iconoClass: ‘No Job No Pay’ Business School Launches In The UK

“iconoClass has been one of the best experiences of my life. I received quality training based on practice and was offered a permanent job with a good salary at a company I really wanted to work for, in just 4 months!” Maïmouna Kane, Business developer @ Didask.

Are you a Millennials looking to change careers? Or Gen Z looking to start a career in tech sales/business development?

Meet iconoClass – the 1^st start-up revolutionising business development training and recruitment in Europe and the UK.

Founded by Marie Taquet, a 27-year-old Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneur, iconoClass aims to bridge the divide between higher education and employment by teaching essential sales skills that fully prepare candidates for a career in business development.

In the last 3 years, the company has secured partnerships with numerous high-growth tech start-ups and major brands including HubSpot, Contentsquare, and SumUp.

These connections have enabled iconoClass to act as a personal recruitment agency for its candidates; helping them to secure roles with its partner firms upon graduating. A recent funding round raised €3M to accelerate iconoClass into the UK and the wider European market.

What makes iconoClass better than other business schools?

iconoClass solves several problems on both sides – demand (companies) and supply (students/talent) – by offering a very attractive solution. 

Benefits for students

♥ Guaranteed job or your money back 

Students pay course fees only once employed in a permanent role earning at least £24k. This is a major advantage because there is no risk, which makes the course more accessible for everyone. Other business schools charge tuition fees upfront, and the loan has to be repaid at a lower income threshold. This is a big problem as many students struggle to find well-paid jobs in their chosen area of expertise, yet they are still required to pay back their student loans.

If iconoClass graduates don’t find permanent employment within a year of completing the course, they will be refunded their registration fee.

♥ Students will be equipped with practical on-the-job knowledge rather than theory

Unlike traditional business schools that put too much emphasis on unnecessary and outdated theory, iconoClass prepares students for real-life work in leading tech firms and global brands. For 80% of the course, students will be taught practice-based business development and sales skills by professionals in senior positions at iconoClass’s partner companies, which include HubSpot, SumUp, Revolut, Contentsquare, Welcome to the Jungle, Sunday, and PayFit.

iconoClass’s bespoke approach to training provides candidates with experience across the entire sales cycle, so they’re prepared for a wide range of business development and sales operations roles.

♥  10X faster route to employment: 4 months instead of 3 years

Unlike universities, where the average course takes 3 years to complete, within just 4 months, iconoClass students will possess all the necessary experience to hit the ground running in a B2B sales role.

Hear how iconoClass student Kimberley McIntrye
switched careers from being a teacher to a corporate
sales representative in just four months
– https://vimeo.com/700899934/1adbef5234 

♥ Better chance to get employed at the leading tech companies

98% of iconoClass graduates find permanent employment within 3 months, compared to less than 50% of students coming out of university.

What’s behind this incredible success rate?

2 reasons: more adequate training that helps to hit the ground running immediately after graduation, and partnerships with some of the biggest tech companies in the world.

You can think of iconoClass as your personal recruitment agency that helps with both – training and work placement.

♥ More affordable course fee (£6K instead of the average £45K)

With the average student loan debt calculated to be £45,000, iconoClass’s £6,000 course offers students a speedier and far more economically viable route into the UK jobs market.

♥ Bigger starting salary (£41k per annum, compared to £30.5k)

Tech is a booming industry with salaries to match. The average starting salary of students employed post an iconoClass course is £41k per annum, compared to £30.5k for students leaving university.   

Benefits for companies

♥ iconoClass improves skills shortage in B2B tech sales

A recent MP-led inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Professional Sales found there is a major shortage of skilled B2B sales representatives in the UK, with almost 200,000 job postings for sellers in a profession that numbers just under 550,000.

The sales industry has a serious deficit of skilled SDRs, iconoClass offers a solution that places proficient candidates in relevant roles, boosting employment and the economy.

Interested?

The first UK bootcamp will commence in September 2022, with applications now open for 30 potential candidates with the second cohort of 60 to follow in February 2023.

The course is hybrid with the option for students to join online or from iconoClass’s hubs in central London and Hull; making it accessible to students based anywhere in the UK.

Unlike other training and university courses which require students to have certain qualifications, iconoClass is open to students of all ages and academic backgrounds with no previous professional qualifications required.