Pyridion Academy Health And Social Sandwich Program

allnurses Guide · Mar 3, 2008

Thanks Suzanne.. (and to Silverdragon102 and XB9S too) your response was very detailed. i will show this to my mom so she could think about it. i too am uncertain and suspicious of that offer but that offer was recommended by a close friend. i'll make sure to double check it with the embassy. thanks for all the advices. God bless. =)

you are very welcome, I hope it works out

Serene_ieg · Mar 4, 2008

keinxerika, Pyridion Management Academy has offered me what they call 2 year Sandwich program On Health and Social Care NVQ .This allows you to study and at the same time be paid (around GBP11,500 annual. Tuition is GBP2,950. Down is GBP50 upon application; GBP200 upon receipt of Provider Placement Term. Balance of GBP2,700 payable in UK for 18 months). My only problem for not accepting the offer is because of the fact that I don't know if this academy truly exist ( though their website says so http://www.pyridionacademy.com). There are so many scams in the internet and anywhere else that I want to check the authenticity of this academy before accepting their offer. In case you have a way of checking on the existence of said school, could you please inform me.

By the way, may I know which country are you from?

Thank you very much.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Mar 4, 2008

keinxerika, Pyridion Management Academy has offered me what they call 2 year Sandwich program On Health and Social Care NVQ .This allows you to study and at the same time be paid (around GBP11,500 annual. Tuition is GBP2,950. Down is GBP50 upon application; GBP200 upon receipt of Provider Placement Term. Balance of GBP2,700 payable in UK for 18 months). My only problem for not accepting the offer is because of the fact that I don't know if this academy truly exist ( though their website says so http://www.pyridionacademy.com). There are so many scams in the internet and anywhere else that I want to check the authenticity of this academy before accepting their offer. In case you have a way of checking on the existence of said school, could you please inform me.
By the way, may I know which country are you from?
Thank you very much.

I would suggest contacting the local British embassy and ask them questions. As we have mentioned NVQ only takes months not years and you can not work over 20 hours a week on a student visa no matter what they tell you, if you are caught you will be deported for not complying with student visa requirements. Plus there is no way that you will be able to stay in the UK on completion of the course as there is not a shortage of carers in the UK and can not change it to a work permit for RN as many UK nurses are struggling to find work.

Please check this out with the UK embassy

keinxerika · Mar 4, 2008

keinxerika, Pyridion Management Academy has offered me what they call 2 year Sandwich program On Health and Social Care NVQ .This allows you to study and at the same time be paid (around GBP11,500 annual. Tuition is GBP2,950. Down is GBP50 upon application; GBP200 upon receipt of Provider Placement Term. Balance of GBP2,700 payable in UK for 18 months). My only problem for not accepting the offer is because of the fact that I don't know if this academy truly exist ( though their website says so www.pyridionacademy.com). There are so many scams in the internet and anywhere else that I want to check the authenticity of this academy before accepting their offer. In case you have a way of checking on the existence of said school, could you please inform me.
By the way, may I know which country are you from?
Thank you very much.

i think the academy truly exists.. it's just that the offer is suspicious and at the same time i also realized that why would i go down to the level of a carer if i already have the BSN degree.. so i think i'll just try on the other countries like in middle east. i heard you just have to go there to look for work using a tourist visa, and once you have an employer, your visa will be shifted to a working one.. well that's what i heard.. you may wanna confirm this if you're interested.

btw, i'm from the Philippines too. =)

suzanne4, RN · Mar 4, 2008

To go to the middle east to work, things are done before and you have a visa in hand before you go that will permit you to work. Most countries frown on foreign workers coming in and then trying to get the visa changed.

Working as an RN also requires that you get processed for that as well, and that can take sometime. For your safety, please follow the steps that are in place to protect you.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 4, 2008

And to add my final two cents to this thread:

Why in the world would someone with a BSN want to go backwards in their training and prepare for two years for the role of a nsg asst and then not get credit for it?

You could get an MSN in that same time? And when you will not be able to remain there and get a visa to work as an RN, since the UK has a hiring freeze for RNs in the first place.

