Clown culture, clown everything - Anonymous employee FirstCom Academy Employee Review

You’re essentially being sold the narrative that you’re “helping fellow Singaporeans upskill” by tapping on their SkillsFuture subsidies and credits. The reality is very different—there are countless other academies offering far more relevant and fulfilling courses at a fraction of the cost, in line with the true spirit of upskilling. Instead, FCA inflate fees by throwing in catered meals, while pushing outdated, uninspiring programmes in particular their soft skills courses — which add little to no real value.

The CEO and management have zero regard for employees, and even less for the national agenda of upskilling. Their sole focus is milking government subsidies and schemes, right from Day 1 of the company’s existence. Ethics and integrity take a backseat—KPIs are deliberately skewed to reward staff for pushing overpriced, irrelevant courses onto vulnerable individuals. Course quality is abysmal—outdated, uninspiring, and hardly worth $200. Learners would benefit far more from LinkedIn Learning or Udemy at a fraction of the cost. Fees are inflated beyond reason, dressed up with “perks” like catered meals, but the value simply isn’t there. The culture is equally toxic. Promises to staff are rarely kept, KPIs and roles change constantly to patch up turnover, and the company suffers one of the highest attrition rates I’ve seen. You could be the boss’s favourite today and his “buay kan” outcast tomorrow—he runs on emotion, dismisses dissent, and creates no psychological safety. Yes-men survive; anyone with a backbone doesn’t. Townhalls are a disgrace—laced with vulgarities and empty boasting. The CEO thrives on sycophants, rewarding only bootlickers, while the culture he has built is shallow, transactional, and driven purely by money. When the money stops, so does the loyalty.

Supportive colleagues and teamwork Many employees work hard to support one another, and there’s a friendly, collaborative feel among peers. Managers are often approachable and open to feedback, which helped when I needed guidance or clarification. Competitive pay and incentives The compensation structure, including salary and commissions/incentives, can be attractive for those who thrive in performance-driven environments. For people willing to put in effort, this structure can be rewarding financially. The environment is dynamic, which can help build resilience and expose staff to a variety of tasks quickly. This can be good for personal growth if you adapt well to rapid changes.

Work-life balance and workload Roles here are often demanding with high KPIs and fast-moving targets. Workload can feel intense especially during peak periods, and overtime is common. A clearer structure around expectations and better planning could help improve balance.