The Financial Adviser School. Nurturing the next generation of Financial Advisers.

Transcription

1 The Financial Adviser School Nurturing the next generation of Financial Advisers.

2 The Future of Financial Advice The Financial Adviser School has been created to nurture and develop the next generation of professional financial advisers to provide talented individuals with the career path and opportunity to become the advisers and entrepreneurs of the future on the fundamental belief that professional advice can make a real difference to people s financial well being by the largest single distributor of financial services in the UK, supporting over 12,000 financial advisers nationwide with the support of some of the UK s leading names in financial services

3 Foreword I would like to welcome you to The Financial Adviser School, the UK s first school dedicated to nurturing and developing professional and qualified financial advisers. Your choice of career is very important. If you have decided that Financial Services is your career path, then The Financial Adviser School will provide you with the foundations you need to get started. The world of Financial Services is a complex and demanding one, but the rewards can be plentiful, and I am not just talking about financially. The Financial Adviser School has been founded based on our fundamental belief that professional advice can make a real difference to people s financial well being and it is imperative we have a strong profession that can meet future consumer demand. This will in turn ensure that people continue to benefit from access to impartial and expert financial advice for generations to come. Sesame Bankhall Group is leading the way by developing a template for nurturing a new generation of financial advisers. We are helping our profession to reverse the decline in adviser numbers and thereby increase the British public s access to professional financial advice. We want to provide talented individuals with the career path and opportunity to become the advisers and entrepreneurs of the future. By becoming a financial adviser, you will open up endless possibilities. You can join an existing practice of qualified and experienced advisers who you can work alongside, or set out on your own as a business owner. You can choose to specialise in a certain area, such as mortgages or investments, or you can choose to become an holistic, independent adviser, providing solutions to all your customers needs. Whatever your choice, your customers will be safe in the knowledge that they will be getting the very best advice. This is the beginning of a long-term initiative and we will be working closely with our own adviser firms to build a vibrant and prosperous future for our profession. We hope you can join us in our journey to take the financial advice profession to the next level. Lisa Winnard Director of The Financial Adviser School 3

4 Contents Foreword Looking for an exciting and rewarding career? Why choose The Financial Adviser School? The Learning Programme Becoming Qualified The Learning Programme Becoming Competent Your Future Journey Journey Financial Advice Ltd The Propositions The Propositions Matrix The Skills Modules The Schedule The Investment An Advisers Perspective Who is behind The Financial Adviser School? How to apply? Contact All fees and charges set out in this document are expressed as being inclusive of VAT. At the time of this document going to press, the prevailing rate of VAT is 20%. We reserve the right to vary our fees and charges to take account of any change in the applicable VAT rate from time to time. 4

5 Looking for an exciting and rewarding career? The Financial Services Industry is dynamic and fast paced and being an adviser can be very rewarding It s immensely satisfying to know that good advice will make such a difference to peoples lives, adding real value when they need it most! Steve Riddiough, The Chester Partnership The role is one that requires professionalism, diligence and excellent interpersonal skills. A genuine interest in people and a desire to identify and serve their needs to the best of your ability combined with an ambitious and entrepreneurial flair may suggest that a career as a financial adviser would satisfy your personal and financial goals. A solution to suit you A career as a financial adviser is not only rewarding, it s flexible and can be tailored to fit around your lifestyle and your personal desires: Be your own boss; or Work as a self-employed partner with an established firm; Work remotely; or Work from an office with support and infrastructure; Work core business hours; or Work around a customers flexible lifestyle (evenings or weekends). Earning potential 2,500 members of the Personal Finance Society responded to a 2011 earnings survey, suggesting financial advisers have the potential for higher than national average earnings * PFS salary survey 31% of respondents earned between 30,001 and 50,000 * 36% of respondents earned between 50,001 and 100,000 * 5 If your ambitions include being your own boss, options as a financial adviser include working as a selfemployed partner to an established firm or setting up your own advising firm to work autonomously or to plan for growth and the employment of others. You may choose to concentrate your skills on business development and income generation or you may aim for a strategic or governing position or Director role.

