tutor has been very helpful, I've been so disappointed with the service in all other areas, I would urge someone to seek the same course elsewhere.

Summary: I'd look elsewhere first to avoid a lot of extra work in trying to get support