Australian insurer MetLife has teamed up with the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) to provide 15 professional development opportunities for women working in the country’s financial services industry.
The initiative, called MetLife Progress, will include registration for the 2019 AFA conference, attendance at AFA events and its masterclasses, as well as other events and networking opportunities supported by the insurance provider.
“The AFA has a long history of encouraging women in financial services, including the launch of the AFA Inspire community of practice in 2013, which connects and supports women in the profession,” said Philip Kewin, chief executive of AFA.
Matt Lippiatt, head of retail sales at MetLife explained that the aim of the 15 “grants” is to encourage women to advance in the industry.
“We want financial planning to become the career of choice for high calibre women in Australia, so that the profession can attract and nurture more great talent.”
Eligibility criteria
Financial services professionals interested in the MetLife Progress packages will need to:
- Identify as female,
- Have up to five years’ experience as a financial adviser, planner or paraplanner as at 24 June 2019,
- Not previously have attended an AFA conference, and;
- Have or obtain AFA membership.
This is not the first gender equality initiative for the Australian insurer. Earlier in 2019, MetLife was the first insurance provider to join the United Nation’s Women’s Global Innovation Coalition for Change, a project that aims to advance diversity and promote inclusion.
Female financial advisers and financial planners willing to take part in the MetLife Progress scheme will have until 12 July 2019 to apply.
