which one of this is more powerful in job qualification. British council only give certificate of attendance for students in English Courses. If a working professional, between these 2 english center , which one can help job interview better. Which one is more recognized?

You may want to look into those that IELTS course if you don't have the qualification. It's the most common English exam. I believe in terms of job interview it will be the one that's the most popular.

If you already has the chance to step in for interview, most interviewers won't bother to look at your English cert since they already has the opportunities to listen and talk to you in English 1st hand
No matter what course one attended, what cert one have, if the interviewee could not pull off the English on the day of the interview, too bad.
Grumpyorang is right in a way. To prove you have the required English proficiency in your CV, IELTS or TOEFL score is good.

If you are really looking to improve your English, British Council is good.
Btw, "Cambridge for Life" is not really from Cambridge UK

but this cambrdge for life based in tropicana was endorsed by cambridge UK as the exam center for all their exam. i saw their company name stated very clearly in cambridge authorized center in malaysia.

as for IELTS and Toefl its more for university students or immigrants not their native language. for work professional, cambridge or Toecl is more advance and very advance . its more toward separation from men to school boy command in language. everybody can write, read n talk but the level is what separate everybody.

this is my latest finding from the internet. i cannot confirm the above statement but was written by somebody.

This post has been edited by hackwire: Dec 9 2012, 02:13 PM

I think for your situation the business English certificate by cambridge english for life would be more suitable since it is geared towards the business world.

IELTS and TOEFL are simply proofs of English proficiency and are only valid for a certain period of time. The certificates by CEFL on the other hand are qualifications which lasts a lifetime.

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Added on December 9, 2012, 2:35 pmWhen they say "Cambridge" they refer to Cambridge International Examinations which happens to be the examination board that regulates most of the A level examinations in our country. Only ignorant Malaysians would make the assumption that it refers to Cambridge University without looking any further.

This post has been edited by Intermission: Dec 9 2012, 02:35 PM

Pardon my ignorance Are you saying that a candidate who scored in Band 9 of IELTS a few years ago going to college will become less proficient in his / her English upon graduation?

Most foreign universities using English as teaching medium has a minimum requirement in IELTS, but if a candidate put down Band 9 IELTS in his / her CV, I have more confidence in an internationally accepted test.

And a lot of MNCs does look at IELTS, not just universities.

Maybe you should check with Cambridge for Life, and see how they rate their cert vis-a-vis IELTS. I remember I saw somewhere they rate their Certificate of Proficiency about the same as IELTS Band 9.

This post has been edited by nexus2238: Dec 9 2012, 04:43 PM

thanks intermission.
I was first doubting about CEFL because many forumers think that Cambridge for life franchise was not good. I do agree also but later i found out that there's truth behind it because of the franchise system they implemented thus there's a quality issue . Only a few centers are still manage by the HQ . I never been to HQ before but i believe one should go to the HQ just like going directly to British Council.

And like you mentioned , many malaysians are ignorant and which it is also because they linked the word Cambridge to the university. But the business owner is pretty smart because she used the word Cambridge . In fact, the center has been authorized to conduct exam in the center now after looking at Cambridge U website


http://cambridgeesol-centres.org/centres/s...qualification=5

If you're still looking for English classes and you are a working professional, you might have to consider that most students in CEFL are younger/in their teens whereas British Council houses more older adults (a lot of internationals). If you don't feel awkward being in a class with younger kids around 15 (I imagine you should be about 10 years older than them), then so be it.
Teaching wise, more teaching staff in CEFL are local Chinese who have apparently obtained some 'teaching' certificate. I can tell you that if you're looking for native English speakers, you can definitely find more of them in British Council.
Location wise, CEFL have more outlets and is more accessible. British Council only have 2 centers in PJ/KL area. State and Jalan Ampang.
Also, bear in mind that you have to sit for a placement test in CEFL. It's not necessary that you'll get into the CPE class (highest level) so you might be placed in the "lower" level with even younger rich kids....also, I think in terms of frequency of exams, IELTS definitely have more exam sittings (can be up to about 4 in a month) whereas you need to study for the CPE for at least 1 year before sitting for it (that is if you're stream to the CPE class at the first place)...sure you have the determination for it?

Please, ignorance is a heavy word for ignoramus themselves.
Cambridge refers to Cambridge International Examinations, a segment of the University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate (UCLES) branded under Cambridge Assessment, which is a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge.
All of them are heavy associated with the university itself, and the naming derived from the parental organization, which is the primary University of Cambridge.

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Added on December 9, 2012, 6:23 pmAnother follow-up. Intermission may have been mistaken or overlooked that particular detail, but those that accepts and confirms it without research as though they did are even worse.

This post has been edited by reconnaissance: Dec 9 2012, 06:31 PM

I think you are confusing. Intermission is describing the Center while you are providing the description of the examination which we already knew. Cambridge for Life is not purely link or affiliated with Cambridge University . I think you should read slower next time before starting to criticize people. this is not kopitiam.

