Biz IQ Academy

To set a backdrop, I had just attended a course through another academy 2 weeks before coming to Biz IQ, and that academy set a pretty high benchmark. To start off, I didn’t understand why Biz IQ had to collect a $30 deposit to secure the seat, especially since I’d submitted my Skillsfuture funding claim successfully and provided the proof. Throughout the process, they gave no information on how to claim this deposit back. Hence, I set foot to their office on the 3rd and final day to inquire, only to be told to retrieve the deposit in cash (no PayNow) at the end of the day. I’m inclined to believe (looking at all the courses offered there), that more than a handful of learners could have forgotten and left their deposit unclaimed. Before my course started, I was already vexed. First, one of their staff called me at 8.46pm (that’s right, not a typo) a week before the course to confirm my attendance. I picked up the phone and told her I was sent the address without the unit number, and she said it will be texted to me later (I was puzzled). 2 days later, I received a WhatsApp from Biz IQ to confirm my attendance again. I said “Yes” and asked for the unit number, but received no reply. Another 3 days later, I received yet another WhatsApp message from Biz IQ to confirm my attendance for the 3rd time! And again, no unit number on the WhatsApp message! Sure enough, I could not locate their training venue when I arrived on Day 1, and that’s because they were renting a co-sharing space on level 3 (I did not expect that). I was lucky to bump onto a Student attending the same course and he showed me the way. Later I discovered their office is on the 2nd floor, and it didn’t even say Biz IQ, it says “Open Ground”. OMG….I would have searched high and low for Biz IQ. Again, my experience with the first academy was smooth sailing compared to this confusion. Then I discovered why I wasn’t notified of the unit number. That’s because they added the learners onto a group chat and shared it through the chat. But I disallowed non-contacts adding me onto Group chats to avoid Spam (come on, this is becoming the norm). The person who failed to add me did not bother to text me separately! Here comes the unacceptable part. Per the instructor, 17 pax signed up, but 16 showed up on Day 1. They only had 6 tables that fit 2 comfortably. Prakash, one of their staff, whom I noticed was just very focused on taking attendance throughout the 3 days, did not take any initiative to solve the problem (and don’t get me started why we had to take attendance using SingPass and a separate paper attendance separately for Biz IQ twice every day). Hence, I asked for another table. It came and the 2 ladies thanked me for it. So we fitted 14, and guess what? 2 other learners have to be tucked onto a corner of 2 tables to co-share the table space. At $1200 before GST for the 3-day course, this is totally unacceptable! Other little annoyances: Day 1 started late due to poor preparation (short of tables, inadequate power extensions, unclear location etc); Course starts at 9am, but centralised AC starts at 10am (you go figure); No free coffee/tea/snacks (all payable for co-share space); Need water? Make your way down to level 2. Urgh! ; Need to use the toilet before 9.30am? It’s a one-way traffic (access cards needed at the co-share space). The way back is a long detour. Finally, I personally find the course material is a stretch for 3 days. None of the useful A.I prompts shared in the course are in the notes (which is just so-so), this is a letdown. On the 3rd day, we were just sharing each other’s project one by one, followed by the assessment. A foreigner who paid the course by herself left midway through the 3rd day, obviously realising there’s no value to stay any longer (I hope she collected her $30 as a consolation).

Attended a 2D Animation Generative AI class under HUSTLE. First the course has nothing to do with 2D Animation, only watched a YouTube video to introduce 2D animation and then case close. Class did not follow any notes, was being told the outline was submitted just to get skillsfuture approval, there is no intention to teach 2D Animation. I did not achieve the objective I signed up for. Teacher told us we need to sign up extra hailuo credits to complete the class which is unnecessary as there was no teaching on hailuo on 2nd day, wasted my money for signing up. Class was planned poorly. On first day only 30% of the time was dedicated to teaching. Not enough content to fill up the class but we were kept in class to clock time, not because it was educational. 2nd class was even worse, only first hour was dedicated to teaching. The rest of the time of this class is make up up with long breaks, do the so called assignment which only need at most one hr but teacher gave us 4 hrs. Spend 3 hrs in class doing nothing. The assessment was a time filler on the 2nd day which we were forced to do a one to one oral exam to read our MCQ answers to the teacher one by one which took 2 hours to complete. In this era!!! It could be done with a simple google form. The $30 deposit is also ridiculous as we already paid for the class, why the school still need to ensure us to complete the class and issue a refund by cash. The class did not achieve its objective. A waste of time and I would have request for a refund if I have paid. Really regretted and wasted my skillsfuture credits on it.