6 Why choose The Financial Adviser School? With your commitment, The Financial Adviser School will develop you into becoming one of the next generation of professional financial advisers and will provide you with a guaranteed start to your career. Our vision To nurture and deliver the next generation of professional and qualified advisers and to provide a clear career path into the industry for bright, entrepreneurial individuals and increase consumer access to the best financial advice. The Financial Adviser School provides a fully comprehensive learning programme which focuses not only upon technical knowledge but on the development of your skills and the practical application of your consolidated learning. The programme is designed to fit around your commitments to full time employment and is managed through our online learning environment, weekly distance classroom sessions and frequent face-to-face classrooms which are delivered during weekends. At key milestones within the programme, upon the completion of specific exams you will gain real experience of advising customers, researching products and presenting the best solutions whilst adhering to the compliance standards set by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The Financial Adviser School will take responsibility for your supervision and the competency approval required to grant you with the FCA permissions that will allow you to start advising, enabling you to earn as you learn. As a student you will leave the school with a Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) Level 4 Diploma and in addition you will be qualified to provide mortgage advice through the successful achievement of the Chartered Insurance Institutes CF6, Mortgage Advice exam. Our skills and supervision focus will also ensure that you are facilitated to achieve Competent Adviser Status (CAS) which is the vital element of your training to become a financial adviser. In this case you will leave The Financial Adviser School with the ability to immediately commence your new career. Competent Adviser Status The majority of opportunities as a financial adviser will require the applicant to have Competent Adviser Status (CAS), this is a formal judgement that an individual has the knowledge and skills to advise customers. Competent Adviser Status is achieved as a result of: Working to a structured training plan; Being given the opportunity to observe customer meetings, fact finds and illustrations; Undertaking observed role-plays; Being observed managing customer meetings and assessed on the skills of identifying and prioritising customer needs and presenting suitable recommendations; Being tested on product and market knowledge, regulatory and other legal issues; File monitoring; Being able to evidence understanding as a result of attending training events; Ongoing fit and proper checks. Some financial adviser firms may be equipped to offer the level of support required to develop an individual through the Diploma and the Competent Adviser Status, these roles will be trainee positions and although highly desirable by new entrants to the industry they are rare to find. This is why The Financial Adviser School has developed a programme which balances the need for a professional qualification with the need for experience. 6

7 Guaranteeing your future Through our very own firm, Journey Financial Advice Ltd, we guarantee you a self-employed contract upon completion of the programme, complete with the full infrastructure to start advising from day one. To ensure that we provide our graduates with a real choice, we can also offer introductions to established adviser firms who work with the Sesame Bankhall Group. With over 3500 firms throughout the UK there are sure to be opportunities to suit you. Finally, we are also equipped to support our graduates who elect to establish their own firm, within the Sesame network. The Sesame Bankhall Group Services provided to students supervised by Sesame include: Regulatory interpretation, guidance and advice Case checking Regulatory reviews Business monitoring of suitability reports Complaint handling Advertising approvals Platform compliance support Research services and technical helpline The latest technology solutions Propositions Sesame can offer much more than a standard network as it can draw on the strength and scale of the group to give its members access to a wide range of services which could add value to your business as a financial adviser. Sesame Bankhall Legal Services including conveyancing, will writing, funeral plans, probate, trusts and care home advice. The Sesame Bankhall Group was formed in 2009 to bring together the leading network, support services provider and mortgage club, to create the UK s largest distributor of Retail Financial Advice. Sesame is the UK s leading network and provides the best possible platform and infrastructure to deliver the support and security advisers need, now and long into the future. It is the largest distributor of financial services in the UK, the first choice for over 11,000 advisers in the UK and a winner of a host of industry awards. Specialist Advice Services for referrals of advice that you may not be able to deal with on a day to day basis. Optimum an investment solution developed in conjunction with Henderson Global Investors. Sesame One a platform proposition developed with Elevate. 7

