I am looking at starting a Sage Training Centre based closed to Heathrow. I note that apart from night schools there do not appear to be any centres close to Heathrow itself.
I have a few ideas floating including based around the Sage Certificate Books. The idea being a 1 to 2 day training which would include loading the CD and starting you on the way to completing the book reading for you to practice at home and sit the exam. Students would either bring their own laptops so they will have Sage CD loaded or use laptop provided and re-load onto their own laptop at a later date.
Any feedback or additional ideas would be much appreciated.
thank you
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Donna Curling - Complete Book-Keeping Ltd (CBKLtd) - 07939 101900
Personally I think that it might be better to consider not giving students the software.
I'm thinking here about the Pitman training model where students turn up whenever they like at your site to use your soiftware leading to taking sage certification.
You provide the assistance that they need whilst they are on site and they have books to go away and study but not the software.
To my mind this would be the only way of differentiating between you supplying the course and them buying it directly from Amazon.
It would also be a good idea for you to write your own SAGE manual to give to students as invariably if they can get the same elsewhere they will.
Actually, back to the Pitman statement above. You do realise that there are Pitman training schools within easy reach of Heathrow providing SAGE training don't you. They also provide free pick up from the airport.
Also, I looked at a Pitman franchise some time back and for my area at least it was really struggling against servces provided by local colleges.
Don't want to be the damp squibb here but just want you to be going into this venture with your eye's wide open as hate to see any of the members of this site losing money. Espechially big money which setting up a training company would require.
Good luck anyway. Best of luck,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Like Shaun I think you may struggle to make money out of a venture like this. I have in the past run a LSC funded IT training centre and it was difficult to break-even, even with government funding and offering courses for minimal fees or free. The outlay in equipment for setting up a centre would take a lot to recoup particularly as the equipment would require frequent updating never mind the cost of renting suitable premises, as I don't think people would be willing to pay and bring their own equipment. If you are providing them with the software and the books, why would they need 1 to 2 days training? What value would you be adding and would it be worth it to them? Personally I find tailored training to either an individual on a one to one or a company at their premises using their data to help them get the best out of their system is both more cost effective for them and more lucrative for the trainer.
