Free online courses (usually £395) for limited time only @ Shaw Academy

You will NOT get a certificate unless you pay for it & you will have to print it for yourself.

Be very very careful with this organisation, which is definitely legitimate but will badger you with spam upon spam to try and extract cash from you. Even when you unsubscribe, the spam continues. It’s like signing up for a personal virus - and the courses aren’t that good either

deleted118699504/04/2018 11:18

Sorry OP, voted cold by mistake. Tried tapping on the deal to open it in …Sorry OP, voted cold by mistake. Tried tapping on the deal to open it in the mobile app and my fat fingers struck again - hit the minus button by mistake :-( Good spot and thanks for posting.Read lessRead more

Voted hot to null your cold by mistake

They're legit enough. You used to be able to sign up with them and use it to get an NUS card, but no more.

They also use this to get your details and then try and get you to sign up to more, or to their lifetime unlimited package for all their courses. I've been spammed the last few weeks with emails about that.

The photography course I did was pretty decent though, if twice as long as it needed to be. But they do seem to cover for your absolute beginners, so yeah, it's worth doing - and you should learn something, which is hard to argue with

madmax66604/04/2018 11:26

Voted hot to null your cold by mistake

You're a gent, sir, and there's not many of us left

I did the free diploma in social media marketing. It was composed of live classes where you can live chat with the tutor. The classes were interesting but I don't think it was worth the £400 it claimed to be. The certificate you have to pay for, and even then it is just a print out that you do yourself. Towards the end of the course, I got a lot of calls and emails promoting the next stage of the course. In the end I had to block their number/emails.

How much do they charge for the diploma? I figure you can do the Photoshop course, pay for one, enroll in another course and use your acquired skills to tweak the original diploma to create a new one!

Apparently doing three 8 hour courses bags you 3 execute jobs, I wonder if she worked her notice period on each?

Sorry OP, voted cold by mistake. Tried tapping on the deal to open it in the mobile app and my fat fingers struck again - hit the minus button by mistake :-( Good spot and thanks for posting.

vladdy04/04/2018 13:44

You mean you can get the NUS card if you enrol on Shaw Academy?

I signed up with NUS when you could use Shaw Academy. My year passed and I went to enrol again, but realised that Shaw Academy could no longer be used as a university anymore. However, there was an option to simply 'renew' my NUS card and
it kept the Shaw Academy as my university - I paid for 3 years - the free course I used ended 4 years ago

deleted118699504/04/2018 12:01

You're a gent, sir, and there's not many of us left

Voted hot to reclaim your vote

Very few courses in the Free section.

Success Stories seem fake - Clicked on a few of the courses and noticed success stories basically repeated with the new course name changes. eg Nicholas Spandagos comments on DIPLOMA IN MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT, DIPLOMA IN GRAPHIC DESIGN, DIPLOMA IN SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING – Probably others.

Had first lesson today. Utter trash. Basically just a video to watch, people were commenting and she wasn't responding, obviously as it's pre recorded. The voice was out of sync with the slides, and everyone who commented negative in the chat were muted.
It's not even free, only module one is free, you need four to get a diploma.

I'm hearing some negativity here, and I think it's important I give some honest positive feedback to give a balanced view.

I've done 7 courses with them in the last four years:

1. Yes, the lessons really are live, not pre-records. I know that because tutors have responded to my comments by name. So, unless they are psychic, they were definitely delivering the lessons live. And a lot of the lectures have a Q&A session at the end, which are useful, and I had the tutors answer my questions seconds after I typed them into the chat so they are definitely doing it live.

(Some lectures ARE pre-records. But they are very open about those, and tell you that they are.)

2. The content is of a very high standard. For example, their Digital Marketing and then Advanced Digital Marketing courses are prefect if you're looking to move into a career in the subject. Yes, they start simple, but I see that as a plus, not a negative. And they do get progressively more in-depth as the weeks go on. What's most useful is that they talk about industry best practice. And, with an industry like digital marketing, best practice changes quickly. So I was impressed that the info I got when doing the course in 2017 was much more up to date than what they taught me on the same course in 2015.

Keep in mind, the piece of paper at the end of the course isn't what will get you a job. It might get you a job interview i.e. a foot in the door. But, in my experience, it's being able to talk the talk at the interview that will help you get the job. And it has certainly helped me do that, thanks to the best practice / industry standards I learned from Shaw Academy classes.

3. You don't have to "attend" the live online lectures. I rarely ever did. Instead I watched the recording afterwards that was made available to all students enrolled on a particular course. I preferred that as you can rewind to go over parts that you didn't quite understand first time around. And you can re-watch them too in advance of doing your exams.

4. Yes, they are very forceful about upselling their courses and extras (like printed certificates) to you. But no-one's forcing your wallet out of your hands. If you don't want to buy additional courses or don't want to be contacted ever again, well EU data protection regulations are about to get very aggressive (GDPR). So they won't be harassing you, and if you tell them to stop contacting you they will have to stop, or face massive fines!!

5. Yes, they do overinflate the prices like pretty much every provider of online education. It's standard practice for the industry. Just look out for the opportunities for free and discounted enrollment and voila! You can pick up some bargains.

6. I've bought far more online courses from Udemy, and others, than I did from Shaw Academy. In my experience, none of them matched the quality of content Shaw Academy was able to provide. The quality control on Udemy and others is very questionable!! I've often been left feeling cheated. While Shaw Academy offer fewer courses, they are all of a decent, consistent standard.