8 The Learning Programme Becoming Qualified The Diploma programme is an 18 month commitment to achieve a QCF level 4 qualification, which meets the requirement of the regulator for advisers to be able to provide Designated Investments and Pensions advice. You will receive access to all of the learning material available through The Financial Adviser School for each module and you will experience weekly virtual classrooms and regular skills development and revision days. The learning material provided to you will include: Study text; Key facts booklets; Examination guides; The Financial Adviser School condensed learning presentations; Your training will follow a structured schedule of learning which is managed by your attendance to the weekly virtual classrooms. Your tutor will use these opportunities to assess your understanding of the learning material and to provide additional support to achieve the learning objectives through the use of case studies, examples and exploration of difficult concepts. Your use of the additional tools provided to enable your qualification success such as the use of the Competent Adviser question bank will be encouraged. The Financial Adviser School case studies and tests; Competent Adviser reading material and tests. You will be supported by an experienced and professional training team which employs a wide variety of teaching methods to accommodate all learning styles to help you get the most from your studies. The learning material will be supported by the use of a variety of formats and techniques, including: The Financial Adviser Schools Online Learning Management System (LMS); Live, tutor led virtual classrooms; Recorded classroom presentations; Group workshop and revision events; 8

9 The Learning Programme Becoming Competent As your training advances you will become progressively authorised to advise customers and identify and present to them appropriate solutions for their circumstances. The skills required to attain competence are developed during the weekend face to face sessions; through the live supervision of your appointments with customers and the review of your information gathering and customer recommendations. Competent Adviser Status (CAS) is a prerequisite for all advisers and is a fundamental accreditation required for the Diploma graduate when the time comes to commence providing advice. Students are required to Successfully complete assessments of the provision of advice in a secure environment; Effectively complete information gathering and present appropriate recommendations to customers; Meet the standards of the Customer Outcome Review operations with regards to the advice file and continued advice business. Specialist events will provide you with exposure to the practical challenges faced by financial advisers and will include; Presentations from leading authorities on financial products from The Financial Adviser Schools founder sponsors; Appearances by practising financial advisers who will share their experiences of planning, prospecting, and promoting their businesses. 9

10 Your Future Journey The Financial Adviser School programme uniquely equips you with the qualifications, skills and knowledge as well as the opportunity to gain Competent Adviser Status (CAS) within The Financial Adviser School s dedicated advice firm, Journey Financial Advice Ltd. This ground breaking approach enables students to begin trading as a professional financial adviser immediately upon completion of the programme and also facilitates students to earn as they learn under the supervision of The Financial Adviser School until they attain competency and subsequently continue advising and earning alongside their studies. Students enter into a self-employed contract as a registered individual of Journey Financial Advice Ltd, unless they have the supervision and support of an established financial advice firm. A role with an existing firm An employed role may offer security to new advisers who are attracted by an existing customer portfolio. Alternatively, it could be a position as a self-employed partner to an established firm that could provide an attractive fee split to an individual who is confident in developing their own customer network. Start your own business Another alternative would be to develop a business plan to set up your own business, autonomously or with a colleague, potentially even another Financial Adviser School student. This could be a directly authorised firm or you could join a network.

11 The Financial Adviser School has set up an Appointed Representative firm which operates within the Sesame network, called Journey Financial Advice Ltd. Journey Financial Advice Ltd is a best of breed restricted model, consisting of a unique choice and extension of brands from leading providers and bespoke products. Journey Financial Advice Ltd could be the ideal solution if your ambition is to start your own business within a network. All of the students from The Financial Adviser School who have been supervised within Journey Financial Advice Ltd whilst training, are guaranteed the support to establish their own self-employed business within Journey Financial Advice Ltd upon graduation and will enter into a self-employed contract as a registered individual of the firm. Aligned to the industry norm, self-employed advisers working under the compliance management of an Appointed Representative firm will split the fees and commissions they generate with that firm, usually on a 60:40 ratio in favour of the adviser. The Financial Adviser School graduates can enter Journey Financial Advice Ltd as a self-employed adviser. Journey Financial Advice Ltd are able to offer their advisers an income split arrangement which provides for the advisers own income as well the compliance and business services provided by the Sesame network, including: FCA registration fees; Professional Indemnity Insurance; Network supervision visits; Network sales manager support; Access to Sesame compliance guidance and tools; File checking; Attendance at award winning learning and development events, which have CII accreditation for Continued Professional Development (CPD) records; Research software; Fees and commissions payments administration; Business stationery and business cards; X-Plan practice management system. and can also facilitate the repayment of fees to The Financial Adviser School. 11

