Phoenix Reviews 550

Great experience, the only reason for giving it 4/5 is because of how important it is having FREC3. I was disappointed to find out after I had booked the course that there was an optional upgrade, when in my belief it should have been incorporated in to the course itself. Having the optional upgrade is all well and good, but it’s not a viable option for someone who’s currently in full employment and looking to switch their profession and then needs to revise their annual leave with their current employer, which has allowed for an already long grant of leave. Some of us can’t just drop our current employment.

I can genuinely say this course is not for everyone. Lance and jay will push you and put you under pressure so you can achieve your maximum potential. They are very educated and experienced people and do not allow anyone to just walk through the course with a qualification. In other words strictly professional and no hand outs.
The 3 week course really does benefit your personal development and knowledge on close protection. If anyone is looking to do this course with phoenix do your research and prepare to be under pressure throughout your course.

The course was amazing, the management and course instructors are second to none, very professional and personable. I started the course as a student and left feeling like a family member. Would advise anyone even if you didn't want to go into the world of close protection just to do it to give yourself the experience which could save yours or someone else's life if an issue arrised normally you wouldn't see coming and the other skills you gain on the course will 100% help you in life itself.

I can genuinely say this course is not for everyone. They will push you and put you under pressure so you can achieve your best potential. The tutors, are very educated and experienced people and do not allow anyone to just walk through the course with a qualification. In other words strictly professional and no hand outs.
The 3 week course really does benefit your personal development and knowledge on close protection. If anyone is looking to do this course with phoenix do your research and prepare to be under pressure throughout your course. I Met some decent people that I can call friends for life. But overall great course would recommend.

Came into this as a total civilian, but left like I was John Wicks younger cousin.

But you gotta be prepared; it's physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually exhausting so make sure you're ready to withstand.

Course content was exactly what I expected; lots of listening, coursework and note taking on theory and law etc. and following orders closely as well as application of learned techniques in practical assessments so pay close attention because a lot is expected of you. Most of the course feels like a simulation of what's to be expected in real life scenarios.

Haven't laughed so hard in my life. Craic was 90, every day for 3 weeks I ended up creased and crying laughing. Best group of men (and woman) that I've ever met, I'd ride to war with any of them. Never thought I'd end up mates with multiple British soldiers and a cop.

Had an ethical dilemma or two while I was there (and the first test on exam day was just flat out wrong, hope we can resit it for free because it seemed everyone was in agreement that it was just not what we had revised) but overall the course was deadly, highly recommend it to people dedicated to this kind of work, cant wait to get out in it myself.

Hotel was also pretty good although the desk ladies didn't smile much (apart from one).

Special thanks to the trainers Jaye and Lance, those guys were the real deal.

I wanted to be tested and see where I was after everything i have been thru and I was tested and tested and tested and I have changed as a person I think for the better I frrl like I am seeing more in general it has woke me up again thank you to everyone at Phonix and I also think we should have more drills and more time at the range and more driving but all in all brilliant one of the best training I have ever had

Great guys, L and J are great - paid for an experience and got one. Its intense, but anyone not expecting that is looking in the wrong place. Backroom staff are awesome at keeping things running smoothly. Just make sure you take money for food, you'll need and want it.

Overall, amazing experience. The knowledge gained was great and an experience I'll never forget. Thanks everyone involved and I hope to see all of you out there!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I recently attended the Phoenix CPO training and cannot speak highly enough of the professionalism and delivery of the course. From start to finish, the instructors set the highest standards—drawing on real operational experience, teaching with absolute clarity, and ensuring every student had the confidence and skills needed to step into the industry.

The course was intense, structured, and true to life, with a perfect balance of classroom learning and practical application. What stood out most was the attention to detail, the level of care given to each student, and the pride Phoenix clearly take in producing top-tier professionals.

This is not just training—it’s preparation for the real world. I walked away not only qualified but confident, sharper, and ready for the next step. Phoenix live up to their reputation as leaders in the industry. Highly recommended to anyone serious about a career in Close Protection.

