Student sues career college to get tuition back, claims school sabotaged his job hunt

Photo: Castanet Staff

A Kamloops man wants thousands of dollars in tuition back from a local career college, claiming he was sabotaged by officials at the school when trying to line up a job as a support worker.

Michael Moroz filed a lawsuit in small claims court last week seeking $15,422 from Vanint Education, which operates Academy of Learning in downtown Kamloops.

In his notice of claim, Moroz said he began a program at Academy of Learning in September of 2018, looking to land work in community services or addictions. He claims to have paid more than $15,000 for tuition and books, nearly all of which he covered with student loans.

Moroz said he was told by Academy of Learning officials in October of 2019 that he would not graduate unless he finished 55 practicum hours. He said he then lined up a job with a local agency to complete his practicum.

According to Moroz’s lawsuit, the agency fired him on the day he was to begin work. He said he was told “they had received an anonymous phone call that informed them he was unsuitable for the position,” so the job offer was rescinded.

Moroz said Academy of Learning then told him he would not graduate and that his status as a student had been changed to “withdrawn.”

He said no one at the career college has replied to his emails or phone calls seeking clarification.

“Mr. Moroz has reason to believe that the college may have made the call to [the employer],” the lawsuit reads.

Vanint Education will have 14 days to reply to Moroz’s lawsuit once it has been served.

None of the allegations in Moroz’s claim have been proven in court.