Progeny is relaunching its adviser academy over summer 2022 to allow for a single September intake of new planners.
The firm said it will relaunch with a single, annual intake to ensure a more consistent learning experience.
Having completed the three-year programme, Joshua Castle and Robert Appleby, who both entered the academy from Progeny’s paraplanning team, are the first graduates.
Gemma Schofield, academy supervisor at Progeny, said: “We are really proud of our first two academy graduates, especially as a significant portion of their programme took place during lockdown, with all the additional challenges of adapting to a virtual environment.
“There will be a number of places available to enrol from within the business, which is such an exciting opportunity for the next generation of financial planners.”
Progeny launched its adviser academy in April 2019 as a means of developing its own internal talent into the advisers of the future.
The programme helps academy associates to develop a deeper understanding of what holistic financial planning really means, while providing exposure to additional skills and experiences essential in client-facing roles.
Appleby, one of the two graduates, said: “What the academy teaches you is that being a financial planner is as much about managing people as it is about managing assets and the programme really focuses on those vital interpersonal skills in conjunction with the technical knowledge.
“For me, the real highlight has been earning that position of a trusted adviser to clients, where your name is part of their emergency contact list. I’m now focusing on building my own client bank and working towards chartered status.”
In practice, year one of the academy focuses on getting to know the other areas of the business by spending time with the various teams and departments.
This is combined with a structured training plan covering all aspects of financial planning and the relevant areas of regulation and disclosure.
Year two focuses on developing the softer skills, such as holding difficult conversations, body language, questioning skills and building confidence in client-facing situations, while year three then sees the associates bring everything they have learned together and discover how to build their client base.
Castle said: “The safety net that your first year in the academy in particular offers you is so important in giving you the space to learn, develop and build your confidence, as well as the mentoring you receive from the senior planner that you are paired with throughout your academy career.
“My goal now is for my client bank to continue to grow via referrals, because if your clients are referring you to their own network then you know you are doing a good job.”
sonia.rach@ft.com
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