The team at Phoenix were knowledgeable and experienced. They gave us tools that were essential to our physical, mental and emotional development as a CPO. I had the opportunity to work in real life scenarios that tested my boundaries in every way. I feel different than the person I was before. Thanking Tom, Lance and Jaye for everything.

I want to sincerely thank Phoenix for an excellent training experience. The course was professional, realistic, and has given me the confidence and skills I need in close protection. Special appreciation goes to Mr. Jay and Mr. Lance for their outstanding teaching and guidance. Their knowledge, patience, and practical approach made the training engaging and effective. I am truly grateful for the effort they put into making sure we understood both the theory and the practice. I would highly recommend Phoenix to anyone looking for high, quality close protection training.

Absolutely do not recommend it I payed a deposit of £200 then I changed my mind because I was no longer interested and they never returned my refund back. (It’s been 9 months) THIS IS A SCAM

The instructor was very good lots intelligent and knowledgeable of the being a CP

I was impressed by how much i learned in a short time-frame. The content was clear, practical and immediately applicable. What stood out most was the fast paced hands on approach rather than just sitting in the classroom doing all theory, I got real experience using the training and techniques discussed. I left more confident and equipped to tackle similar challenges. The pacing was balanced, the support was responsive, and the examples were relevant. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for both understanding and real world practice.

Intensive and educational, everything you want in a course

They did not told us that need good English skills ,I did ask the sell manager about mant time but he was lie to us
Also when I fail one of the tasks ,they kick me out of the holl course then ask me to sign again and pay again
Also even if you manged to pass all course ,it is hard to find job ,waste of money ,

I recently completed a 21 day intensive Close Protection course with Phoenix in Birmingham. The course ran for 21 consecutive days without any rest days, with each day lasting a minimum of 12 hours. From day one, we were fully immersed in the role of a Close Protection Operative and continually assessed as though already working in the field.

There was no time wasted, we were thrown into the deep end conducting reconnaissance tasks and delivering operational briefs early on. The course demanded high standards, strict dress codes, and constant professional bearing.

At first, it felt like information overload, I’ll admit that. But as the course progressed, everything began to fall into place. By the end, it all made sense. This is not a “tick-box” course, it requires real dedication, hard work, and personal discipline. You’ll have little time for anything else during training.

As an ex-Royal Marine, I can honestly say it was absolutely worth it. Everything taught was relevant, current, and directly applicable to real world roles. I was fortunate to move straight into a CP Paramedic position afterwards, which shows how well the training prepares you for the field.

A massive thank you to our instructors, Lance and Jaye, who had the monumental task of getting everyone to the high standards expected. Their knowledge, professionalism, and commitment made a huge difference. I’d heard mixed reviews before attending and was sceptical, but I can confidently say that for ex-military personnel looking to transition into roles protecting high-net-worth clients, this course is spot on. If you already have hostile experience, this is the one to bridge you into the private sector.

After initially posting a really positive review, which I think I was caught up in the euphoria of it all, which I have now retracted.
Looking back all wasn't what it seemed.
The company advertise themselves as 'World Leaders'well how come many companies I have spoken to won't touch us at all. They say it's because they are seen as a conveyor belt trainer. To which now I can see why.

Not only had the dust not settled on our course and I must add NO results for pass or fail, then they were advertising the start of another course in May! A couple of weeks after ours.

With regards to results for very ambiguous exams, this retrospectively could have been found out straight away, but we were told 'don't look on the site, you won't understand it'. It's quite simple really, 100% with a tick, passed, anything else with no pass, fail. You don't need to be an educational genius to work that out. I am an adult.

The course itself I did enjoy, 2 good instructors, although one was a bit stern on some of the lesser participants. There was 26 candidates on the course, to which we found out was far too big. Less play time and more sitting about doing naff all.

Having not driven a car fast, offensive or defensive, fired a weapon in a while I was swallowed in and booked up. Later did we find out that we had a total of about 45 minutes driving a beaten up old heap, which during the day we went through several breakdowns. There was little to no instruction on how to drive just a couple of goes up and down the airfield throwing the car left and right to stop someone getting passed up from behind. One go through a coned area a J turn or 2 then a few goes at removing a Principal from a vehicle under contact and little to no hostile training. 7 people had a contact drill driving to an ambush and then heavily under fire from......paintballs. This was just an instructors play time.

