CII financial services qualifications
Supporting compliance, competence and capability
The CII financial services qualifications
framework addresses the Financial Services
Authority (FSA) regulatory examination
requirements and, where relevant, the
appropriate examination standards of the
Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC).
The framework provides the most
comprehensive learning and competence
programme in the market. The RDR is
placing ever greater emphasis on the need
for professional, skilled advice delivered
by suitably qualified advisers. In particular,
it proposes that advisers must hold as a
minimum a Level 4 qualification.
While the
detail on this is still to be finalised, the FSA
has stated that the CII Diploma will meet
this requirement (it will be possible to
bridge any gap between this qualification
and the actual RDR qualification
requirements through Continuing
Professional Development). Accordingly, the
framework is designed to enable advisers
to develop the skills and understanding
required to meet regulatory requirements
and to achieve commercial success.
Specific qualifications within the
framework are designed for financial
advisers and mortgage advisers. In both
cases, options exist for those seeking to
develop their knowledge beyond the basic
regulatory requirement.
There are also dedicated qualifications for life
and pensions administrators and options for
the many other individuals in related roles
throughout the financial services industry.
The qualifications are underpinned by
further learning and development tools
including ed.ASSESS®, an online service
that keeps technical knowledge up-to-date.
The suite of products is available to
individual candidates and corporate
purchasers.
Organisations have access
to dedicated Corporate Development
Managers who can help develop
bespoke packages to fit their particular
requirements.
The framework and the associated
products and services cater for all levels
of experience, from those starting out
in their career to experienced, qualified
advisers seeking to maintain and enhance
their knowledge.
In many instances, success in CII
qualifications enables PFS/CII members
to use particular designations and titles,
including ‘Chartered Financial Planner®’
status, demonstrating their achievement
to employers, peers and clients.
Reflecting professional, commercial and regulatory requirements
Qualifications are at the heart of the UK’s
financial services regulatory regime, and the
CII is dedicated to providing solutions that
are relevant, up-to-date and practical.
In addition to delivering an unrivalled
programme of qualifications, the framework
is responsive to individual requirements.
If and when a practitioner identifies a
gap in their knowledge (perhaps as a
consequence of new responsibilities,
regulatory developments or changes in
market practice), he or she can develop
their knowledge as required.
This can
be done either by studying for an overall
qualification or by simply choosing a
particular unit on a standalone basis.
The framework delivers in-depth coverage
of a broad range of subjects. This reflects
the growing desire of many practitioners
to enhance their awareness of sector
specialisms once they have laid a
foundation of general market knowledge
via qualifications such as the Certificate
in Financial Planning and the Certificate
in Mortgage Advice.
Obtaining qualifications and aligning them
with general career development can deliver
genuine business benefits.
They can help provide a competitive
advantage, assist with regulatory
compliance, support entry to new markets
and enhance the range and quality of advice
that can be provided.
The suite of qualifications now includes:
- Certificate in Financial Administration
- Certificate in Life and Pensions
- Certificate in Mortgage Advice
- Certificate in Equity Release
- Certificate in Financial Planning
including options in respect of:
- Group risk
- Long term care insurance
- Diploma in Financial Planning
- Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning
The CII also provides corporate ‘Chartered
Financial Planners™’ status for qualifying
financial advice firms. This is an extension
of the individual ‘Chartered Financial
Planner®’ title for those businesses which
demonstrate their adherence to the highest
standards of professional practice. Further
details can be found on page 10.
Corporate Chartered status is one more
way in which the CII is helping boost the
professionalism and prestige of the financial
advice sector.
The framework delivers:
- Alignment with the FSA Retail Distribution Review (RDR)
CII qualifications help individual advisers and firms to raise standards of technical
knowledge and professional capability in line with the proposed RDR requirements
- The broadest range of market-led services
Reflecting the commercial and regulatory requirements of the industry
- An unrivalled range of qualifications
Meeting the needs of a broad spectrum of individuals working in both advisory and
administrative roles, from new entrants through to experienced professionals
- Quality assured qualifications
Included within the Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC) list of appropriate
examinations
- Market-leading designations and Chartered status
Acquiring CII qualifications satisfies the educational requirement of a range of recognised
and respected professional designations and titles, including Chartered Financial Planner®
- Recognition of prior learning
Recognition is given to relevant prior learning; this can include CII and non-CII
qualifications and company in house training where the necessary criteria have been met.
Individuals receive credits which they retain for the duration of their working life.
In doing so they can avoid duplication of study.
- A comprehensive portfolio of learning and revision materials
Enabling candidates and organisations to build bespoke learning programmes to suit their
particular needs
- Flexible examination options
An unrivalled UK-wide network of public exam centres. This includes the facility to sit
multiple-choice exams online, with candidates receiving instantaneous results. The
online exam service allows candidates to choose the date of the exam sitting and enables
companies to run sittings in-house
- Competitive pricing
Learning materials and examination entry are available at market-competitive prices, with
discounts available to members
- Leading competence solutions for qualified staff
Including the market’s premier online technical learning, assessment and compliance
platform: ed.ASSESS®
NEW - 2012 Financial Services overview brochure
