Applications are now open for Career connect’s 2024 intake. 30 places, including 7 scholarships, are available. Free online career evening on 19 March. Kaplan Professional announced as new education provider. Building on the success of its inaugural year in 2023, Fidelity Life is delighted to announce applications are now open for the 2024 intake of its Career connect financial adviser training programme, with a new scholarship on offer for aspiring women advisers. This year, Kaplan Professional joins Career connect as the programme’s education provider, in conjunction with Massey University. To mark the new partnership Kaplan Professional is funding a new Women in Finance Scholarship, which Bronwyn Kirwan, Chief Sales and Service Officer at Fidelity Life, says is the perfect addition to Career connect’s existing six scholarships. “Developing a younger, more diverse generation of financial advisers is key to the future of the sector. We’re pleased to say that fifty percent of our 2023 Career connect participants were female, however, there’s still a lot of work ahead to get more women in the financial advice industry. “We’re thrilled to have found a values-aligned partner in Kaplan Professional, as they are also passionate about helping women break into male-dominated industries. We hope this new scholarship opportunity encourages even more women to apply for the programme.” Kaplan Professional CEO Brian Knight expressed the importance of nurturing the next generation of talent and providing more opportunities for women to enter the sector. “Programs like Career connect provide the ideal launchpad for a bright future in financial advice, so we are delighted to collaborate with Fidelity Life on what we believe is a terrific initiative to strengthen New Zealand’s talent pipeline. “We also remain steadfast in our commitment to encouraging and promoting diversity within the industry, so we are thrilled to be able to provide a scholarship for women in every intake of the program.An online career evening on 19 March is free to attend for anyone who is interested in learning more about Career connect and pursuing a new career in financial advice. Kirwan takes great pride in seeing newly minted graduates emerge from the programme. “It’s fantastic to witness our graduates’ success as they complete their qualifications and kick-start their careers in financial advice. In our first year, 2023, thirty aspiring advisers went through the programme to get their NZ Certificate in Financial Services Level 5 and more than half of them have already gone on to find jobs in the financial services sector. It’s still early days, but we’re pleased to be doing what we can to boost the stocks of financial advisers.” The 2023 Career connect cohort will graduate at a ceremony on 7 March. For those interested in joining the 2024 intake, applications are now open. The programme runs from May to December 2024 and 30 places are available, including 7 reserved exclusively for scholarship recipients. Career connect is part of Adviser edge, Fidelity Life’s advice careers and professional mastery programme for financial advisers specializing in life risk. To register for the free online career evening on 19 March visit: https://advisers.fidelitylife.co.nz/support-training/career-connect/career-evening/ For more information on Career connect and the application process please email careerconnect@fidelitylife.co.nz or visit fidelitylife.co.nz/our-story/career-connect/