This program makes no sense at all, and calling it a sandwich program just means that you are being eaten alive.

Wonder if the UK Embassy in Manila is aware of what they are offering to you? Suggest that you check with them before doing anything at all. Just because a school advertises or posts about doing something, does not by any means mean that it is legal and acceptable practices that they wish to do.

Serene_ieg · Mar 5, 2008

Thanks Suzanne4. Indeed this program looks like it is just fitted to graduates of caregiver course, nursing assissant course that is being offered by TESDA accredited schools. TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Administratio) is the government body that governs and oversees all technical and vocational schools here in the Philippines.

keinxerika, thanks for saying that this academy exist.... BUT what proof do you have? Do you know of anyone who is already studying there? Since you are in the Philippines, I read in the Sunday Inquirer an ad by IPAMS about the coming of interviewers from the regional health of Saskatoon, Alberta and Calgary. You may want to look into this.

I understand the delema of Philippine nursing graduates..... 28,000 passed the board exam this year add to that passers of the previous years...Philippine hospitals cannot hire all of the graduates... only destination is Dubai and the Middle East where the salary is equal or even less than what a nursing assistant is getting in Alberta. Advantage of BSN working in Canada as nursing assistant, no matter how difficult and being taken advantage they maybe, is the opportunity of being a qualfied nurse in Alberta once one passed the CRNE. That is something to look forward to. Just my humble opinion....

suzanne4, RN · Mar 5, 2008

Take the time to do some reading on other forums here under the umbrella of the International Forum and you will see more on programs like this.

There also is a poster that has been posting under the Questions for Suzanne thread at the top of the other forum that has been in the UK for three years already as a care-giver and is still in that position. There are no visas available for her as an RN either.

Again, going on one of these asst programs to any other country is not a guarantee that you will be able to remain there, and when the country has cold weather and you have to purchase clothing for that such as coats and boots and sweaters on the salary that you will be getting there as well as for transportation, then you are left with money less than you would get as an unskilled worker at McDonald's flipping burgers, and sorry that is not something that someone with a full BSN should be doing or getting paid as.

There are other countries out there where you can work in the role of the RN and start off that way. Even with Canada, you are there for two years before even testing with this program and if you cannot pass the exam after several attempts, you must leave the country as your visa will be cancelled. And next big one to top this off, what if during the time that you are waiting, that they change their rules there concerning immigration? What if they put a freeze in place? This will affect you directly as you will not be going there as an RN.

Please take the time to really do some research before signing any type of contract where you will be owned by someone like their slave.

Oceans11 · Apr 28, 2008

To all concerned in this thread, I am a student of PMA along with 50 - 60 other Filipinos that have arrived here to study this course through PMA and be able to also earn a lot more money than I did in the Philippines. A lot of who are my friends. Yes it is a step back for me also as I am nurse but PMA staff are very thorough and supportive. The options we have were explained to us and at no point did they lie, on the contrary they were very upfront with regard to many not being able to stay here in the UK especially due to constant Home Office regulation changes. However we do have options after course completion. I have been to their training center and office, all are very proffesional and helpful with a very personal touch. There is a fee involved but it is taken in monthly insatlments over 18 months. What I have found with this company is that they do at all times have the students interests at heart and are very genuine up front and above all honest. Check there website out and do go to the British Embassy in Manila, I am sure they will verify this company as there are many students here doing this course via PMA.

cariad · Apr 28, 2008

it obviously doesnt matter what is said on this thread, regardless of whether the academy is genuine or not, basically from a non phillipine nurse's view, you are being scammed, there are plenty of people in the uk to work as carers with no qualifications at all, who can work full time get paid for it and work overtime, with paid holidays etc. they do not pay for the privilege of being a carer. why would an academy bring you to the uk when you are an rn and train you to work as a carer? they are making money out of yo, and in return get carers who are very highly qualified. the only reason that you are coming here as professional rns to train for a carer is money and to get out of your own country. it is very demeaning to you, and i just hate to think that you are being taken advantage of. please, if you are that desperate find somewhere that will recognise the training that you have done and the professional that you have become.