Question on Institute of Image Consulting = buy a shiny certificate online?

Hi all,

http://www.inst.org/image-consulting-courses/become.htm

I am always interested in image consulting and came across this web site which is doing a diploma course in image consultant. The web site claim this course accredited by the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council (ODLQC), however, when i go on this ODLQC web site, 50% of the link is broken (even the contact us form) and it is very out of dated (last update is 2004). Their list of course search engine is dead, so I have no way to tell if this course is really accredited.

http://www.odlqc.org.uk/

Questions:
1) Is this ODLQC a legimate gov agency (they claim to be one)? are they still in business?
2) Did you or you know any one have enrolled on the course provided by this inst.org organization?
3) Would you pay US$50 to employ someone graduated with this certificate to tell you what to wear to work?
4) Most importantly, if you have this certificate, would you put this on your CV? [I never do distance learning before and it always appear to me it is just a big scam of money to send you a shiny certificate in frame -- Like a buy a degree thing]
5) Even more importantly, I never did any art related course, will I learn anything from this kind of degree? How is this distance learning different from buy a more "technical" fashion book at amazon?

Thanks.

 

The ODLQC does seem to be a legit organization. In my opinion the program is what it is, it falls under the category "you get what you pay for". I'm generally skeptical of education in a box that would tout their diploma on the same page as the program.

I would not pay for such a service nor could i conceivably see any of my friends doing so. It's up to you though, if you feel it is worthwhile then go for it.

 

My image consultant is called the LL Bean catalog. It's free.

 

It seems quite a legitimate school.

At the end of the course (which can be as short as 3 months), you can put their "Dip. IC (Inst. IC)" designation after your name. And that suggests that this question of yours is the crucial one:

How many people are out there now earning money with this designation? When I did a Google search for "Dip. IC (Inst. IC)" it produced only two hits, both of them on this organization's website.

When I look on the website of what seems to be the main trade association, the Association of Image Consultants International (http://www.aici.org/), they list a dozen or so members, including in the UK, but not this one. It might be useful to learn why they are not members . . . and to make contact with some of the U.S. members, and get a sense of what other courses are like.

Finally . . . what do you think of the Institute of Image Consulting promotional video? I guess I wasn't inspired by Mr. Sadgrove sitting there in his drab blue shirt in front of a drab grey wall with a drooping plant as the only 'accessory.'

 

This brings back memories of an image consultant who worked as a part timer in my department. Lets just say she was canned in three months. Narcissist is the word, with a touch of my skin color is better than your skin color. Image Consultant...mind you.

 

Seems that the comment about this course from recent graduate is very positive, so I am thinking to give it a go ahead.

One question:
My background is in a hard science subject and works in a (male dominated industry) professional firm, I wonder what will my future employer think of this "more artistic" diploma on the CV?
Will it give out the wrong impression about my sexual interest? or seen as a weaker player? [since everyone taken this course is girl]