Phoenix Reviews 565

My experience was made great with the support and chances the instructors gave me, the drills where more enjoyable then what I thought it would be, I would’ve like to do more surveillance as that is a part of work I would like to go forward with.

The training course is short and compact, meaning most practicals are tightly packed together, leaving less time to engage in bigger group. The course isn’t for everyone, and for the ones that join, be prepared to be mentality challenged by the tutor. They are there to encourage a positive change.

Humour kept the course interactive. Some of the drills pushed your physical limit. Although some of the practicals are practically crash courses, it gives you the basic knowledge on how to apply these techniques in the real world. Remember them.

One problem I found was being assigned to a group, which from the start was a disaster. But, I took everything as a test, even the attitude and behaviours within the group.

A taste of crash courses on what the world of CP would be like: combat, driving manoeuvres, foot and evacuation drills, and a short course on firing range (although, ten bullets, really doesn’t really suffice for gun training).

Overall, course itself has been engaging. There’s a lot of reading involved. So prepare to put your effort into it. Do that and you’ll do fine.

Thoroughly enjoyed the course very professionally run trainers are very knowledgeable.
Highly recommended to do the course with Phoenix.
Be prepared to give up 21 days of Social life to invest in the course. money well spent!

Trainers were extremely knowledgeable and helpful throughout providing plenty of support and engaging well with everyone. I’d recommend doing this course with Phoenix to anyone interested in this industry as they will get you to a really good standard.

The trainers were very knowledgable and professional. The training was a good experience getting to work with a team and carry out live operations. It also provided days like combat, firearms and driving day.

I Loved the professional and serious way they brought the course, everyday was a busy day with a lot of work, as i would expect from a course like these, the training was very clear, and the exercises were very insightfull and a big learning curve, I've loved this course and it was a very great challenge!

The people who provide the training have a lot of experience and it is very educational.
It is very clear what they say even though English is not my native language.
We did exercices as they would be in real life with real clients.
I am happy that a have chosen for Phoenix close protection course.
Thank you

I've just finished the October installment of Phoenix's CPO course. I found the entirety of the course to be satisfying imersive. This is definitely not 'death by PowerPoint' training. The two main tutors Jaye and Lance managed to truly learn and understand all of us as pupils. They knew exactly how to test, push and get the very best out of us, so that we can take as much away from our experience as possible. Will the pleathura of their knowledge and time served in the industry, the whole Phoenix team showed a professional and polished structure to their teachings. Even if you decided not to pursue a job in the industry, the skills gained from this course will help monumentaly in everyday life. From conflict management to coping with perception and perspective.
Everyone in the group worked together really well, and thoroughly enjoyed the 21 days. The highlights for myself would be the driving day, and the live operations that were carried out in, and around Birmingham.
I would definitely recommend staying at their appointed accommodation/hotel. This is due to everyone being in the same place to complete the tasks set as a group. The people who stayed at a different location seemed to be at a disadvantage due to more travel times. If you're trying to decide whether or not to enrole on this course. Get on it, you won't regret it!

The course is very intens you have to be switched on and ready to learn everyday. You will not be the same person you were when you started the course. In the short amount of time you are on the course you will learn how to be one of the best CP operatives in the country. Jay and Lance who run the course are a mountain of knowledge and they give you as much as they can while you are with them.they are definitelythe best in the country hands down. Special shout out to Michelle aswell if you need any she will point you in the right direction.

Excellent instructor, helpful staff, nice venue. I'm glad to have chosen them for this course and would choose their courses again in the future

Intense training effective theory great trainers

Absolutely awful company, definitely do not recommend.

I was leaving the military so decided to book onto a Phoenix CP course without looking into it too much, I then decided to stay in the military after a couple days of booking the course so asked for a refund. After a email saying they would accept my refund and be in my account in 8-10 days, it wasn’t.
After several phone calls and several emails to different people and getting absolutely zero response, I eventually got through to someone who said she will try and sort it. 4 months from my “we accept your refund” I finally got my money back.
Don’t be fooled by their website, they are an awful company with an awful reputation in the CP industry.

They give you a 14days cooling period if you've changed your mind and want to withdraw from enrolling with them in their course so you can get your money back but when you apply for that within that given period, they refuse with refunding you plus they rude about it. Wouldn't recommend it to anyone

Good course, although expensive and intense, found out later on you need additional training to get a job really, preferably frek 3 etc .. so but of a ballache, but still learnt a lot.