Firearms....well, air rifles, .22 and AR platform long guns. To which I think we had 30 rounds in total to shoot in an indoor range. Then the pistols. No live firing, drills or exercises just jumping around and around drawing the weapon from our pockets. Yes trouser pockets! No holsters available was the call. Although, the 2 instructors were very good and knowledgeable. And that was it, I could do more down my local range. You get a firearms certificate for this.

Overall I did enjoy the course, hence why 2 stats, met some great people, which I learned from and became good friends with who I hope to work with in the future. The live exercises were good, got a good insight to what the job may entail.
But the organisation was poor, sitting around for hours in a classroom doing nothing, not knowing what we were doing from one day to the next and having at the very least 12 hour days, leaving us very little time to eat properly and wash clothes as I was staying in a shabby whorehouse hotel after travelling 240 miles plus to get there, plus also having to do course work, most of the time not getting to bed before midnight.

If you are wanting to be trained by Phoenix good luck but I would definitely look deeper into other trainers first and don't believe the hype.

Save your money and look elsewhere – an honest review.

From the moment the course began, it was clear we were being closely watched and judged. With a class size of over 25 students and only two instructors, this felt unrealistic and unnecessarily intense.

The course kicked off with a first aid module, which was somewhat informative. However, if you’re serious about working in Close Protection (CP), you’ll need a FREC3 qualification at a minimum. Phoenix doesn’t include this in the initial package—they’ll try to upsell it to you later, even after already charging a significant amount upfront.

Once the medical portion ended, we moved to the classroom sessions. At no point were we given a timetable or clear breakdown of the course structure. Breaks were sporadic and unpredictable, which made basic planning—like doing laundry or preparing food—very difficult. The days were long and poorly organized. A typical day involved leaving the Ramada hotel (which was, frankly, a dump) at 06:30 to arrive at HQ by 07:00. On Sundays, this meant skipping breakfast multiple times. When we raised the issue, we were told this was “just part of CP life.”

We regularly returned to the hotel at 22:30 or later. Twelve-hour days became the norm.

On a positive note, the practical scenarios were well put together. However, the firearms training was a complete waste of time—comparable to shooting an air rifle at a funfair. We were told to do pistol drills using our pockets instead of holsters, which was laughable. The driving day was equally disappointing, with no more than 45 minutes spent in a vehicle. We did a couple of J-turns and a cone course in beat-up cars—nothing like what you’d expect for the price you pay.

Throughout the course, we were asked to fill out feedback forms. But be warned: if you submit anything critical or mention instructor behavior, you might be pulled into a private room and pressured to retract or change your feedback.

The day before the exam, everyone was told to leave a positive review on Trustpilot. Many of us did so—something we later regretted during and after the exam phase.

Whether it was down to Phoenix or the awarding body, the exams felt completely disconnected from the training we received. This wasn’t just my opinion—most of the group echoed these concerns during breaks. In fact, based on our WhatsApp group, it’s clear a large number of us failed the physical intervention portion.

Summary:
Phoenix may present themselves as a world-renowned leader in CP training, but my experience suggests otherwise. They seem more focused on collecting payments and building an image on Instagram and LinkedIn through flashy, heavily edited videos. Don’t be misled by the high course fee or marketing content.

An intensive, interesting introduction to - and education in - close protection. Intensive; it’s three weeks of non-stop learning and feedback from a mix of classroom based learning and exercises in a live environment to simulate real-world operations. Interesting; aside from learning about close protection tactics, techniques, and procedures, included are interest days that cover: firearms handling and range target shooting, physical combat, and evasive driving. The course culminates in a live environment final exercise and a thorough debrief the following day. First Aid At Work is included, with. FREC 3 qualification available as an upgrade.

Instructors have a huge wealth of experience that is passed down to you everyday, their experiences help you to wrap your head around the different aspects of Close protection work and your days out are always a blast meeting some incredible people who have worked all around the world made memories for life and unique life experiences that will help me in my future