12 The Propositions These programmes can each be tailored to address supervision support requirements in accordance with the supervising firms own Training and Competence Scheme in order to provide the Principal with the reassurance of independent observations. The Financial Adviser School Diploma Programme This is the full 18 month Diploma Programme and is designed to nurture and develop those students with little or no prior exposure to consulting with customers on their financial advice needs with the aim of enhancing their skills and achieving full Competent Adviser Status (CAS). The qualification achieved is the Chartered Insurance Institute s (CII) Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning, additionally the Mortgage Advice exam CF6, is included. The cost of the Diploma programme is 16,200 inc VAT) The Mortgage and General Insurance Programme The Mortgage and General Insurance Programme includes the qualifications: R01 Financial Services, Regulation & Ethics R05 Financial Protection CF6 Mortgage Advice This programme can be completed in approximately ten months and is tailored to those students who only want to be equipped to advise customers about their mortgage and general insurance needs. The cost of the Mortgage and General Insurance programme is 10,500 (inc VAT) Further details regarding the repayment of the fees are provided in the following section, The Investment. The Terms and Conditions are available upon request and as part of the applications process. The Non-Supervised Programmes The non-supervised programmes reflect the Diploma Programme and the Mortgage and General Insurance Programme and have been compiled to address the requirements of firms who would prefer that their students are supervised under their own training and competence standards, in order to ensure consistency with their other advisers. These programmes are only available to students who have the full support of authorised firms with a Training and Competence Scheme to support trainees and who will undertake their supervision. The cost of the non supervised Diploma programme is 15,000 (inc VAT) The cost of the non supervised Mortgage and General Insurance programme is 9,600 (inc VAT) The student would complete the Diploma Programme or the equivalent non supervised Mortgage and General Insurance Programme, however the responsibility to mentor the student and to supervise the advice given and ensure that the required skills are sufficiently developed in order to attain full Competent Adviser Status (CAS) remains with the employing firm. The advice provided by the student to customers will be done so under the responsibility of the supervising firm. In order to qualify for consideration to the non-supervised programmes, the student must be supervised by an FCA registered firm. The supervising firm will be required to take responsibility for the activities required when selecting a student with regards to their education, financial standing and criminal record checks. This service can be purchased by the Sesame Bankhall Group through The Financial Adviser School, if required. Students or firms considering these propositions should contact The Financial Adviser School directly. 12

13 The Propositions Matrix Programme/ Element Diploma Programme MGI Programme Non-sup Diploma Non-sup MGI Qualifications R01 to R06 = Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning R01 = Financial Services, Regulation & Ethics R0 to R06 = Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning R01 = Financial Services, Regulation & Ethics CF6 = Mortgage Advice R05 = Financial Protection CF6 = Mortgage Advice R05 = Financial Protection * CF6 = Mortgage Advice * CF6 = Mortgage Advice * Business Skills Yes Yes Yes Yes * Soft Skills Yes Yes Yes Yes Adviser Skills Yes Yes Yes Yes Supervision Yes Yes No No Authorisation through JFA Duration of programme Yes Yes No No 18 months 10 months 18 months 10 months Price (inc VAT) 16,200 10,500 15,000 9,600 * The Financial Adviser School reserves the right to change the Awarding Body for the Qualification element of the programme however, an equivalent qualification will be provided 13

14 The Skills Modules The skills training provided by The Financial Adviser School is common to all programmes. Adviser Skills The advice process overview Understanding the key stages of the advice process Utilising the advice process documentation effectively with customers Helping your customers understand the process you will utilise and the importance of the process Key documentation required The introductory meeting Setting out your customer proposition effectively Satisfying data protection Introducing the IDD and Key Facts documentation to the customer effectively Collecting sufficient and relevant information from customers to identify their needs Researching Effective use of information to identify appropriate solutions Sourcing and interpretation of specialist data to identify solutions Identification of suitable products and providers to provide solutions The Presentation meeting Documenting the advice in a clear and concise written format Clear explanations of complex and detailed solutions Ensuring understanding Implementation of solutions Effective record keeping Managing appropriate Continuous Professional Development Satisfying your customer proposition Successful referral techniques Reviews Agreement of effective service levels Exploration of back office systems The use of technology in Financial Advice Understanding key technology systems Mortgage sourcing software available and benefits Practice management tools and their uses Technology to assist with record keeping Business Skills Developing effective business networks and relationships Exploring and building professional networks Maintaining professional relationships Networking events and how to market yourself and your business Creating a business model and writing a business plan The basics of business modelling Understanding income, revenue, turnover and profit Writing an effective business plan Testing your business plan and gaining feedback 14

