UK-based independent financial adviser company Ascot Lloyd has launched an adviser academy to create a pathway for trainees to become IFAs.
The academy launch is part of Ascot Lloyd’s strategy to grow a strong base of talent and to give individuals the development and support they need to succeed in the financial advice industry.
Duncan Gregory, head of the Ascot Lloyd Adviser Academy, will be responsible for managing the initiative and driving it forward.
The adviser academy will recruit individuals who are looking to start a career in financial planning and advice. The trainees will be from a range of backgrounds including university graduates, people already in the industry who wish to progress their career, as well as second careerists or career returners. Ascot Lloyd said it is seeking a wide spread of applicants, with particular emphasis on providing opportunities for women and minority groups.
Individuals will complete the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning, becoming a fully qualified IFA and providing them with the foundation to build a career in financial planning. Ascot Lloyd will support the recruits through developing new clients and they will also have the opportunity to take on a portfolio of existing clients as soon as they are ready.
Nigel Stockton, chief executive at Ascot Lloyd, said: “The academy has been created so we can invest in our talent, growing our excellent base of advisers from within the business. We want a career as a financial adviser to appeal to a wide audience, from those starting out in their careers, to those looking for a change, and others looking to return to the workplace. It’s the people that make Ascot Lloyd a brilliant place to work.”
This comes several weeks after the IFA group partnered with tech firm SS&C Technologies to launch its own adviser platform.
