- Zurich Launches Adviser Education Program
- AFA Opens Nominations For Rising Star Award
- NAB Signs with Deakin for Adviser Education
Zurich Launches Adviser Education Program
Zurich Financial Services Australia has launched its new 20 unit adviser education program – the Zurich Curriculum – which will offer face to face and online training to advisers nationally.
The course, in which all units will qualify for CPD points, is designed for advisers and their support staff and will include content on estate planning, business insurance and succession planning.
Zurich’s Life and Investments, Head of Retail Distribution, Kristine Brooks said the program would cover a wide range of topics and was suitable for all levels of adviser experience and would help advisers and advice practices comply with proposed new educational standards.
“The advice landscape is undergoing changes, driven by a range of disruptive forces, so it is no surprise that advisers are scrutinising their own offerings to determine how future proof they are,” Brooks said.
“Our research reveals that a significant number of advisers are looking to enter more specialised markets. Almost one third of those surveyed say they’re planning to increase their participation in the business insurance market, and 40 percent say they would work more actively with white-collar professionals.
“The right training and education can provide the skills and confidence for advisers to be more active in these new markets, as well as with cases they may have previously outsourced to dedicated specialists and referral partners,” Brooks said.
AFA Opens Nominations For Rising Star Award
The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) has opened nominations for its Rising Star Award, partnering with ANZ Wealth for the 12th annual presentation of the award at the associations national conference in October this year.
AFA, Chief Executive, Brad Fox said the award recognises emerging talent within financial advice with nominees for the award being required to show how they are bringing innovation to the provision of their advice as well as a commitment to their ongoing professional development.
Nominees are also required to have been responsible for providing personal financial advice for less than three years and have made a contribution to the financial education of their clients and the community.
The AFA is accepting nominations online at www.afarisingstar.com.au until 22 July.
NAB Signs with Deakin for Adviser Education
NAB will offer planners within its eight adviser networks access to financial planning based research and continuing education after signing an agreement with Victorian based Deakin University for the provision of education services.
Advisers within the NAB advice networks will be able to access undergraduate and postgraduate courses online or face to face, depending on the course, with a group discount applying on all course fees for units in a range of programs, including the Master of Financial Planning and Master of Professional Practice.
NAB Executive General Manager, Wealth Advice, Greg Miller said the agreement would provide NAB’s advisers with access to research into changes in the financial planning profession and the changing needs of consumers
The programs would be offered by Deakin University through the Deakin Business School, DeakinPrime and DeakinDigital and follow NAB’s 2014 decision to increase minimum education qualifications above the current industry standard of RG146.
Through the relationship with Deakin University, NAB advisers will be able to access its undergraduate Bachelor of Commerce (Financial Planning) course or postgraduate
Master of Financial Planning (including Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning) or Master of Professional Practice (Financial Planning) courses.
