WTEFLAC Accreditation was useful for students looking for a reputable provider and those looking to distinguish themselves from the crowd.
As the number of TEFL and TESOL providers grew, it became increasingly difficult for legitimate providers to make themselves heard. Students were at risk from fraudsters and couldn’t be certain if the course they chose would help them in their career. The WTEFLAC sought to change that with an accreditation process that would give customers much needed information when making a decision.
Information
A WTEFLAC accreditation was most obviously useful for individual students as they sought to find a training provider. The internet may provide people with a lot of choices, but it can be difficult to know whether a provider is legitimate and if they provide value for money.
The presence of the WTEFLAC mark proved that the company had been through the accreditation procedure and demonstrated a commitment to quality and could offer a high-quality course that would help people find a worthwhile replacement.
It also provided reassurance that the provider was legitimate and that students weren’t at risk of being scammed. The last few years have seen a surge in the number of fraudulent websites with fraudsters creating fake companies that claim to offer a service but disappear once payment is taken.
By choosing a provider with the WTEFLAC mark, you knew you were working with a legitimate company.
Transparency
It’s one thing to claim your website, but quite another to deliver it. We’ve all encountered companies that made bold promises in their marketing material but were much less impressive in real life.
In the TEFL sector, a poor-quality course could cost you hundreds of pounds and waste months of your life. The WTEFLAC accreditation mark injected much needed transparency and accountability into the process. The WTEFLAC published its methodology and code of practice on its website, so all students could see how a company had been reviewed and how decisions had been reached.
Differentiation
Accreditation was a highly valuable resource for TEFL and TESOL providers. In a world in which anyone can build a website, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. Plenty of companies produce glossy websites and marketing materials claiming to offer professional standard courses at a remarkable discount. However, closer examination would often reveal that the courses were short, substandard and did not lead to any recognised qualification.
For legitimate providers, this can be frustrating. Most people find TEFL providers through a web search. Fraudulent or substandard providers served to erode trust in the entire industry.
A WTEFLAC mark demonstrated that the company had been reviewed by a third party and that it would deliver on its promises.
Self-improvement
Companies could also use the accreditation process to carry out an audit and improve their own practices. No matter how good a company is, it can always get better. The accreditation process would be a chance for providers to compare their own services against a benchmark and identify ways in which they could improve.
Both from the student’s perspective, therefore, and the TEFL providers the WTEFLAC helped to shed light on the industry, provide guidance, and raise standards.