Kaplan Professional has reported a “record number” of financial advisers who have graduated from postgraduate financial planning qualifications – including a graduate certificate in financial planning, a graduate diploma of financial planning and a master of financial planning – in 2021 and 2020.
The education provider said 1,800 advisers graduated in the last two years (over 3,000 have graduated from Kaplan since 2017), with thousands more reported to be still in the process of completing their qualifications.
Kaplan Professional CEO Brian Knight said he was very proud of the graduated advisers given the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic during that time.
“They have achieved their postgraduate financial planning qualifications under challenging circumstances and have been able to successfully overcome any obstacles that may have come their way,” Mr Knight said.
“This is a story that the industry should be celebrating.”
Of those who graduated between 2021 and 2020, 63.3 per cent are male and 36.4 are female. The youngest graduate was confirmed to be 22 and the oldest was 78.
Meanwhile, 66.3 per cent are metropolitan-based and 33.3 per cent are regional-based.
“These advisers have put in dedication, sacrifice and immense hard work for not only themselves and their loved ones, but for the betterment of their clients and profession,” Mr Knight said.
“Over the past two years, we have been delighted to hear the stories of countless advisers who have reached out to us specifically to share their pride in completing their education journey and achieving their goals.
“Many have reflected on how their learning experience has played a substantial role in increasing their confidence as an adviser and further developing client trust and professional recognition.”
Kaplan has also announced it will be launching an ‘Alumni Advantage Program’ in the coming weeks to assist advisers looking to achieve a Master’s degree or complete single subjects in specialist areas.
“Whatever advisers want to achieve, we want to do everything we can to support them to continue to achieve their education goals and bolster their credentials.”
Lauding and applauding the numbers of grads that have completed their studies is ignoring the Elephant in the room, that being net numbers. These students are not new to the industry – So they havent provided a net gain in numbers.
Meanwhile thousands exit with roughly 1 in 6 being covered with a brand new entrant.
Akin to shuffling deck chairs on the titanic.
Whoever enters this industry under the current compliance regime has no grasp of risk/reward and on that basis should not be an adviser in any event.
True, but not relevant to the article. It is referring to postgraduate (ie FASEA forced) degrees undertaken by existing advisers. There are very few new entrants at all, for exactly the reason you mention.
Thanks Kaplan …… Must also be nice so be making all of the new course fees….
It’s amazing how professionals can “make” the sacrifices for their peers and Australians and “find” the time to do the work. These are the Professionals that sacrificed time, their business, personal revenue, time with loved ones and family to benefit themselves but also their peers and industry first.
That is the true benefit of Higher Education and something that only someone who has done the work will understand. It’s why people in Treasury/ASIC/Government mock and frown upon those without. If we focused more on these success stories and gave little attention to those self-serving screaming with excuses and often they’re the ones that have had 20 years to update their CFP cornflake initials and do a pretty easy 2-year part-time degree we’d all be benefiting.
Wonder how many now regret completing the degree knowing what has happened to the industry??
I’m one of those. I completed a Master of Financial Planning and also the CFP. over the last 7 years.
With hindsight, I would have done an MBA instead to go into another industry altogether.
…if only we knew!
One subject to go, however finishing the grad dip is not something that I will celebrate at all especially now that whoever wins at the next election has promised to take away the necessity to do it.