FirstCom Academy suspended for 3 months for not following SkillsFuture marketing guidelines – Mothership.SG

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In exchange for Google reviews, S$5 vouchers would have been given at the end of classes.

Training provider FirstCom Academy will be suspended for three months, from January 1 to March 31, 2025.

This was after SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) found that it had failed to comply with conditions imposed on training providers.

The company, which offers short Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) courses in areas such as digital marketing and people management, had used a marketing SEO program that was not not in accordance with the guidelines.

Use of SkillsFuture credit suspended

As a result, any courses that start during the suspension period will have their grants suspended and will not be eligible for government grants for course fees or the use of SkillsFuture credits.

In addition to the suspension, two of FirstCom Academy’s WSQ courses will be discontinued due to lapses in ensuring course quality, SSG said in a Nov. 27 statement.

The company also cannot start WSQ courses during this time.

SSG added that it has been investigating FirstCom Academy’s marketing practices and course quality since early 2024, following “numerous public comments.”

Incentivized registration for courses

One candidate said The Strait Era that the company’s promoters said its SkillsFuture credit was expiring, even though the opening SkillsFuture credit of S$500 does not expire and the one-time SkillsFuture credit top-up of S$500 offered in 2020 will only expire on December 31, 2025.

CNA And ST reported that the company even offered S$80 vouchers to entice others to take its courses.

In addition, in exchange for Google reviews, S$5 vouchers would have been given at the end of the courses.

FirstCom Academy has gathered around 50,000 reviews with a 4.9-star rating on Google.

The SSG guidelines state that the training provider must not provide any rewards or benchmark rewards.

Prize draws and the offering of gifts or vouchers are also not permitted.

Course providers are not permitted to encourage the public to register for courses.

The company lays off employees

CNA reported Wednesday that the company had laid off employees before the suspension was announced.

Employees were informed of the suspension during a meeting and that Monday would be their last day of work.

Those who were fired then packed their bags and left.

The Education Services Union (ESU), a union affiliated to the NTUC, as well as the NTUC U SME, are actively reaching out to their members and other workers to provide support, it is reported.

Sanctions for non-compliance with SSG guidelines range from warning or warning letters to suspension and termination.

SSG has taken action against two other training providers for failing to comply with SSG’s marketing guidelines in 2024, ST reported.

Those whose classes have started will not be affected

In response, FirstCom Academy said on social media that its WSQ course curriculum will provide a better learning experience as it will undergo an improvement process in the first quarter of 2025.

FirstCom Academy will be responsible for informing learners enrolled in its courses that begin during the suspension period that its courses will not be subsidized by SSG or eligible for SkillsFuture credits, SSG said.

Learners also cannot achieve WSQ achievement declaration as the company cannot start WSQ courses during the suspension period.

Learners whose courses will only end during the suspension period, having already started or started before the suspension period, will not be impacted.

Those whose courses have not started and do not wish to continue with FirstCom Academy can contact the academy or contact SSG for a list of similar courses provided by other training providers registered with SSG.

Those who come across training providers who follow similar practices can share their feedback at skillsfuture.gov.sg/feedback.

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