When you’ve achieved your Diploma should you then go for Chartered status? It depends, says Natalie Dawes – DipPFS – Academy Support Adviser at Bespoke Training Solutions.
Many candidates achieve their Diploma and feel a desire to keep on with the studying. It’s no wonder really, this industry almost demands a commitment to lifelong learning, whether that be for CPD requirements or because of the of the ever-moving feast that financial services tends to be.
Another side can be the habitual traits that we build on our journey to becoming diploma qualified and this is certainly something that I have felt. Although (confession) I don’t always find the learning experiences easy, I do enjoy learning, so opportunities that arise that allow me to deepen my knowledge and understanding, are welcome.
BTS are often contacted by candidates looking for advice on what to do beyond gaining their level four qualification and truth be told, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. There are always generic and personalised factors for each candidate to consider and of course, if looking to go the whole way to chartered, there will be some mandatory requirements too.
Let’s get personal
Calm down, it isn’t how it sounds! I’m talking about our professional goals, aspirations or reasons for further studies etc here – completely above board!
This is where the advice offered to candidates can differ. Some candidates are all about just getting to Chartered, which I like to gently challenge. Why is getting to this level of qualification important? It’s usually from exploring this that there tends to be a bit more to it.
Status
For some, it’s a status thing. It’s partly this for me if I’m honest. I didn’t go to university and the courses I did at college, were purely because I didn’t know what else to do at the time. Finding my passions in L&D and financial services, make me want to achieve great things within them and I’ve discovered along the way that to do that, I must continue to develop.
Some of the status approach to my route is a bit more psychological too. Don’t get me wrong, it is absolutely not all about qualifications or graduating, we can achieve great things in life without them. Some of the most knowledgeable people I have had the pleasure of knowing and know now, are also some of the least qualified on paper.
However, gaining qualifications is not something I’ve had a lot of exposure to over the years. It’s not something that’s common within my family, my upbringing or my friendships and it therefore felt in some ways that I couldn’t, wasn’t capable or shouldn’t? Cue having a bit of a point to prove!
This is where finding my passions came in and now, with a diploma under my belt, I’m looking at my route to chartered. I’m doing it in my own way though – like I do most things!!
There will be other candidates that feel similarly to me, with reasons to embark on Chartered being based on the more touchy-feely stuff. Is this enough to get us to where we think we want to be though?
Personalise, personalise, personalise
When challenging a candidate’s reasons for embarking on chartered, I don’t do this to put them off, in fact it’s quite the opposite. The same can be said when asked for advice around which unit to tackle next.
Exploring reasons for our studies uncovers motivators. Understanding what drives us, can lead to better planning and absolutely better outcomes (i.e., exam passes!). We obtain a more succinct, relevant approach to studies because we become much more invested in what we are doing, rather than doing it ‘just because’.
It’s about personalising our study and learning experience and beyond the more psychological reasons too. My ‘point to prove’ isn’t enough on its own, in fact it can be quite a negative approach. I need many other sub reasons to get me through, especially in times that I am finding the learning harder. So, I break things down and I would encourage all of you to do so as well.
You could draw on your job role, considering what unit of study could enhance what it is you do. What areas of financial services make your heart sing? Perhaps a unit to deepen your understanding some more. Or perhaps you’re thinking about your next career move, what’s going to help you to land that job?
The point I’m trying to make here, is that there is an element of choice with what you study. Use that to your advantage and have your studies compliment your work/life where possible – make it relevant. Always have a personal reason for committing to what you are doing.
Mandatory doesn’t mean mayhem
There I am talking about choice, when actually there will be things we are bound by. For example, with obtaining chartered, there’s a minimum credit requirement (290) – but we do still have choice as to which units we take and in what order so not all bad!
Another example, AF5 is a mandatory unit so there’s no avoiding that one. I’m a positive pants kind of girl though and any situation like this, I think the ultimate mandatory should be to turn what feels negative (ie we must take AF5) into a positive. It’s recommended by the CII that AF5 is taken last, whereas BTS recommends taking it soon after R06, due to the similarities between the two papers – feels like a natural next step as opposed to ‘I have to’.
So, even when we feel like we are losing a little bit of freedom or choice, we just have to find a way to get that back. Again, this comes down to our reasons, our drivers and sometimes we have to dig a little deeper to find exactly what that is.
Invest in your studies by talking
Many of our candidates come to us as a first port of call for advice on their next steps, mainly because of the trust that has been built between us as a business providing L&D support and them as a candidate taking their exams.
From BTS’ perspective, chatting about your options is just as important as taking the actual exam. It creates the right mindset within a candidate for the studies ahead and gives a real sense of purpose. So, when you are thinking about your route to chartered and how to go about it, consider talking to a company or someone who can help you explore the right way forward. Use your peers, whether that be someone in the office, on social media or perhaps in a study forum.
Whatever you do, avoid the ‘sticking a finger in the air’ approach and invest in your studies through discussion, just as you would invest in resources.
Bespoke Training Solutions have been supporting regulated exams for 20 years this year! Known as ‘the exam experts’ within the industry, BTS provide support for the CII regulated exams by way of study guides, e-learning resources, and workshops for the full R0 suite and many AF units.
Visit https://www.bespoketrainingsolutions.com and check out the brand-new Careers Zone for study plans, answers to exam FAQs and lots more to support your journey.
