Wealth manager Kingswood has launched an advice academy designed to help aspiring financial planners who are looking to start or switch careers into the advice sector.
The first group of four trainee advisers have started the two-year programme, which upon completion will see them handed a level 4 Diploma from the CII in financial planning.
The training will see candidates acquire new technical and people skills as well as develop their financial planning knowledge.
According to Kingswood, its academy will “help talented people learn the skills they need to provide effective financial advice”, which will lead to a successful career in wealth management.
The candidates have a 13-week rotation in wealth planning and will shadow a wealth planner during this period.
In addition to set projects and tasks throughout the programme, the trainees will participate in external and internal training sessions.
They will also be given study time to study and pass their examinations during the programme.
In order to join Kingswood Academy, candidates must have passed an initial interview with Linda Tottem, vice president of HR - talent acquisition at Kingswood, then a numerical test, followed by an interview with Leigh Philpot, head of wealth management and Charlie Gillespie, management director at the firm.
Mr Philpot said: “The Kingswood Academy is not only an important initiative for our people and clients, but it will be pivotal in organically growing our business over the long-term.
“This new generation of advisers will most importantly speak the same language as a new generation of clients.
“With a new generation of bright and motivated advisers coming through, there is less risk of clients becoming orphaned because their adviser has retired or left the industry.”
amy.austin@ft.com
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