Phoenix University has lost half of its Students in the last five years

I read today that Phoenix University has lost half of its students in the last 5 years.
CNN wrote this report.

Enrollment at America's largest for-profit university was about 460,000 students five years ago. Now it's 213,000...
What's ahead: The numbers are telling: Apollo Education Group had revenues close to $5 billion in 2010. This year it will be lucky to take in $2.7 billion.

I have to say that commercially I have used Phoenix to illustrate that this kind of accreditted training does produce a cash flow.

This University is a for profit concern, and may soon have to compete with a free community programme.

But the headwinds continue for for-profit institutions in the U.S. Last March, the Obama administration proposed new limitations on federal aid doled out to for-profit colleges.

President Obama then announced another initiative in January to make community college free. For-profit universities compete for many of the same students that community colleges take in.

Once accredited by a countries government students education can be used towards a degree course.

My earliest experience of this was when studying in Germany, I attended the Goethe institute. This institute was home to many American students. The Goethe Diploma was accepted by many American educational institutions towards obtaining a degree qualification.

The Goethe institute is based in Germany, but has branches throughout the globe. The first time a took a course with them it was in Dublin Ireland.

As I am forever proposing an educational institute, I thought it only appropriate to show some negative press with regard to the success and failure of such institutions.

I still think a well thought out and ethically run institution can and will succeed.

Unethical actions can have positive outcomes! Linkedin Colleague requests.

I have just had a Linkedin request from a person who caused me to leave GM Flint.

The Unethical action

 The Linkedin wannabe colleague, got copies of a job he designed and made hardcopies via a 3rd party and left them on a high level Design Managers desk.

By printing off the copies on my computer under my log in ID. The Manager in question ( two levels above my then GM boss, Ron - I can't remember his name) would see the ID on the screen copies and attribute the design material to me.

Needless to say the quality of this material was abysmal.

He is now a high level GM Design Manager himself now. So theoretically it would be a positive thing to have him as a contact.
I didn't make a fuss at the time. I left for a much better paying job.

I must say I am not sure to be annoyed or amused!
His GM brand is closing its Engineering unit, so maybe that has something to do with it.

In this case once bitten twice shy.

The gentleman in question will fall on his feet I'm sure, however I prefer to remain outside of his area of influence.

I must say, everything happens for a reason, and whilst my career appears to be on hold presently, I have enjoyed my life experience in the last decade or so.

Sitting behind a tube in Warren Mi would pay the bills. I don't miss it at all.

The Positve outcome

Since leaving Flint, I worked for GM in my new role in America and Germany. Enjoyed it thoroughly, worked in Malaysia, loved Malaysia... working for Lotus wasn't great if I'm honest. My wanna be Linkedin colleague would have been at home there.

Being involved with a Media company (Board Member) getting some first hand experience with the tourist industry (more as a friend than worker)

 and meeting CEO's and in one case the ex Malaysian PM, Dr. Tun Mahathir (on the left below), no we're not friends or colleagues, would not have happened without my wanna be Linkedin friend.

There are a lot more positives than negatives that came out of his unethical action.

Everything happens for a reason!

Next step... Get my Dream project up and running!

I know who can influence the outcome. I hope they come through for me.

Lucky I'm patient and persistent and happy... healthy... don't hold grudges... the list goes on.

Getting funding for your dream project is not easy...

I use social media and have a webpage www.motorsportuniversitymalaysia.com
I don't tend to add pictures and jokes to my facebook page. I usually just update my blog www.motorsportuniversitymalaysia.blogspot.com I then share this on Google+ and sometimes Linkedin.
I actually have a lot of pageviews on Google+
Today, I checked out Linkedin. I went onto the Detroit Electric page. I have met with Albert Lam. Presently, Albert is the founder of Detroit Electric, then he was CEO of Lotus Engineering. It was good of him to give me the time, and pay for my coffee!

 He said if I could show him a revenue stream for a "Training" proposal he would bring onboard investors. His experience with training was much the same as General Motors with small cars, ie "We don't make money from ..."

He seems to have spent the last few years trying to sell an electric Elise. I then expect (I don't know) that he will source another ICE production car from China and put an electric power unit in it.
No R&D costs with the complete development of a vehicle. Just assemble and sell.

Good Luck with that.

I noticed on the Detroit Electric page one person I know. The Executive Program Manager. I assume he works from home. He appears to be the only one based in Singapore.
There are several in China,Holland and the UK, with a couple in Detroit.

Additionally, I saw that my facebook friend Kumar has done some ride and handling work for them. Kumar worked in Lotus Engineering. I helped him financially (personally) in his early rallying career. Lotus Engineering does not have a budget for Rally Driving per se.

I am incredibly biased, that I admit. BUT I wish that my proposal would receive the funding and support that this project has.

Well run ethical institutions that offer bona fide certification nowadays often exceed one million clients. That in my view (biased, I know) represents a revenue stream.

Whilst I have called the project MUM Malaysian Motorsport University, this was because I was with Lotus/ Proton at the early inception. The project has a global vision.

It will happen, I'm sure.

In the meantime, I wish Albert Lam and his crew all the best.

Geneva, Lotus and Tun Mahathir.

Since my invitation to meet the then CEO of Lotus Mike Kimberley some years ago, I have not been to the Geneva Show.
I never did meet Mike, although a year or two later we sat a few feet from each other at a conference. We never spoke.
Today, Lotus have a CEO called Jean-Marc Gales. A European with an Auto Executive CV.
This week Lotus Unveiled their updated/new car. An Evora 400.

Jean-Marc has appeared in many online media outlets this week.

CAR asked him the following:

There’s no real link between the Lotus F1 team and the road cars. But how beneficial do you think the F1 connection is?

'I think people can over-estimate the link to motorsport – there is no synergy between the race cars and the road cars.'

I have to agree with him. However, Lotus are certainly well served by the Marketing of their name by F1.
Their cars are at the end of the day 'Sports Cars'.
F1 has a Red Bull team. They make soft drinks, and obviously see some benefit in being associated with successful sport franchises.

Anyway, I saw this video on the Lotus forum and thought I would share it.

You will notice that Jean-Marc pulls the cover back with the Lotus Chairman, Tun Mahathir.
I have briefly met Tun.

And I have contacted him on several occasions about my proposal.
One I am sure he will throw his support behind it.
Success is never guaranteed, however I would be very disapointed and suprised if I let him down.
I believe in the project, and myself.