15 The Skills Modules Continued... Soft Skills Developing customer service skills What good service looks like and the importance of delivering effective service to customers Building productive customer relationships Understanding the service chain Dealing with dissatisfaction effectively The importance of service standards and how to create an effective customer proposition Developing Effective Communication Understanding communication styles and adapting your style to different situations Identifying barriers to effective communication and how to overcome these Utilising the psychology of language to put your message across and ensure it is received as intended Enhancing Negotiation and Influencing Skills Understanding the difference between negotiation and influencing Identifying and understanding your own style and recognising when other styles might be appropriate Developing questioning techniques so you can understand all of the facts before negotiation Time Management Managing your time effectively Understanding and application of time management techniques Managing the expectations of others Prioritisation of workload Managing Objection Handling Understand and identify blockages which could occur within the advice process Identifying the drivers for customers wanting advice Questioning and challenging customer objectives positively and effectively 15

16 The Schedule Exam Timing Skills & Knowledge R01 R05 10 weeks 8 weeks Advice process Development of your customer base Financial crime Treating Customers Fairly Suitability reports Skills and revision 5 weeks Presentation meeting Action planning Customer service Introducers Shortfall analysis Research tools and sourcing software Communication and objection handling CF6 Skills and revision 8 weeks 4 weeks Mortgage shortfall analysis Mortgage research Suitability reports and presentations Mortgage applications Financial crime RO3 RO2 10 weeks 10 weeks Managing customer meetings Investment risk Attitude to risk profiling RO4 8 weeks Customer needs analysis Research RO6 4 weeks Skills 5 weeks 16

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18 The Investment The Financial Adviser School offers you the opportunity to begin a career. It will require your serious deliberation to make this investment in yourself and your lifestyle. Your commitment to learning and the practical application of that learning must be your first priority to ensure your success as a professional financial adviser of the future. Time It is expected that students will commit to an average of 10 to 14 hours a week of independent study plus a weekly, two hour virtual classroom, which will run during the evening. There are approximately 2 weekend events per exam which address skills development as well as revision. Exams are online assessments, other than R06 and can be scheduled to be taken at an approved centre local to the student or at The Financial Adviser School examination centre in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Fees The cost of the programme is dependent upon the proposition that you have selected and the payment terms are tailored to your route of entry to the school. All students are required to make an initial payment of 1,200 (inc VAT), upon their acceptance of a place upon the programme. The full terms and conditions that you will be provided with as part of the selection process define your fees as well as the exit arrangements should a student choose to resign from the programme. What the fees cover Expensed induction (travel not included); Study material; Access to 24/7 Online Learning Management System; Each class is assigned a dedicated trainer; Trainer led weekly virtual classrooms; Regular skills weekends; Revision weekends; Exam fees and one re-sit per exam if needed; Weekend access to the School s examination centre; Supervision up to Competent Adviser Status. Fees Repayments If you are considering ways to spread the cost of studying, The Financial Adviser School Limited may be able to help. We offer interest free credit to help finance your course fees.* You can either choose to repay your loan in full by making 24 equal monthly repayments or alternatively, you can choose to pay 50% of your course fees by making 24 equal monthly repayments with a further single repayment of the remaining 50% of the loan being made in month 25. In both cases, provided you complete your course, repayments would start one month after the date your course is due to complete. If you withdraw from the course before it finishes your repayments would start earlier. * Credit is provided subject to status and affordability assessments. Applicants must be over 18. Terms and conditions apply. 18

