by examinee0705

beware!

Re: International Student Advisors 4U

Is THIS what you are referring to?

Work-study program for RP nurses in UK

September 26, 2007 21:46:00
Margaux Ortiz
Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines -- An English University is offering Filipino nurses a work-and-study program that would allow them to work as caregivers in the United Kingdom while earning a two-year nursing degree.
The International Student Advisors Ltd. 4U Phils. Inc., headed by Tony Stringer, launched its Student Work Placement Scheme (SWOPS) Wednesday in cooperation with Anglia Ruskin University for Filipino nurses in the health and social care sector.
Their work, for which they will receive salaries, is actually part of the study program because a lot of the learning is work-based, Stringer said.
Once they have completed their two-year Bachelor in Science in Health and Social Care program, Stringer said there will be better job opportunities for them in the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Stringer said that interested applicants need not have licenses, only a degree in nursing.
Anglia Ruskin University is located near Chelmsford and Cambridge, an hour's drive from London. It is offering the degree course to groups of 12 to 15 students.
Those interested in the program may inquire with ISA4U officials at 814-0242.
Copyright 2008 INQUIRER.net and content partners. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Re: International Student Advisors 4U

why beware? can u please tell us? I've been researching about ISA for weeks now. I hope you could tell us topic starter. Thanks!

Re: International Student Advisors 4U

my friend applied to work in the UK thru ISA. actually he's already in the UK now but the problem is, i'm not at ease of what he said during his application that when paying them amounts, the receipt they've given my friend doesn't coinside with what he has paid. i mean, the amount of what is written on the receipt if definitely not the amount he paid. what he paid is an amount greater than what is reflected on the receipt they have given him. i was also an applicant at ISA before and actually have paid the reservation amount of 90,000 pesos but i withdraw it and they deducted it with 6,000 pesos.

Re: International Student Advisors 4U

hi. examinee0705. may i ask you why you withdrew from your application with ISA? Are they a scam? how's your friend today? was he able to tell you whether ISA's promises with their Program true? Hope i can get a feedback from you as soon as possible.

Re: International Student Advisors 4U

hi examinee0705. i just wanted to ask the reason for withdrawing your application with ISA? You mentioned that your friend was there already, right? How was he? Was he able to tell you how he has been there and were all the things that ISA claimed true? Was the salary really right enough? Hope for your immediate reply on this because i was considering to apply to this consultancy and with their program that's why i need your advice on this. thanks a lot.

Re: International Student Advisors 4U

hi there... i don't anymore have communications with him since he left. i sent him a message thru friendster but i don't know why he won't reply. but anyway, we are not that close so i stopped sending him messages. and there are lots of reasons why i withdrawed my money at ISA.

1. because of what he told me about the receipts

2. at first they told us during our orientation that we only have to pay 300,000 pesos but it's never true because the other applicants said that we have to spend about 500T pesos and more PLUS a show money of about 800T pesos and lately i heard it's no more 800T pesos but 1.5M(this is lately; i've heard)

3. my cousin who is a nurse in the UK told me that 90T pesos for a salary in the UK is very low minus the very expensive cost of living and taxes. she is a nurse in the UK(already got her license after 2 years of working as a caregiver) but still works as a senior caregiver because there are no more vacancies for nurse employment there.

4. with ISA, student VISA is used/processed as entry to the UK. my cousin again told me that UK is very strict on giving working VISAs to students esp pinoys. if you only have a student VISA as your entry VISA to UK, you cannot apply for a work unless ILLegally. more of them and maybe most of them go to APPLE picking beacause they are not employed unless they could have working VISAs (take note, they are nurses).

5. yes according to media, there are lots of vacancies for nursing related jobs but take note NOT nurses but CAREGIVERS.

i am not discouraging you. the decision is still yours. im just telling you some negative feedbacks so that at least yu could have some idea about these than regretting in the future because of innocence to these.

Re: International Student Advisors 4U

Thank you so much... Actually, my cousin is a head nurse a in a hospital in London and she told me exactly the same thing... like what your sousin told you. i guess that's enough to make my decision. a lot There is a high of unemployment of nurses in the country these days and the circumstance would just suggest nurses esp newly grads to take something that is way too far from the profession... Hope I can get a job here in the country as a nurse... better start today, I guess. thanks for the response

Re: International Student Advisors 4U

Pinoy nurses find jobs in UK
Feb 17, 2008 at 08:00 AM
by Lee Ann P. Ducusin
from People's Journal

FILIPINO nurses are now entering the United Kingdom through an alternative employment scheme known as “Study and Work Plan” introduced in September last year by the International Student Advisors 4U Inc.

Emmanuel Geslani disclosed that by the end of February, over 70 nurses will be working in care homes in various cities in the UK and at the same time enrolled for a BSc (Hons) in Health and Social Care at the Anglia Ruskin University near Cambridge and Chelmsford, an hour drive from London, while others will take courses in a combined First Line Management/NVQ at the Academy of Learning in Essex.

Geslani said the program has attracted a number of medical health professionals in nationwide seminars held by ISA officials with hundreds of nurses and caregivers applying at the main office in Makati City.

The tremendous number of applicants prompted the opening of five ISA offices all over the country to deal with the number of nurses, both board passers and undergraduates, who are qualified to enroll in the courses offered by ISA.

ISA has offices in San Fernando-La Union, Baguio City, Cebu, Davao and Zamboanga where applicants may inquire and file their documents.

Filipino students have been leaving daily since last year for their study placements and working with a wide range of health care organizations in the UK.

Philip Leonard, ISA chairman, said around 1,000 nurses in 2008 are expected to enter the UK through the SWOPS program.

The program is approved by the Anglia Ruskin University whose school officials will be participating in the Higher Education Fair organized by the British Council in Manila at the Shangri-la Makati Hotel from Feb. 22 to 24.

A new UK study/work plan for business courses will soon be implemented by ISA where fresh graduates may participate and enhance their opportunities to work in the UK.

http://trafficking.org.ph/v5/index.p...1771&Itemid=56



It is clearly stated that the students will work in nursing care homes. I don't see the point of studying again when you earned already your BSN or already a licensed RN. It would only be an advantage if you are an undergraduate. What is the BSc (Hons) in Health and Social Care all about? Is it like a care giving crash course? I hope UK nurses can fill in with this one.

Re: International Student Advisors 4U

We have discussed this a few times in the UK forum. This to us is a scam. the NVQ that is mentioned is a national vocational qualification and I believe only recognised really in the UK. Actually looking at the course outline my eye draws to this statement Professional qualifications
This award does not provide professional recognition though it can enhance career progression through academic recognition and application to health and social care practice. If the course does not provide professional recognition then why would someone pay to do the course from outside the UK as this will not give them permission to stay in the UK and work. Working as a carer is not the same as working as a RN and remembering my time in nursing homes it was x amount of carers to large amounts of patients which involved doing all cares, washing, dressing, mobility, feeding as well as work around the home like laundry. Things may have changed but there are some really good homes as well as some really bad ones. Also you will be coming over on a student visa and looking at recent changes (Sept 2007) it states you can not work and plan to leave at the end of your course plus prove that you can support yourself and family

# be able to pay for your course and support and accommodate yourself and any dependants without working or help from public funds; and
# plan to leave the United Kingdom when you complete your studies.

Study in the UK

There is no shortage of carers in the UK, there is no way to change from a student visa to a work visa and stay in the UK due to EU work requirements which are employ own citizen first then EU before rest of the world. I get so frustrated when I see adverts like this, there will be costs and you are the one paying them

If there are any doubts then I would suggest you check with the UK embassy in your country. There are a couple of threads discussing this.