Just as there are training organisations that will issue qualifications to people who may not be competent, there are people who wish to gain qualifications without being competent.   Over the past few years, it appears there are more people who have either first or second-hand experience of this.  For Fortress Learning, this presents a challenge since many people now come to our courses with the expectation that what they – or someone they know – has experienced elsewhere is the norm.

The conversation will often end like this:

Me:  I don’t think this is going to be a good fit. May I suggest a different provider?

Them:  What, you mean you don’t want my money?

Me:  Yes, that is what I mean.

Why do we say ‘no’?

We don’t do it to be rude.  If anything, we do it to avoid putting you and us in a difficult position later on.  So, why do we say ‘no’?

We are likely to say no to someone who:

1. has not made a fully informed decision
2. wants the equivalent of the short face-to-face course that [insert friend’s name] did in 3 days
3. has trouble accepting there is more for them to learn
4. expects the Rules of Evidence will not apply to them
5. objects to us insisting that they meet certain standards before awarding their Qualification
6. does not know the words ‘please’ and ‘thank you’

Experience tells us that taking on someone who falls into the above is not likely to work out well, for them or for us.  Instead, there will be friction, dissatisfaction and the likelihood of successful completion will not be very high at all.

Fortress Learning is a happy place to work; our staff are cheery and our students are generally a happy lot.  By surrounding ourselves with students who are committed to learning, we find we are able to perform much better for our students.  Instead of overcoming conflict, our focus is directed toward promoting success among those with whom we agree on what success looks like.  And when those students go out with their Fortress certificates, they know that it stands for something real.

Being prepared to say ‘no’ is not something to be scared of.  As one student put it:

Knowing you don’t just take everyone gives me the confidence to know that you care and that I matter.

And we do care.  And you do matter.

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