I have worked in the financial services industry for 7 years and have recently decided that I would like to pursue a career as an investment advisor. Having been working in the industry for some time, I felt that I had the necessary knowledge and experience to perform in this role but was aware that my lack of formal qualifications might hinder me. A colleague at work recommended the J12 qualification to me as it would provide me with an opportunity to demonstrate my commitment and ability and to formally recognise my existing knowledge and experience. Following some research, I opted for the distance learning route, choosing The Oxford College of Marketing as my preferred provider. I found the course content relevant and interesting, providing a good basis of understanding from which I could build on further with additional reading and practice. The exam papers provided were very useful when it came to preparing for the exams. Initially I was concerned about how quickly I could cover the material but with good time management, I was able to read through each chapter and complete each exam paper in just over two weeks before sitting my exams at a local Victoria College centre. I am pleased that I successfully passed all three units (J10, J11 & J12) and look forward to progressing further within my career. "I really enjoyed the course and I think its a great qualification to have. I'm really interested in investing as a hobby, so I found it really interesting to learn new concepts and terms that apply to the stock market. The course is a good mix of theory and practice, with lots of quizzes and articles to help you consolidate what you've learned.
The course is well structured, starting from the very basics and building up your knowledge bit by bit. The quizzes were fun - they were interspersed throughout the lessons, so when you finished one you could immediately test yourself on what you had just learned. Each quiz was different enough from the previous one that I didn't feel like it was repetitive but also similar enough that I knew exactly how to use the system. I think this course would be great for people who are interested in becoming brokers or financial advisors, but it's also useful for anyone who is interested in learning more about how the stock market works, how stocks are valued etc."
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