I was suckered in by the telephone calls everyday, the friendly over-accommodating representatives, the flashy advertising. "Earn your diploma fast & start working right away", "our teachers have real world, hands on experience in the jobs you want to be doing", "98% post graduate employment rates", "hurry and enroll the spots are filling fast", received call stating there was "only one spot left in my course".. I fell for all of it.
The rep. secured my $15,000 OSAP loan quickly and without explaining anything to me. Upon graduation I begged and pleaded for jobs. I finally secured a entry level position at the rate of $12/hour, no pension, benefits. I subsequently left that job due to the stress of the work environment and lack of advancement available. I continued looking for work until I ended up waitressing for over a year until I signed on with a placement agency and moved to Toronto, where I obtained a position as a receptionist. I have sent out endless amounts of resumes.
I decided I needed more education to advance anywhere in my profession. I applied to UIOT, Oshawa and was refused any transfer credits or acknowledgment for my CDI diploma, I have to start in year one. I contacted Universities and Colleges across Canada and not one public institution acknowledges or recognizes the CDI education. I began to do further research and was incredibly alarmed to find that I was not the only one who had experienced this hardship. I have paid my OSAP loan monthly for the last 4 years while waitressing and will be for the next 8 since I am unable to secure a position where I can pay more than $100/month off. I digress.
The media reports, fraud alerts, endless people complaining and out-crying about the exact same thing I am struggling with, lack of competitive value in the diploma, mitigated by the extensive poor feedback. Many people I have read about sued and won. I feel completely victimized and as if I was brainwashed. I was a vulnerable 18 year old with no direction or parental guidance. I enrolled in a school that offered 'accredited, intensive education allowing grads into the workplace sooner', yet they failed to mention they are unrecognizable in the eyes of any public institution and therefore is useless for future career education. They also failed to mention employers would laugh in my face regarding my education choice. I feel as though I have little recourse although am considering consulting a lawyer.
Any further information or comments are welcome! |