SimplyBiz opens door to more paraplanner apprentices 

5 September 2019

New Model Business Academy (NMBA), the training and development division of The SimplyBiz Group, has seen its second intake to its Paraplanner Apprenticeship Programme.

The cohort of 20 apprentices began their 18 month programme on the 1 September and will be following a syllabus consisting of both on-the-job training and classroom-based study.

SimplyBiz said it will be growing its apprenticeship schemes across the board for the rest of 2019, with 40 additional financial adviser apprentices beginning their training in October and the inaugural 40 mortgage adviser apprentices starting in November.

The cohorts enrolling in the coming months are part of the Academy’s plans to grow the number of apprentices from 100-300 in six months, with further cohorts being made available in Q1 for each of its programmes.

“Our plans for the NMBA apprenticeship programmes are ambitious, but they are also absolutely essential to help to safeguard the future of the industry,” said Richard Ardron, joint managing director of the Academy.“We are passionate about ensuring ongoing access to advice for consumers, and the long-term health of the financial services sector.

“The function of the paraplanner has become increasingly key to the smooth running of many financial services firms in recent years but is not always recognised universally as the pivotal role it can potentially be. I believe this apprenticeship programme will help to raise the profile of the paraplanner across the sector, as well as starting these 20 apprentices on the path to a very successful and fulfilling career.

“We have trebled the size of the NMBA team over the past month, in order to supply adequate support to the new intakes of financial services professionals of the future and remain dedicated to expanding the programme going forward.”

Professional Paraplanner