Conducting the day and night operations makes this course as realistic and hands on. What I enjoyed as well is the non combat day that has really open my eyes. Would recommend it to anyone.

A very intense but rewarding course, with trainers who are demanding but build you to a top standard of work that replicates real life CP environments. No matter wether your ex military, a normal person with a 9-5 or have just left college, you can definitely learn about yourself doing this course

The course is challenging but rewarding and provides everything necessary to feel confident going out into the real world of CP.

Challenging but enjoyable

Do not fall for the bot accounts and scam reviews, this course is a waste of money, do your research. Having Phoenix on any form of paperwork/cv will stop you getting work, they have a history of deleting reviews and boosting ratings with fake accounts.

In house quals are a waste of money, are completely useless outside of phoenix, the course is all over the place with the first week being days with 12-13hrs in a classroom and then homework. Then later in the course it’s so much waiting around with no idea what’s going on, the main excuse given to us was we have other work to do, leaving us in the classroom for multiple hours.

Both instructors give different feedback that contradicts each other, with one saying it’s fine and the other saying you need more?!

God help you if you get put down as a driver for the course as that’s all you will do on all the “live Ops” is be a driver, especially if your course has a limited number of people they can put down as one.

Overall if they allowed you to skip the the firearms day (just 20 rounds of 22 with busted broken weapons that jam or have busted sights), unarmed combat day (all you get from this is injuries and nothing relevant you couldn’t learn in a day at any martial arts/boxing session) and evasive driving day (busted cars, no toilets in the middle of nowhere, learning how to drive close and J-turn that’s it, nothing more to offer on this day, just more standing around, shooting paintball guns is fun but you can just do that cheaper elsewhere.) If they made all these optional to bring the price down by £1000 would be a better sell.

Only saving grace is the people on the course with you, having a laugh with them in the hotel.

For all military personnel (or anyone doing course research), please don't be foolish like I was, and use your ELCAS for this company who on reflection, rip good people off. The delivery of the course is sub standard and the attitude towards the students is borderline shocking and some serious questions should be asked of their moral duty.

I could honestly write a novel on why not to use Phoenix as your course provider including endless examples but please be extremely cautious before committing.

Check reviews but don't be fooled by the good ones - you're told before the course during the sales pitch that once passed, you will be on the Phoenix books and working. Obviously you're not going to start hammering your future employer (which you'll never be as they really aren't global leaders), so just be mindful of that.

My advice:
- DO NOT accept the promise of 11 internationally recognised qualifications in close protection as stated on their website, this is false advertising. Only 2 are recognised as awarded by an awarding body (SFJ and Highfield for this company). The additional £1000 paid for 3 of these 'pretend' qualifications is both morally and ethically wrong but they get away with it time after time.
- the salesperson has never been a member of the Royal Marines which is a common ice breaker when chatting to military prior to sale (another Walt).
- find a course which is less expensive which includes FREC3 (99% of the industry require this and it will help with employment over a basic 1st aid course provided.
- find a course that isn't Phoenix - they have a terrible reputation in the industry and it 100% affects job opportunities. Example 1 - one of the top tier CP companies won't touch me because of my course provider. Example 2 - another ex serviceman from my course literally did a top up course with another company straight after due to his current employer stating the same reason reference his course provider. Unless you're ex mil or have some very good connections, you won't get touched by reputable companies.
- if you do decide to go through with it, don't put anything to do with Phoenix on your CV. Same reason as above.
- listen to the ELCAS team when they ask you 3 times if you're sure you want this company. They cannot tell you to keep away but a subtle hint should raise a red flag or 2. (For info - a company registered with ELCAS have a pre requisite of needing a pulse, there is zero quality control).
- try not to live with regret like I do every day. It's too expensive for what is claimed to result in endless globally recognised qualifications. Apart from the CP and 1st Aid qualifications, the rest mean absolutely nothing as not awarded by a body. You could make them yourself on a computer and would mean the same i.e. absolutely worthless.

I could go on but thank you for your time in reading my review, hopefully it will remain and not be taken down to ensure future students have some honest feedback.

For info - I passed the course with 'merit' so I'm not writing anything to be bitter. I just want to pass on my experience now after being on the circuit for 9 months post 24 years in the British Army.

This is only my opinion as a former student which is allowed by UK law to protect my right to free speech. This is from an individual who has published a genuine and honest opinion about a product or service.

And no, I do not want any response from Phoenix thank you very much. This is based on reflection since my Dec 23 course...and I've been busy.

Kind regards