It means that the FAS has become one of the first organisations to become a trusted partner of the institute and is now formally acknowledged as a leading provider of financial adviser training in the UK.
In a statement on Thursday, the FAS said to become a trusted partner it had to demonstrate its training programme met The London Institute of Banking & Finance’s requirements for delivering high-quality learning.
The academy also revealed that it now has just under 50 trainee advisers, with the first crop of candidates set to graduate from the programme in April this year.
FAS now has just under 50 trainee advisers, with the first cohort of candidates set to graduate from the programme in April this year.
The School offers training to those wishing to pursue a career as an adviser, helping them gain technical knowledge, and the appropriate skills and behaviours to provide professional advice and to gain a Level 4 Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA).
The FAS added that the recognition marks an important milestone as it seeks to grow its presence in the industry.
Intrinsic, part of Old Mutual Wealth (OMW), acquired the FAS from Sesame Bankhall Group (SBG) in February last year.
Adviser apprenticeship
The School added that it is expecting to gain recognition as an approved apprenticeship training provider after the UK government announced last month that it will launch a new specialist financial adviser apprenticeship standard.
It is offering employers up to £9,600 ($11,979, €11,270) in financial help toward the training of a competent adviser.
Darren Smith, head of the FAS, said: “We are really pleased to receive this recognition, which I think is testimony to the hard work FAS trainers, staff and students have put into the project since we re-launched in 2016.
“It is fantastic to be one of the first organisations recognised by The London Institute of Banking & Finance as a Trusted Partner, which is a valuable endorsement for the programme.”