As an employer, you understand that the financial literacy of your employees correlates with sound financial benefits and a significant impact on your triple bottom line that is the environmental, social and economic indicators of success. This is because financial literacy for your employees positively affects their material wellbeing, and results in their ability to make confident, sound money decisions, thus contributing significantly to their personal and work satisfaction. This is frequently expressed in increased productivity and reduced stress. Also as an employer you are in an optimum position to successfully implement Money101’s workplace financial literacy programs, which can help people take control of their finances and plan for their future.

Despite a recent call by the FPA for the Government to consider a proposal that would restrict the use of the term ‘financial planner’ under the law, it is clear that such a move is only a superficial patch over the real problem… that the financial industry needs to find positive solutions to raising the minimum qualifications and competence of many who work in the industry. With the release of ASIC’s latest Consultation Paper, it is now beyond dispute that training standards and minimum qualifications for all those working in the industry need to be raised. Further, because the current licensing system does not provide a distinction between advisers on the basis of their qualifications, there are concerns about the varying competence of a broad range of people able to operate under the same ‘financial adviser’ or ‘financial planner’ banner.

Now more than ever employees are demanding that ‘piece of paper’ to recognise their skills and knowledge. With this in mind, Money101 has taken the challenge and moved into the accredited education space with a self-paced online Certificate IV course designed for maximum flexibility. The online Certificate IV in Financial Practice Support has been developed for individuals performing a support role to qualified financial planners and para-planners and enables students to learn at their own pace, whenever and wherever they want.