NCRQ Collapse - Insider Information from Ex-Staff

Описание: NCRQ UPDATE, BACKGROUND, and INSIDE INFORMATION 08/10/2022

I've been down the rabbit hole and spoken with a few NCRQ staff (now ex-staff). Let me be clear: despite my NEBOSH background, I've always been a BIG fan of NCRQ quals. They introduced competition and innovation in what was a stagnant monopoly. NEBOSH and IOSH were better off for having a strong competitor.

There are unanswered questions:
Have NCRQ Ltd have sold their qualifications and "copyright" to Hatten Education Ltd for a fair sum? I don't know. If they have transferred the quals to Hatten for £0 and left the massive IOSH debt, then they are acting illegally and @IOSH and the insolvency practitioner need to look into this.
Ex-staff tell me that 5 NCRQ staff have continued working with Hatten and over the weekend they manually removed all NCRQ books (stock) and took these to new offices. Is this true and did Hatten pay for these? I'm told 2 people felt uncomfortable and decided to stop.
According to Hatten Education's website, NCRQ launched their Fire Diploma without completing some of the learning materials and assessments. That's why they haven't taken it on. Where the students told it wasn't finished? What do AIM Qualifications think of this? OfQual?

I'm in two minds around the ethics of this. I'm not a fan of directors running away from debts. On the other hand, if the debt threatened the company, this arrangement at least allows students to finish their quals (except Fire). I'll let you make up your own mind whether things are above board or not.

Also, there is Hatten Education AND Hatten Qualifications, two separate companies. I'm told that there are concerns NCRQ was at the mercy of AIM qualifications (the awarding body) so Hatten Qualifications was set up to become an OfQual regulated awarding body in its own right.

NCRQ are not accredited by IOSH, nor are they directly regulated by OfQual. They work under the regulatory approval of AIM qualifications. IOSH list AIM as the course provider of NCRQ quals on their website.

Here's a TIMELINE:

2016
NCRQ sued IOSH for abuse of their dominant market position and refusal to accredit the NCRQ Diploma for GradIOSH level. NCRQ won. IOSH were forced to accredit the Diploma. NCRQ began a disruptive marketing campaign.
2019
Hatten Education Ltd is incorporated by originally called Endeavour Professional Training Solutions Ltd. Micro company doing £25k business.
NCRQ are sued by IOSH for trademark violation. The NCRQ "Managing Safely" course, targeted at line-managers has the name as IOSH "Managing Safely". IOSH win and NCRQ are forced to rename the course NCRQ "Safety for Managers". NCRQ are ordered to pay a six figure legal fee to IOSH.

April 2022
IOSH submit a case against NCRQ in the High Court under Intellectual Property and Passing off of Trademarks. Case is current ongoing. Details unknown. Documents have been requested. Possibly trying to enforce the payment of legal costs?

Aug 2022
Hatten Qualications Ltd is incorporated.

Sept 2022
The NCRQ Level 6 Diploma in Fire Risk Assessment is launched. But its development took much longer and was more expensive than expected. The reception is mixed with comments online that it doesn't meet various competency requirements. Ex-staff say the sales are low with only 40 people signing up.
NCRQ is still hiring new starters. 3 people started w/c 12th. 5 people started w/c 26th. 3 more due to start on the following Monday 3rd.

28th Sept
Endeavour changes its name to Hatten Education Ltd and its address.

30th Sept
Emergency video call with all staff announcing the INSOLVENCY immediate loss of all jobs. Staff advised to submit claims to government for unpaid wages. Most have less than 2 years service so cannot get redundancy pay.
NCRQ LMS goes offline causing rumours of their failure on social media.

Oct 2022

NCRQ announce publically they are in insolvency proceedings claiming to have invested all profits into the Fire Diploma and blaming IOSH for enforcing a "trival" 6-figure debt.
Hatten Education announce they are taking over the NCRQ qualifications (except Fire, because NCRQ didn't complete it) and invite students to register at no extra charge. Fire students are advised to contact their finance provider to claim back monies if bought on credit.
IOSH release a statement expressing concern and say they're seeking information from AIM and NCRQ.

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