Fitch Learning SAQ Certified Wealth Management Advisor Program Qualification Success Story - PW9.ORG

Fitch Learning SAQ Certified Wealth Management Advisor Program Qualification Success Story It can be difficult to find the right balance of qualification and experience in a candidate. When we needed a course for our existing financial advisors to comply with the requirements of the South African Financial Services Board (FSB), we worked with Fitch Learning to develop an online training program that would provide our staff with the knowledge and skills required to meet the regulator’s standards, while also ensuring they had a practical understanding of wealth management in South Africa.

Fitch Learning was able to develop and deliver a bespoke course that met our requirements in terms of content and length, while allowing us to fit it into our busy advisor’s schedules. This flexibility is what really sets Fitch Learning apart from other providers. We also valued their professional approach – they worked with us every step of the way, including designing the assessment model, which was tailored to our needs.

We now have advisors who are fully equipped with the skills they need to provide high quality wealth management advice and excellent client outcomes, while also being able to demonstrate their competence as part of an effective compliance framework.

Steve Smith, Head of Product Development & Training, RMB Private Bank The idea of change is often exciting, but carrying it out can be scary. For example, changing jobs might mean a better work environment or more money, but it could also mean a longer commute and new responsibilities.

In the case of the Fitch Learning SAQ Certified Wealth Management Advisor Program, change meant the program could offer its students a qualification that would benefit their careers rather than just a certificate of completion.

The SAQ Certified Wealth Management Advisor Program was launched in 2007 to provide financial advisors with an opportunity to learn about different wealth management strategies for clients. The program is in-depth and interactive and covers topics such as estate planning, asset allocation and alternative investments.

According to Fitch Learning Group Marketing Manager Debbie Gucciardi, who leads the development of online learning solutions at Fitch Learning, "The program has always been popular with advisers." And in 2016, after 10 years in the industry, they decided to make a positive change: they wanted the program to be recognised by an external body.

2