19 An Adviser s Perspective Sesame Bankhall Group has been working closely with adviser firm The Chester Partnership in the training of students and the development of The Financial Adviser School, reflecting the pivotal role of adviser firms in the training of recruits and the future success of the programme. Steve Riddiough, Director of The Chester Partnership, explains what this means from an adviser s perspective. The Financial Adviser School presents a wonderful opportunity to make a real and lasting contribution to the way in which retail financial services are distributed in the UK. The Financial Adviser School focuses on everything that is positive about the role that is performed by financial advisers. Its establishment has created a new opportunity for professionals planning their first or second career to be fully trained in the role of a financial adviser. It provides an answer to the difficulties presented by the need to achieve full Competent Adviser Status to those who are studying but don t have any skills development support or access to the right supervision. The Financial Adviser School recognises all of the vital elements, incorporates them into a cohesive programme and delivers a clear route of entry into the profession.

20 Who is behind The Financial Adviser School? The Financial Adviser School is the first of its kind and has been created by the UK s largest single distributor of Financial Services, the Sesame Bankhall Group and is backed by some of the UK s leading names in Financial Services. The Sesame Bankhall Group was formed in 2009 to bring together the leading network, support services provider and mortgage club, to create the UK s largest distributor of Retail Financial Advice. The Group s unique blend of over 20 years of regulatory experience and business support makes it the number one choice for over 12,000 advisers nationwide. The Group is the largest single distributor of financial services in the UK and today is accountable for almost a quarter of the UK financial advice market. To find out more about the Group visit www. sesamebankhall.co.uk Our Founder Sponsors The Financial Adviser School is supported under a founder sponsor partnership agreement by: Friends Life is a leading provider of pensions, investments and insurance products to over five million customers. With key business lines in corporate benefits, individual protection and retirement income, they offer a wide range of services to financial advisers and are delighted to support The Financial Adviser School, as they develop the knowledge and skills of the next generation of financial advisers. Encouraging people to consider and prioritise their protection needs can be difficult in these tough economic times, so as an organisation we work closely with financial advisers to help ensure that their customers get the valuable cover they need AEGON UK is delighted to be a sponsor of the Financial Adviser School. We feel that FAS and AEGON share a number of beliefs, DNA if you like, which are key to the successful evolution of Financial Services from being an industry to a profession. They will also be key to your development a professional and trusted adviser. Raising Your Game you have made a substantial commitment in joining the FAS. But you are also joining a profession which is striving to reach new heights in how it conducts itself. FAS and AEGON are all about professionalism in everything that we do which is key to successful relationships with customers. Acting In The Customer s Best Interests this may seem rather obvious! However, with the many and varied options open to an adviser in the quest to meet the customer s needs it s easy to lose focus. The training you will receive from FAS will help you deliver the right outcome for your customers from the many options available. The program is robust and comprehensive, giving you the time and the opportunity to be among the best trained professionals in our industry. Doing the right thing, acting with integrity if you like, is critically important. Both AEGON and FAS feel this is core to everything we do. Delivering Right First Time the complexities of our profession, the condition of the worldwide financial markets and the wide and varying situations that customers find themselves in make for an exciting but challenging career. Delivering right first time is obvious but has never been more important. Therefore preparing before you act, discovering all the data and facts and using them to make intelligent and well informed decisions will help you achieve this.

