Jobseeker training scam exposed

There was only a cursory phone interview, then you went along with your bits. They had whittled the four-day course - what depth - down to three.

The trainer spent half his time telling anecdotes about his passion for raising and assessing horses in competition.

There were 26 of us in the group, all claiming benefits. The course would have cost us £500 each - a total of £13,000.

It was held at a local hotel. At least we got hot drinks and a lunch, but wouldn't the money been better spent on a proper, professional, college course?

The course materials were chaotic, incomplete and misleading. As a qualified teacher - when the trainer heard this he made some remark about teachers being trouble - I was shocked by the chaos and utter lack of care.

The rest was done by email, submitting assignments etc. There was little acknowledgement and almost no feedback. Queries went unanswered.

If I was an employer I would not look at this qualification. There are lots of providers doing this scam all over the country.

Meanwhile my jobcentre adviser at Hoxton told me they are signing on 4,300 people at the moment. She and her fellow long-term advisers are having to sign on 75 people each, per day, timed at five minutes each.

The government is busy bolstering the balance sheets of a bunch of lousy opportunist companies that will, Cameron hopes, take over the employment service.

Simon Nation

London N1