The pamphlets glossy booklets and bits of paper  left by the representative of train2game  gave very little information on what to expect. Instead They showed loads of gaming shows Microsoft logos. BBC news logos Various glossy pamphlets including one on how to get the job that you want with logos from google global game jam, twitter. ludum dare to name but a few. Brochures on how to create a cv and your games career in your hands.Train2game winners and leaflets. I would photocopy and post them here but do not want to give them a chance to claim I have infringed copy right . You can of course go to their own web site or others on the net to see examples of such.

Below are "extracts from the information the rep left me. I will also upload these "extracts" to a dedicated page for people to see as the site  grows.
Below is the actual written wording and qualification agreement they sold the course on.

Note how it says the course is exclusive to them and that student will recive the prestigious Tiga games and art diploma .and the city and guilds.

As you will see from the links page only a few months later this is  not true.

 I was also left with two sheets of paper tittled: pre contract credit information.(standard european consumer credit information) and fixed sum loan (imortant information about your loan)  showing the course was to be paid monthly at a cost of £135.00 per month over 36 months maing a total of £4910.00.     This was for caledonain consumer finance..
The  course registration agreement .    This was with Tarin2game.
The charge card authority slip showing £50.00 would be debited from my bank account imediatley This was with .Career finance 4 trade skills Ltd

I was also left the lovely black carry case for all my work and the train2game game course important information sheet!

This sheet says:

you will receive the details of your tutor team by post very shortly.

you should not attempt to access our student world account until you receive your tutor team details by post. These details will include information on your tutor team ,together with access information for student world, including your username and password.

There was also the little freepost card that was to be sent of if ,after 21 days you had not received your tutor details.

It reads important information. (Please read carefully)

under normal circumstances you will automatically receive your tutor detail within 21 days of your enrolment. if your initial payment has been postdated it will be 21 days from the date we receive your deposit.

The course registration form says notice to the right to cancel the contract:
 you have 14 days from signing to cancel. Yet access was not granted untill after this time.It appears this is common with them. 
It also says
Statutory information for you  the trader will date the notice below and insert your registration number.
(This has NOT been filled in ..)


The course

The fixed sum loan information sheet says you have 14 days to cancel starting the day after reciving  a copy of the executed loan agreement?

I had to wait for Access to the student account until the end of December start of January 2015 apparently a delay with the Christmas post.

This didn't stop me getting excited though and looking forward to starting the course and getting my hands on the prestigious Tiga qualifications. That was to be the  key to opening a new future, one I would be more in control of. This course was going to allow me the chance to show what I could do and with the help and support I had been promised I was not going to let dyslexia hold me back this time and the reassurance that if I did not pass the exams first time I could retake them meant that gaining those exclusive qualification were within reach even for me.

When I did get to finally sign in I was eager to get started but also some what underwhelmed by what I saw. The course appeared to be the same and its materials seemed to be no different to other city and guilds computer art and animation gaming course. It was however early days and I had yet to do any of the assignments or interact with other students the tutors or go to any of the gaming meetings and networking shows the rep had been told so much about.

It Became apparent very early on that my current computer was not up to spec and that I would have to purchase a newer model as mine was not going to be able to run the programs that were required.. I also discovered to my horror that not having my own internet access would become a problem. Doing assignments and  work on my computer and transferring it if required  via external media to other friends and family computers before uploading it via their internet was to be a real problem Not only would I now need to find the money to buy a better spec computer I would need to buy one that was portable so I could take it with me when using the internet of friends and family .

Over the following couple of months I completed a number of assignments but was disappointed when there was no tutor check-ins I was also increasingly concerned as there was little support being offered.. I called them a number of times over the following months to express my concerns but each time I was assured that the course was genuine. The course was top of the range and exclusive in its contents learning format and  exclusive qualifications no one else offered .

Feeling a little foolish for questioning them I carried on with the course. It was however very clear now that the course was entirely internet based and the phone contact was initiated by me asking where the support I was told I would get was.

Now as can be seen from the above the 14 day cooling of period passed before receiving the student login details. Until you get to actually login  which is not until AFTER the 14 day period you can not see exactly what it is your getting so can not make an informed decision on whether what you are getting is suitable or as described at the point of sale.. By the time that happens the 14 day period has passed.

Unhappy with the verbal responses I was receiving over the phone to my complaints and concerns and unhappy with the fact that this course I had been talked into was in fact nothing like I had been told it was, when it was sold to me. I decided to write to train2game and to Caledonian consumer finance the finance company the representative had signed me up too to inform them in writing that this course was not as the rep had described it at the point of sale. That the product qualifications and prestigious regignition  I am now expected to continue paying for is now different and not as sold to me.I have also again repeated in writting waht i complained of verbally that the cancelation period ended prior to being granted access to veiw the full service product.

It had now been nearly 6 months since I had first been able to log into my train2gamestudent account and during that time I had telephoned them at least three times to complain and express my dissatisfaction at the course and service, as it was not  what I had been led to believe I was signing up to each time my concerns were pushed to one side by train2game staff. who continuously informed me the course was the best there was and only they offered the Tiga accreditation and prestigious course recognised by the computer industry which was required if you wished to work in the gaming industry.

On the following pages will be the letters sent to and from train to game and Caledonian consumer finance.

there will also be some of the links still available regarding experiences others have had and other information about train2game and its associated business's