Pitman training - Legal/Medical Diploma

another question

Just doing a bit of research for my younger sister who is nearly 20. She was telling me about Pitman Training - medical/secretarial
Diplomas. She is finding it hard to get information on course costs and even though she can arrange an appointment to meet them she would like to money-wise what it is expected to cost before she meets them.

I'm a bit skeptical about them as they don't seem to be FETAC accredited but yet seem to have a good website/following.

Basically I'd like to how how good the diplomas are - legal or medical, the costs involved and likely of a job. I know there isn't much in the line of jobs out there but basically would these diplomas give you 'an edge' if a job became available. I didn't realise how specialised legal/medical secretaries were in comparison to regular office administrators until she started talking about terminology etc - so would a diploma give you a step up versus an experienced secretary but with no specialises skills.

tatli_lokma

Personally, I see a lot of 'pitman' training qualifications on CV, and from experience it is no guarantee of ability to do the job. Some have been great, others have been clueless despite having received a high grade from pitman. So experience always wins out over a pitman training, as not surprisingly any candidates who have been as good as their CV claimed had plenty of experience, whilst those who were lighter on experience but had the training weren't so great.

From memory also, they are not that cheap.

I think that she would be better off trying to get some work experience and doing a decent FETAC course. Again, some FETAC courses seem to be handed out just for showing up, but that with some work experience (even if it is only for a month or two) would be more valuable. Or even a FAS course - is she registered with FAS? That way she might be able to arrange a work placement if it is via FETAC or FAS.

starlit

I agree that a fas or fetac/plc course one that includes work experience be a better option to get work experience in that discipline along with the course. Other option be a springboard course with a work placement but there may or not be or many courses similar in that area.