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V2.0 25 May 2000
The Global IT Campus
NCC EDUCATION CODE OF PRACTICE
1. PREAMBLE
This code of practice has been developed by NCC Education Limited (NCC Education) in close consultation with Approved Centres specialising in training computer staff. Amendment to the Code will only be made by NCC Education following discussions with Centres.
The purpose of the Code is to establish ethical standards, by which intending students/candidates and employers can judge any such Centre whose services they are considering using. The subscribing Centres acknowledge obligations to their clients and to the general public. These obligations are to use business practices that are consistent with the public interest, to make only promises that are honest and intelligible, and to produce results that match promises.
2. PUBLICITY
Advertisers will make every effort to express themselves clearly and without ambiguity so that the readers may know exactly what is being offered and to what they are committing themselves by replying to an advertisement.
Any written offer shall include a short, clear statement of the essential points of the offer for the recipient to keep.
No advertisement shall give false or misleading indications, whether by words, illustrations or any other means, in relation to an offer as such or in relation to offers made by other Centres.
No advertisement shall quote data in support of any statement unless the data can readily be sustained.
Where an offer provides for payment by instalments, the number, amount and frequency shall be stated clearly, as well as the total instalment price if this differs from the cash price.
Fictitious testimonials shall not be used, nor shall testimonials given by members of the advertiser’s staff or agency unless their interest is explicitly declared.
No testimonial shall be used more than three years after the date on which it was first written.
A Centre shall not publish any advertisement that because of similarity may be confused with that of another Centre.
Advertisers shall not issue any publicity material containing tests (to be returned or not), likely to encourage students/candidates to enrol on impulse.
Advertisements or publicity material may make reference to this Code only in such form as NCC Education may approve.
Where any programme is being offered as a joint programme between NCC Education and a University, Centres shall submit all PR and Advertising to NCC Education & the University for approval in advance of any promotional activity.
No centre shall enter into any Promotional Activity regarding any NCC programme prior to written confirmation of their accreditation acceptance by NCC Education.
3. USE OF APTITUDE TESTS FOR SELECTION
Recognising that aptitude testing is not an exact science, any aptitude test used in the selection process will be administered with care and interpreted with caution. In particular:
Aptitude tests will be used only as directed by the supplier of the test, such a supplier being either a body recognised by the British Psychology Society or equivalent body, or a computer manufacturer. Or, if a test from any other source is used in any way, statistical evidence must be available to show that the test used in that way is a significant predictor of performance in training or subsequent employment. Aptitude tests will not be administered by a salesperson or by any other person who stands to gain direct financial benefit from the number of people who pass the test.
4. TERMS OF CONTRACT
Any contract or application signed by a prospective student/candidate regarding entry to an NCC Programme shall be subject to a 48-hour delay for reconsideration. The following information shall appear clearly in the body of the document:
the title of the qualification or group of courses or service being provided;
the award or qualification, if any, for which the learning programme is designed to prepare students;
the total classroom hours and approximate practical component of the programme;
the total cost, and payment schedule if payment is by instalments;
the refund policy;
a disclaimer that job placement is not guaranteed for students on the completion of their training;
a signed statement that the student has read and understands all aspects of the agreement;
a list of information available on request, such as the statistics of jobs obtained by previous students.
5. CONDUCT EXPECTED OF STUDENTS
For any programme involving regular attendance at the premises of the Centre, a document will be shown to, and agreed by, all prospective students before they sign the contract or application. This document will show starting and finishing times, any expected standards of appearance, and any other rules governing conduct within the teaching establishment or its precincts. The consequence of any lapse from the laid down rules will also be stated clearly.
6. CAREERS COUNSELLING
No employee or representative of any Centre shall hold him/herself out, or be held out by his/her employer, as a careers counsellor, unless he or she has been trained in careers counselling by a recognised educational institute or, at the least, followed a course in selection testing recognised by the British Psychological Society or equivalent body.
7. EMPLOYMENT AFTER TRAINING
Where the service that a Centre provides is training for employment, then the Centre will accept as students only those applicants whom the Centre reasonably believes will be able to obtain employment in the field for which the programme purports to prepare them. If, either before or during training, any doubt exists as to the individual’s employability at the end of training, that doubt shall be put to the student in writing and the student will be asked to give a signed acknowledgement.
If a job placement service is offered, the details given to students will include the number of students from recent programmes who used the service, and the number placed in suitable employment.
8. USE OF THIS CODE
Any Centre subscribing to this Code shall provide every student, at the time of initial enrolment, with a copy of this document. Centres shall make available such statistical and other information as NCC Education may reasonably require to be assured that the Code is being observed.
9. ARBITRATION
A Centre subscribing to the Code may (and shall if so requested) submit to arbitration by an arbitrator appointed by NCC Education any dispute between the Centre and a student arising under the Code.
NCC Education may at its sole discretion publish the details of any such arbitration.
10. COMPLAINTS
Any party feeling that a Centre subscribing to the Code is in contravention of any of its provisions is invited to make the complaint known to NCC Education Limited at the address below.
Head of Quality and Standards
NCC Education Ltd
Towers Business Park
Didsbury
Manchester, M20 2EZ
United Kingdom
Tel: 0161 438 6225 Fax: 0161 438 6240
Email: mhaigh@nccedu.com
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