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SINGAPORE: Training providers should not offer incentives for people to refer others to sign up for courses, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) said after FirstCom Academy was suspended for three months because of its marketing practices.
This is against SSG’s terms for training providers, the authority said in response to CNA’s queries.
A former FirstCom employee who worked with trainers told CNA that these incentives included shopping vouchers, free food and gifts.
One trainer who used to teach courses at FirstCom Academy showed CNA an email from 2022 about the company's referral programme. It offered trainers 20 per cent of the full course fee for every new learner that they referred.
FirstCom Academy has been under investigation since early this year after SSG received public feedback.
It was announced on Nov 27 that the training provider would be suspended from January to March 2025 over concerns relating to the use of a referral programme for marketing.
Besides incentives for referrals, the academy also offered vouchers for Google reviews.
The former employee and the ex-trainer showed CNA slides asking course trainees to do reviews in exchange for shopping vouchers.
In response to CNA's queries, SSG said on Monday (Dec 2) that such practice is unprofessional.
“We strongly discourage incentives in exchange for favourable reviews on platforms such as Google, as it runs against professional conduct,” it told CNA.
“SSG continues to review and sharpen our marketing guidelines, so that providers publicise their offerings clearly without misleading learners.”
As of Dec 9, FirstCom Academy has close to 50,000 reviews, with a 4.9-star rating. The company features its Google rating on its website, describing itself as the “most publicly-reviewed training academy in Singapore”.
On its profile page on the Skillsfuture website, the company says it has a “proven track record of ensuring that our learners remain competitive in the current job market”.
It cites its high Google rating from tens of thousands of learners as the reason for this.
When contacted by CNA, FirstCom Academy declined to comment.
FREEBIES, REFERRALS
The former FirstCom employee told CNA she had voiced concerns about practices at the firm. The woman, who wanted to be known as Jane, quit last year.She showed CNA screenshots of trainers being offered referral fees to bring in new learners.
She added that this referral programme was an “open thing”, meaning that trainers and trainees knew about it.
Those who referred others were handed vouchers or gifts.
The ex-trainer, who wanted to be known as Sunny, showed CNA the email where the company was offering 20 per cent of course fees for referrals.
The email said it would be paid out after the learner has completed the course - defined by the company as having achieved 75 per cent attendance and marked as “competent”.
Last week, SSG said it would terminate two of FirstCom Academy’s WSQ courses due to lapses in ensuring course quality.
During the three-month suspension, FirstCom will not be able to start new WSQ courses.
Funding subsidies for all FirstCom Academy courses that start during the suspension period will not be eligible for government course fee subsidies or SkillsFuture Credit usage.
VOUCHERS FOR REVIEWS
The academy’s Google rating forms part of FirstCom Academy’s marketing strategy, featuring on its Facebook page and website.Sunny and Jane both showed CNA a slide asking course trainees to write Google reviews in exchange for S$10 shopping vouchers.
“Personally, I feel Google reviews should be non-biased,” said Sunny, adding that he was uncomfortable with the academy asking trainers to include the slide in their teaching materials.
“Ethics is very important to us as trainers,” he said.
Jane said trainees were told to write a few lines in their Google reviews, rather than just giving a star rating.
Under SSG’s marketing guidelines for training providers, they should not provide any referral awards or rewards or provide any gifts or vouchers to “incentivise or persuade the public to sign up” for courses.
It should also not use any similar means or conduct any lucky draws to get new learners.
Permission has to be sought from SSG to conduct such marketing practices.
Testimonials from trainees should include the name of the trainee, how that person is related to FirstCom, and the year the testimonial was given.
The training provider should also provide SSG with contact details of the trainee so the authority can verify the authenticity of the testimonial.
SSG said that FirstCom Academy should “take this time to improve the practices and standards of their marketing processes and course delivery”.
“To maintain public confidence in the lifelong learning system, SSG will not hesitate to take action against training providers found to have engaged in marketing misconduct,” added the authority.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sin...-new-learners-vouchers-google-reviews-4795446
