"AVOID at all costs"

AVOID at all costs. Started in Sept 2024 which was suppose to be a 5 week course. 4 months later still no qualification, certificates or badge and licence. Emails and phone calls never get answered. Only certificate received was the first aid. Even a reporter who is writing an article about this company contacted me and told me they have gone into administration, so zero chance of getting my qualification and badge/licence now. Mentors were great but not getting paid. You're better off just paying for a 6 day course and getting it done ASAP. Will be complaining to the awarding body, SIA and education board

"If you want to gain a qualification…"

If you want to gain a qualification with support avoid Free2learn at all cost they will turn your world upside down and give you nothing but stress.

I attended what should have been a four week course which turned into 4 months.

The lecturers turned up late and were not contactable.

After completing and passing course I was shocked to experience It took me 17 months to receive certificate and because they did not upload information to government portal I received a warning that if I did any work within this field I would be fined £2000 to £5000.

So my course SIA was an absolute nightmare and 3 years later I'm still awaiting refund.

They don't answer phones and use 3rd party agents to avoid liability or accountability.

They need to be shut down Hackney council and trading standards should shut them down

"Employee Mistreatment, Late Salaries, and Misuse of Government Funds"

This company has consistently demonstrated a lack of regard for its employees and proper business ethics. It is plagued by severe issues that not only affect its workforce but also undermine trust in its operations.

Employee Mistreatment:
Reports of employee mistreatment are widespread. Many employees face unprofessional behavior from management, including a toxic work environment, unfair treatment, and a complete disregard for their well-being. Complaints are often ignored, and constructive feedback is dismissed, leading to high turnover and low morale.
Late Salaries:
Delays in salary payments have become the norm, leaving employees struggling to meet their financial obligations. Despite repeated promises of timely payments, the company consistently fails to honor its commitments. This irresponsibility has eroded employee trust and loyalty, forcing many to look for opportunities elsewhere.

SIA DS Course Badge Delays
While the SIA DS course itself seems to deliver well-structured and valuable training for aspiring professionals, the experience after completing the program has been disappointing for many learners. A significant number of successful graduates have reported long delays—over six months in some cases—in receiving their badges.
This delay is particularly frustrating because the badge is not just a certificate of achievement but a vital requirement for many learners to progress in their careers. Despite fulfilling all the necessary requirements and payments, the lack of timely delivery has caused inconvenience, financial strain, and a loss of trust.

Communication from Free2learn appears to be lacking, with little to no updates provided to those waiting. This lack of transparency only worsens the situation, leaving learners feeling undervalued despite their efforts and financial investment.

"My experience with Free2Learn has been…"

My experience with Free2Learn has been nothing short of disappointing. What was initially promised as a 5-6 week course to complete my SIA badge certification has now stretched to 6 months and I’m still waiting. I attended the course on time, completed every assignment by the deadlines and did everything possible from my end to ensure timely completion. However the delays and poor communication from Free2Learn have caused me to miss 2 job opportunities, as I’ve been left waiting far beyond what was promised.

Throughout this process I’ve made multiple efforts to reach out to Free2Learn for updates both by phone and email, with little success. The calls rarely go through, often just reaching an answering machines and I rarely receive a response to emails beyond the occasional, unsatisfactory apology. I’ve even gone to their Slough office three times in the past 3 months, only to face continued delays and a lack of accountability.

It’s incredibly frustrating to see an organisation that’s supposed to be funded to help people access training and certifications completely disregard the urgency of its services. It seems Free2Learn is more focused on securing government funding than actually supporting the people who rely on these programs to find work.

The inefficiency and lack of transparency are simply unacceptable. I could have completed this course independently if the funding were directed to me. Others seeking training and SIA certification should be warned about the extensive delays and poor service I’ve experienced. This organisation urgently needs to address its approach and improve the support provided to those who count on them to fulfill their promises.

"Battling with the Free2learn slough Financial Support to pay for the application and SIA License and SIA certificate "

I became unemployed back in 2023, I got depressed from just doing Christmas agency work and volunteer work. So I went to a job fair early 2024 via the job center, came across Free2learn, decided to take their SIA Doorsupervisor course so I could get back into work. Online Tutoring was brilliant from May to June/july. Then did my practical courses July through to exams in August 2024 practical Tutors fantastic. Set up my SIA account, started my background checks on October 16th brilliant, SIA then wanted their money to complete the checks and for the SIA licenses, days went by might be a little delay, then it turns to weeks so I send them e-mails wondering where’s my qualifications and license then the excuses start appearing as replies “ sorry” “ it’s not my area” “ I understand your frustration” paying me lip service. It’s nearly been a month it’s a poor service from an Government funded subcontractor who’s meant to deliver a service using tax payers money to help unemployed people skill up only to give the unemployed nothing at the end of it. I’ve written several complaints to the Free2learn building, their headquarters and my local MP in Slough.

"Absolute rubbish still on my exam I…"

Absolute rubbish still on my exam I have to retake and said it will be soon and that was 3 months ago the training also wasnt great no support

"I wouldn’t recommend it anyone to do…"

I wouldn’t recommend it anyone to do any courses with free 2 learn it’s useless waste of time and energy. They applied for grant on behalf of me form the government for doing the course with them but they didn't send me my certificate. Their scammer It's been 8 months now and I have been still fighting with them to send me my certificate. Unfortunately, i can't provide the certificate for the course I did, I can't add it to my CV when I can't provide the proof I studied the couse. They waisted my time and got money for my he government by using my name. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone to do any courses with them.

"I would give them minus 1 as a rating"

I would give them minus 1 as a rating. It’s been over a year since I started and completed my SIA training. Still no licence or certificate. I passed the practical assessments in April and have spent the rest of the time chasing Free2learn. No one ever responds. Things only started moving when I raised an official complaint with Pearson, who are the awarding body for this qualification. Then suddenly I was contacted. The latest email has informed me that they’ve received my qualification in their London office and that I needed to confirm my address. Fair enough but then I noticed that it may take them up to 30 days to send it out. Unbelievable in this day and age. Can they really be that busy or far from a post office. My advice is to complain to your job centre, the SIA and Pearson education. This company is a shambles and a waste of public funds.

"FREE2LEARN!!!!HOW MUCH LONGER DO I HAVE…"

FREE2LEARN!!!!HOW MUCH LONGER DO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR MY SIA LICENCE???I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THE LICENFE FOR 4,5 YEARS NOW,DO I NEED TO WAIT ANOTHER 4,5 YEARS !!!
WHAT A BUNCH OF SCAMMERS !!!AN ABSOLUTE WASTE OF SPACE!!!!NO WONDER THERE ARE SO MANY BAD REVIEWS ABOUT FREE2LEARN ON TRUSPILOT
PEOPLE PASS THEIR EXAMS AND NEVER GET THE BADGE!!!
FREE2LEARN IS THE WORST THING WHICH EXISTS IN THE UK!!!
I CAN’T UNDERSTAND WHY NO ONE HAS STOPPED THIS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY YET!!!!

"Done a Security course for SIA License…"

Done a Security course for SIA License many years ago. They enrolled me on a couse in retail and customer services saying these were modules part of the SIA training. Once I completed these modules I was informed that they will contact me to enrol me on other modules such as First Aid. Few weeks passed and had no response. Tried to contact them but they kept on saying i needed to wait. Tried to email them but kept on saying that they were dealing with it. They even ignored most my emails. In the end only got certificates in retail and customer services. This is not what i signed up for. My advice find a different training provider and stay well away