The National Skills Academy for Financial Services and CTP (Corporate Training Partnerships) are pleased to announce that our new work based assessment qualification is to be added to the Financial Services Authority’s (FSA) Qualification list.
Known as Experience Counts this alternative work based route will lead to the award of the Diploma in Investment Planning by the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland. The Institute has worked closely with the Skills Academy and CTP to ensure that this route provides a robust assessment of a financial adviser’s competence without the need for traditional, written examinations.
Experience Counts differs from both the written and oral examination routes on offer elsewhere in that it has no examination element. An assessor will travel to the adviser’s workplace and conduct a stringent assessment based on real evidence such as client, regulatory and CPD records and any other documentation that proves that the adviser fulfils all examination standards.
Sylvia Perrins, CEO of The National Skills Academy for Financial Services said:” It is great news that Experience Counts has received approval from the FSA. We are now working with our partner, CTP, to help meet the needs of advisers who prefer not to sit written examinations. The Skills Academy is focused on providing traditional and alternative, practical and innovative solutions for the financial services industry so that all training needs are met.”
Jayne Owen, CEO of CTP said: “The approval from the FSA is the final part of the jigsaw to move this initiative forward and provide a viable option for experienced advisers to have their competence assessed in the workplace. The pilot is underway and progressing smoothly. It should be complete by the end of March when anyone who wishes to consider this approach will be able to complete a diagnostic test to check that this route is suitable for them.”
Simon Thompson, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland said: “We are pleased that the FSA has added this new route to its list of Appropriate Qualifications. It provides an alternative path for many advisers to demonstrate their commitment to the RDR standards.”
ENDS
Experience Counts is currently being piloted and will be available to advisers from the end of March 2011. The Skills Academy has already received many enquiries about the assessment. Anyone interested please contact:
Karen Davies via karen.davies@nsafs.co.uk or 07515 053 714.
For more information, please visit: www.nsafs.co.uk.
PRESS – For further information please contact:
Tania Vie Riba or Saira Khan at Broadgate Mainland on 020 7726 6111 (nsafs@broadgatemainland.com)
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