Financial services firm Quilter is looking to get UK advisers into the sector as quickly as possible with its newly created education programme.
It has launched the Fast Track course for students who want to study full-time to speed up the time it takes for them to obtain a Diploma for Financial Advisers.
The programme, run through its financial adviser school, will take three months; whereas the standard part-time course takes 47 weeks.
Scott Stevens, director of adviser recruitment and acquisition at Quilter Financial Planning, said: “Quilter is committed to making advice more accessible and, at the moment, we are facing a dramatic and growing advice gap.
“One-in-five financial advisers are planning to retire in the next five years, according to the Heath Report Three.
“We’ve seen a demand at the Quilter Financial Adviser School for an intense, shortened course for those that want to jump straight into a career as a financial adviser, particularly those who are looking for a career change.”
Enough time
The Fast Track course is open for anyone to apply. Quilter will cover tuition fees, overnight accommodation and travel expenses if a graduate remains within Quilter Financial Planning as a restricted financial planner for two years.
Stevens told International Adviser: “We believe three months is enough time to become qualified and to carry out the job confidently.
“Successful candidates joining our fast track programme are studying full-time. This is a key distinction from our 14-month programme where students are studying part-time, in addition to their day jobs.
“We have a distinct selection criterion for this course, which means we are finding individuals who already possess many of the skill sets needed to become a successful adviser and are adept at transferring these.
“In most cases these candidates will be second careerists, who have already spent years honing their interpersonal skills, enabling them to build trust in their relationships.”
Offering
The Quilter Financial Adviser School offers a number of programmes including a Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice (CeMAP) and a 58-week programme, which trains advisers on Quilter Financial Planning’s systems and processes.
It has had 148 graduates since 2016.
