The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) has launched a study programme to help financial advisers and paraplanners boost their knowledge of investment companies.
The three-hour programme, called the ‘Investment Company Accreditation’, is split into four 45-minute online courses and is free to do, with each course able to be done on a different day.
Completing the accreditation also counts as three hours of CPD due to backing from the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI).
We hope that the Investment Company Accreditation will encourage a new generation of advisers to find their way to investment companies.Nick Britton, AICThe programme covers discounts and premiums, as well as gearing and the income features of investment companies.
“Broadening the understanding and use of investment companies is a key part of the AIC’s mission,” said intermediary communications head at the AIC, Nick Britton.
“[The programme] is designed as a way for financial advisers, planners and paraplanners to show they understand the structure and features of investment companies.
“We hope that the Investment Company Accreditation will encourage a new generation of advisers to find their way to investment companies, which could have so many benefits for their clients.”
The AIC has some 350 members, overseeing an industry which manages some £272bn in assets.
Members include closed-ended investment companies, incorporating investment trusts and other closed-ended investment companies, as well as venture capital trusts.
The AIC has also aligned the new training programme with the CII’s Professional Map, supporting several competencies related to financial planning and paraplanning.
ruby.hinchliffe@ft.com