21 Acting With Courage you are your customer s trusted professional adviser. Being accountable for your actions and making things happen is all part of daily life in the Financial Services profession. Advising on Protection products for a customer s loved ones, or which retirement planning solutions are best suited to another customer, takes courage in your own ability and that you are doing the right thing. Helping Others To Succeed helping customers to have a financially successful future is the ultimate goal for anyone working in the Financial Services profession and is a core value to both FAS and AEGON. Both organisations are privileged to be playing such a key role in the futures not only of customers but also the profession and the country. Everyone at AEGON UK wishes all FAS students the very best for a successful and prosperous career in the Financial Service profession. the way in this arena for more than 15 years. We understand medical underwriting so you don t have to. We provide high quality training seminars and workshops across the Later Life Market to help advisers improve understanding. We also deliver marketing support to help them develop their businesses. We have recently designed and introduced new, innovative online technology solutions enabling more customers to reach financial advisers in a way which is profitable for those adviser firms to serve them. Partnership is totally committed to the UK adviser market. We are passionate about ensuring the UK s older citizens at and in retirement maximise their income and preserve their wealth. Only by working with high quality, professional financial advisers will we be able to drive that ambition. Zurich is the world s third largest primary insurer with offices in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East. They operate in more than 170 countries with over 60,000 employees and have been serving our customers for over 130 years. Zurich s Global Life business serves customers for family protection, pension provision, post retirement, wealth accumulation, wealth protection and inheritance. They also provide group retirement and protection solutions for corporate customers. In the UK they have funds under management of 37.3 billion (as at 30 June 2010). In developing the Zurich HelpPoint brand campaigns, Zurich spoke to over 39,000 customers asking them what they expected from an insurer. This crystallised their focus on being an insurer that is fast, fair and easy to deal with, values customers and treats them as individuals and can show a deep understanding of customer needs. For more information please visit. Partnership is one of the leading specialist providers of underwritten financial solutions for people at, or in retirement who have health or lifestyle factors, as well as for individuals and families needing to pay for long term care. We offer the broadest range of underwritten solutions for those at or in retirement, including pension annuities, care annuities and equity release. Partnership was the first company to bring enhanced annuities into the market and our underwriting team has led We re the UK s largest insurer and one of Europe s leading providers of Life and General Insurance with 36,600 employees serving around 43 million customers worldwide. We combine strong life insurance, general insurance and asset management businesses under one powerful brand. We are committed to serving our customers well in order to build a stronger, sustainable business, which makes a positive contribution to society, and for which our people are proud to work. We are also committed to helping improve the industry s image and raise the level of professionalism. Aviva had already made a commitment to raising the standard of professionalism amongst its own advisers and key staff. We are committed to helping over 2,000 internal and key partner staff as well as offering assistance to financial adviser through our Financial Adviser Academy. This commitment also extends to our support of the Financial Adviser School, and we are proud to be a sponsor for what we believe is an extremely worthwhile endeavour which we see as being at the forefront of producing the industry s next generation of professional advisers. Scholarships The founder sponsors will commit to providing scholarship funding to candidates of excellence who also meet specific criteria. There are a limited number of scholarship places available and The Financial Adviser School team will consult with those individuals who have been identified during the recruitment process as potential candidates for a scholarship offering. 21

22 How to apply In the first instance, we will undertake a telephone consultation with you and may invite you to an Open Day event for you to find out more information about the School and the programme. If you choose to apply for a place within The Financial Adviser School our admissions team will ensure that your application is carefully considered and that you are kept up to date with its progress. You may then be invited to participate in the selection process which includes assessed exercises and an interview. If successful, you will be offered a place at The Financial Adviser School on the next intake. If you have any queries please contact the admissions team on or by ing info@thefaschool.co.uk Intakes for The Financial Adviser School are Spring and Autumn. Prospective students must: Be over 18 years of age; Have a minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) including Maths and English; Have relevant transferable skills and experience; Have the ability to study at Diploma level; Be able to provide referees for the last 5 years; Be able to demonstrate good financial standing; Be clear of a criminal record. 22

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24 Contact Telephone: Online: The Financial Adviser School will use reasonable endeavours to deliver courses and other services in accordance with the descriptions set out in this prospectus. The Financial Adviser School reserves the right to make variations to the contents and method of delivery of courses and other services, to discontinue courses and other services, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by The Financial Adviser School. If The Financial Adviser School discontinues its courses it will use reasonable endeavours to recommend a suitable alternative course. All students will be required as a condition of enrolment at The Financial Adviser School to agree to, abide by and submit to the jurisdiction of Sesame Limited s regulatory compliance regime. A copy of the current regulatory compliance regime, as well as those of The Financial Adviser School are available on our website. The Prospectus is governed by the laws of England and Wales and you and we submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts in the event of an issue arising out of the Prospectus. Data protection and consent to process For The Financial Adviser School to operate efficiently, it needs to process information about you for administrative, academic and health and safety reasons. Any offer The Financial Adviser School makes to you is subject to your consent to process such information and therefore a requirement before we can register you as a student