Please, he said the Cambridge meant Cambridge International Examinations, which I then clear it to have association with the university itself. Both Cambridge's' refers to the same institution of different departments.
It is not which word he corrects that I am recorrecting, but the institution as a whole.
Please understand clearly that I do not need to read it slower, and I believe so do you. It is the mind that matters most.
Accept it.

This post has been edited by reconnaissance: Dec 9 2012, 10:20 PM

Of course not, it is just that IELTS is not deemed as a valid proof of english proficiency after 2 years. It is the qualification itself that expires, not your english proficiency. I am equally confused why is this happening, but that is the way how it works. BEC would be better as a longer lasting qualification.

There's nothing to apologize, I wasn't really referring to you since you made the distinction after all.

TS is looking for an institution that offers english language proficiency qualification for working adults. While the teaching quality provided by the British Council may be better, they are not a institution that provides a qualification like BEC. With his current english proficiency, TS may have a hard time trying to get into a CPE class, but he certainly could get into a BEC class.


The teaching is certainly not from University of Cambridge as you stated.

I think you have misunderstood the situation here. When people ask people about classes, what they are concerned is usually the teaching itself. I have never said that CEFL has nothing to do University of Cambridge, nor did I say that it is not a worthy qualification. I was merely pointing out the fact that the center itself does not conduct classes which are taught by tutors from University of Cambridge. Given the high cost of such tuition classes, some people may have such false expectations and therefore this distinction must be made.

This post has been edited by Intermission: Dec 9 2012, 10:22 PM

I think you misunderstood which part I am correcting.
First, I wrote NON-teaching, so we are both right, but I think you overlooked that.
And it's not about the classes have relation with the university, of course they don't, but the fact that you mentioned the CIE in the context as though it is not part of the university.
It is miscommunication, then misunderstood. And then there's that guy.

Come to read it again, it's not primarily your part that I was worried of but how he come to understand what you meant, like saying that the business owner was smart for using the word Cambridge as though they are not authorized to.

This post has been edited by reconnaissance: Dec 9 2012, 10:44 PM

im not sure what you are trying to say here. he never said that Cambridge was not associated. he was merely saying that malaysian perception on cambridge is on university attachment with UK one. Cambridge for life is not directly linked with Cambridge UK. i still do not know what you are saying about the Cambridge as a whole? are you implying that Cambridge for Life head office in Tropicana is also associated with Cambridge University? People are saying how the center had no connection at all with Cambridge UK . i think u r still confuse in our conversation .

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Added on December 9, 2012, 10:46 pmhow come i can understand what you said but i just cannot brain what that guy said?

This post has been edited by hackwire: Dec 9 2012, 10:46 PM

No, but what I meant was the part I bolded.
CIE is an attachment of the university.
It is obvious that the particular center of interest has nothing to do with the university, but he phrase it as though he meant that CIE has no affiliation with the university. And that miscommunication has resulted in that bolded part.

Intermission Said this...
When they say "Cambridge" they refer to Cambridge International Examinations which happens to be the examination board that regulates most of the A level examinations in our country. Only ignorant Malaysians would make the assumption that it refers to Cambridge University without looking any further.

Reconnaisance Said this
Cambridge refers to Cambridge International Examinations, a segment of the University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate (UCLES) branded under Cambridge Assessment, which is a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge.
All of them are heavy associated with the university itself, and the naming derived from the parental organization, which is the primary University of Cambridge.

I don't see intermission explanation is doubtful about and reconnaisance is just a reinforcement of what intermission had said but with a whole lot of confusion.

I was imagining the way the spokesperson from CEFL trying to talk him into the class.
The "Cambridge" I was referring to, is the name of the center. I was implying that it is one of the centers that is authorized by CIE, hence the name CEFL.


I am sorry if my statement implied that CIE has nothing to do with University of Cambridge eventhough I have no idea how that could happen. And if you wonder I am so sensitive about this issue, it is because I have seen parents of the students there complain because they thought that the tutors from CEFL are from University of Cambridge.

That is right!
Both is correct, just that I was trying to explain the link between the CIE and the university.
If you read it carefully, you will notice that his implication is ambiguous, and could imply that the CIE has no relation with the university.
And it was proven when you said that the Cambridge had no connection with the Cambridge UK, in which I didnt know you meant the center or the CIE.

Word for word, this is getting confusing, and as long as you get it, I can say case closed.

got it! thanks.
u seem to know the stuff as well. can u tell me whether i should attend british council or CFL in tropicana ?

To be honest, if you really want to benefit from the program to improve English, I would recommend the British Council.
I am close with several of the tutors and I gauge that they have excellent proficiency in English, some to the extent of developing British accent. After proficient in English, you can take any Cambridge certificates in English at British Council as well.

However, I notice that most CFL tutors gave me the impression of mere school teachers. No doubt they might be good in speaking, but some still have weak pronunciations and use slangs. I thought I was unfortunate enough to meet the bad bunch but many people complaint so as well.