Bolstering the workforce in the finance and insurance industry can prove difficult when the talent pool is limited. Although both current and new employees may have knowledge of the industry, many lack the practical experience and characteristics necessary to be truly successful.

Employers often seek to increase the talent of both existing employees and new recruits by sending them on costly training courses when there are a much more cost effective ways to develop their workforce – but businesses simply don’t know about them. I spend much of my time talking with organisations about the possibilities on offer through funded apprenticeship programmes, and how they can develop their employees’ skills with little cost to the business. Platforms like The Financial Planning Academy specialise in structured training programmes where candidates can earn professional qualifications while the Government foots most of the bill. But what do organisations and their employees actually get when training through the Financial Planning Academy? Let’s break it down.

Three apprenticeships, one academy

The Financial Planning Academy combines three of the 22 programmes that we offer at Davies. Those three are Financial Services Administrator Level 3 (R01), Paraplanner Level 4 Cert CII PFS (R01, R02, R03 & J09), and Financial Adviser Level 4 Dip CII PFS (R01-R06).

Learners who do the Financial Planning Academy get to choose from one of three apprenticeship qualifications with additional soft skills modules, allowing them to really broaden their skills and knowledge of the industry – and opening different career paths for them in the financial world. The time to complete the programmes range from 15 months for level 3 and 18-24 months for level 4  with the employer only paying up to 5% of the programme cost!

Get paid to train new recruits

Employers that have taken on new recruits since the 1^st April 2021, and enrolled them in an apprenticeship, are eligible for their current COVID incentive payment. The incentive rewards employers by allowing them to claim up to £3,000 per apprentice, showing just how invested the Government are in the development of a next generation of financial and insurance talent. You must hurry though as the incentive is only available until the end of January 2022.

Expert tutors

The Financial Planning Academy’s tutors and coaches are experts in the industry and can support employers in taking a fast, supportive and modular approach to upskilling their teams, even ensuring a whopping 100% course pass rate!

Safety in numbers

When it comes to studying, forming study groups is beneficial to learning and development and apprenticeships are no different. The Academy places employees into cohorts of 8 – 20 – potentially with people from other organisations. These cohorts provide employees with opportunities to liaise with other budding apprentices and build up their professional network.

Upskilling the workforce can take time, but it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Apprenticeship programmes at the Financial Planning Academy are a cost effective way of nurturing staff to be confident, financially qualified professionals that are more engaged in their role – and that’s good news for individuals personally and their employer commercially.

Carolyn blunt
Growth & Client Success Director
Davies Learning Solutions
E. carolyn.blunt@davies-group.com
C. calendly.com/carolyn-blunt/