Academy boss stresses ‘new blood’ importance

The director of Sesame Bankhall Group’s Financial Adviser School, said: “Introducing new blood into the financial services industry is particularly important in a time of change, when some advisers are choosing to leave the profession ahead of the retail distribution review.

“The fact that students are able to train to full adviser status without compromising their previous employment is testament to their hard work and the flexibility of the FAS programme. We look forward to welcoming more students onto the scheme in the months and years ahead.”

Her comments were backed up by one student, who is completing the course while holding down another job, and asked not to be named while undertaking the training.

The student said: “Having spent 20 years in high-profile roles in the public sector, I’d increasingly realised that this was not the life for me. I liked the idea of working with clients and building up relationships with people. I also want to run my own business. One of the roles that came up that suited these criteria was that of a financial adviser.

“The financial services sector is undergoing considerable change, which has meant that a lot of advisers are retiring and a lot of firms in the industry are changing the way they work – making it a good time to get into the market.”

The student said the FAS was “not just a training scheme”, although to become a financial adviser one must now have a diploma.