"Very friendly staff and professional…"

Very friendly staff and professional support!

"Review 5*"

Review 5* - text: “it was a nice experience to get my DET Level 5 with ABA! Recommend!”

"I completed my Diploma in Education and…"

I completed my Diploma in Education and Training at Applied Business Academy's Luton branch. The experience was excellent, thanks to the effective teaching methods, course delivery, and the institution's support in securing placements. Undoubtedly, it stands out as the top choice for a DET programme.

"At ABA I had a wonderful experience and…"

At ABA I had a wonderful experience and a great experience. The staff was very helpful all the time..

"Happy Applied Business Academy"

I am a student at Applied Business Academy, and I am delighted to express my appreciation for the exceptional academic delivery of the course and the outstanding student support I've received. The college's commitment to education and the dedicated assistance provided have significantly enriched my learning experience.

"Waste of time"

Enrolling in the digital marketing apprenticeship program with ABA in June 2022 turned out to be a disappointing experience. The institution's apparent prioritisation of meeting quotas over fostering genuine learning and development was evident throughout my time there. It became clear that their primary goal was completing the apprenticeship to secure funding, leaving little room for the personalised growth of learners.

Despite enrolling in a digital marketing apprenticeship, I found myself internally placed at ABA in a department without a marketing team. This lack of relevant exposure severely hindered my ability to learn industry standards and gain valuable insights into the field. The institution also fell short in allocating sufficient time for self-learning, a critical component of any apprenticeship. Apprentices are required to undergo 360 hours of off-the-job training; however, I was not even allotted the necessary time for this aspect. This situation left me with a sense of exploitation, as though my presence was valued more for cheap labour (considering the apprentice wage significantly below the minimum) than for the meaningful learning experience I had anticipated, leaving me with the realisation that I was not receiving the intended educational benefit in exchange for the low pay.

Moreover, the tasks assigned to me were disappointingly basic and failed to contribute to the enhancement of my skills, contradicting the fundamental purpose of undergoing an apprenticeship. Activities such as tidying up documents, making flyers, and general admin work did not expand my knowledge in the marketing world at all.

Upon reflection and having left ABA in May 2023 to enrol in an apprenticeship with another provider, the stark contrast in support and opportunities is glaring. I strongly caution others against choosing ABA, as it appears to prioritise numbers over the genuine development of its learners, treating them as mere headhunts to secure funding.

"I have never had such a poor experience…"

I have never had such a poor experience with any educational institution. The administration of this institution is a significant source of chaos. I have never encountered or heard of such an arrogant Programme Leader; she literally told the entire class that we were free to leave the institution. The whole batch has been waiting for assessment results for four months, and we are about to reach the submission dates for the second term. Furthermore, there are constant changes in placement requirements, and there is zero clarity on what the institution expects from us as students regarding our placement. Their document submission portal, ‘VLE’, hasn’t been working for six months. I have been at this institution for seven months, and I truly regret choosing it. Currently, I am looking for a way out of this institution.

"ABA is an excellent place where you are…"

ABA is an excellent place where you are surrounded by people from different nationality backgrounds, the sense of inclusion and closure is provided as well as quality services and professional staff. As a member of the ABA team or as a student, you can benefit from the best experience.

"Admin team is super"

Admin team is super

"I was invited to take the top-up…"

I was invited to take the top-up course, went to the ABA reception very welcoming, had a written test, I have achieved more than the pass mark, according to the procedure I was called for a verbal interview. I went into the interview room, no welcoming, no question about myself who am I? etc, suddenly asked me a question which I didn't understand, I have asked the interviewer to explain to me a little more, without explaining to me telling me you can't use your mobile while you are in the interview, I was a bit aggravated because I had forgotten to turn off my mobile just touch it to turn it off, he gave me a big lecture about it. He asked Do you have kids? Who is going to look after them? After my answer, he said sorry I can't allow you to join the academy. I was very surprised and very annoyed by his behaviour, he treated me like a primary student. He was a very arrogant selfish man ever I meet in my life, try to find out who he was? Found he was a principal of the academy. A friend of mine who studying there took me to have a second interview unfortunately the principal blocked me to join his academy so no other person can take my interview again. I felt that the principal dosen't like my appearance. I will launch a formal complaint to the education authority soon.