Ultimately, you pays your money, you makes your choice. Personally, I would recommend them to my friends and family. (edited)

B1T3 m ago

Very few courses in the Free section.Success Stories seem fake - Clicked …Very few courses in the Free section.Success Stories seem fake - Clicked on a few of the courses and noticed success stories basically repeated with the new course name changes. eg Nicholas Spandagos comments on DIPLOMA IN MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT, DIPLOMA IN GRAPHIC DESIGN, DIPLOMA IN SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING – Probably others.Read lessRead more

Guess it's marketing, but nevertheless the course quality is what really matters in the end, and it is good. Plus, it's free so I ain't going to look at the gift-horse's mouth.

Get ready for a load of spam - both emails and phone calls! I had to block their number in the end as it was verging on harassment. Agree with others - Udemy courses are a lot better and the tutors respond far quicker.

Signed up, but not too sure if its full course.

See link below, it says module 1 free
link

Also when you go onto thier site into a course to sign up, it does say offer ends soon but every time you go on it, the timer countdowns from 2 hours.

voted hot, thanks for this. photoshop introduction will be invaluable

schnide04/04/2018 11:18

They're legit enough. You used to be able to sign up with them and use it …They're legit enough. You used to be able to sign up with them and use it to get an NUS card, but no more.They also use this to get your details and then try and get you to sign up to more, or to their lifetime unlimited package for all their courses. I've been spammed the last few weeks with emails about that.The photography course I did was pretty decent though, if twice as long as it needed to be. But they do seem to cover for your absolute beginners, so yeah, it's worth doing - and you should learn something, which is hard to argue with Read lessRead more

I found I can just keep renewing my NUS card that I first registered with Shaw Academy

I took up a course with them last year for £600 . Their after sales and support was very bad and I would not recommend them for anything. They promised life long membership and that soon came to an end.

Thanks op , registered

I managed to sign up to lifetime membership for £17odd originally it was £250 (said to be worth 1000odd) you can also enrol around 6 friends fro free and they get full access

Narcotix04/04/2018 13:15

Signed up for a course in Sports Nutrtion as I'm a regular gym go'er and …Signed up for a course in Sports Nutrtion as I'm a regular gym go'er and could do with some more gains..Thanks OP!Read lessRead more

Do you even lift bruh?

Thanks

Thanks for posting.. There is another free website with tons of free courses called edx.org

They are accredited and good as well. Can get certificate for a nominal fee

madmax6664th Apr

Voted hot to null your cold by mistake

Would you not have voted hot otherwise?

I did one of the Microsoft office courses, which was very helpful in understanding the way Office works, and highly recommend Shaw academy. As this one is free, you don't have much to lose by trying it for yourself. Personally, I have never had any spam or harassment from them.

Just to let you all know, I graduated in WhatsApp Studies!

Thanks OP (edited)

I signed up thanks to this post....
What a mistake that was, my experience with them so far.
Completed week 1 video, watched it and felt that it was literally a video not a live stream as it makes out.
Asked the so called "bot" when the first assignment would be live. Got an answer of, at the end of the lesson.
Link didn't work after lesson.
Emailed tutor, got a reply of bit was incorrect, the assignment will be available on Friday Friday comes and goes, nothing, weekend nothing.
At this stage I have no idea if I'm meant to be writing an essay or researching something.
Monday comes and link is available, the assignment is about 10 multiple choice questions.
I completed week 2, again feels like video rather than live stream.
I have a feeling it's one lad in his bedroom running the academy.
Have no intention of carrying on so unsubscribe to their emails, yet I still get phone calls and emails saying my next lesson is about to begin (all automated)
Then I start getting, 50% off offer to complete the additional modules needed for the qualification, again unsubscribe.
I've again had a third set (different email address but all from Shaw academy) offering me a discount.
Hoping the third and final unsubscribe was enough, I'm not getting another offer from a different academy.... I wonder if it's the same company/boy.

Stay away and use a reputable training provider. If you want to sports nutrition looks at REPS.

adamcorki21 m ago

Are they legit?

Yup. They are accredited. I think the company is based in Ireland.

Thanks! Enrolled, courses start Monday. They send mail notifications before the start of each course, i like that...

Given the photography one a try - thanks OP!

If i dont cancel and give no credit card do they charge your phone as it says if you dont cancel you will be charged after the free trial

Maybe i have booked one that is only a trial i dont know (edited)

Thank you, this is helpful!

Thank u ^___^

I get stuck on the registering screen, just get a spinning thingy, nothing happens...

hughwp04/04/2018 22:17

I managed to sign up to lifetime membership for £17odd originally it was …I managed to sign up to lifetime membership for £17odd originally it was £250 (said to be worth 1000odd) you can also enrol around 6 friends fro free and they get full accessRead lessRead more

How did u do that? I'm in big need of that membership!

usually £400?
My local university charges £85 for a photography course.

adamcorki212 h, 9 m ago

Had first lesson today. Utter trash. Basically just a video to watch, …Had first lesson today. Utter trash. Basically just a video to watch, people were commenting and she wasn't responding, obviously as it's pre recorded. The voice was out of sync with the slides, and everyone who commented negative in the chat were muted. It's not even free, only module one is free, you need four to get a diploma.Read lessRead more

Similar experience here.

Go to Udemy and buy one of their high rated "on sale" courses. It's worth the small amount you have to pay.