Absa launches Absa Adviser Academy

Absa launched the Absa Adviser Academy to train and develop high calibre Financial Advisers in an effort to help address the shortage of skilled financial advisors in the country.

Situated in Blackheath, Johannesburg, the academy will be run by Absa Insurance and Financial Advisers (AIFA).

Chief Executive Officer of Absa Financial Services, Willie Lategan said: “There is a general shortage of skilled advisers in the country and the current adviser force is ageing. The Academy is a strategic initiative that will enable us to close the skills gap and to serve our clients in the best way possible.”

The launch of the academy is a significant milestone in the history of Absa.

“As the leading financial advisory business, we have taken a leading position in the attraction and retention of the necessary skills and we hope that this academy will help us launch the careers of future advisers,” says Peter Todd, Managing Executive at AIFA.

A team of professional trainers and a stringent quality control programme will ensure the proper training and development of excellent financial advisers.

The trainee adviser will receive a competitive remuneration package, which promotes financial freedom and provides financial stability. The Academy will also provide each Trainee Adviser with a tailor-made personal development and training path as well as a range of other opportunities within Absa.

Selected following a rigorous selection process, the trainee advisers include individuals with backgrounds in the fields of law, commerce and marketing.

The Academy continues to work closely with higher education institutions on this programme.

Absa Insurance and Financial Advisers is the largest brokerage in the country, boasting 1 500 advisers and providing superior insurance and financial advice and solutions as part of the Absa customer value proposition.