These will be from the 29 April 2019 to 3 May 2019, 20 May to 24 May and 17 June to 21 June. Provisional dates for the Autumn have also been added for: 2 September to 6 September, 30 September to 4 October, 4 November to 8 November and 2 December to 6 December.
Connect for Intermediaries has scheduled seven extra training academies this year after the success and demand for their first event held in the second week of March.
These will be from the 29 April 2019 to 3 May 2019, 20 May to 24 May and 17 June to 21 June. Provisional dates for the Autumn have also been added for: 2 September to 6 September, 30 September to 4 October, 4 November to 8 November and 2 December to 6 December.
Liz Syms, chief executive of Connect for Intermediaries, said: “Our first academy was an overwhelming success with positive feedback from every attendee.
“We always planned to put on more academies if the first one was a success, but we were so oversubscribed that we have doubled the number we originally planned to run.
“There is a desperate need to bring new people and skills into the mortgage industry, people who are properly trained so that they will always put the interests of the client first.
“Our academies successfully achieve all of those things, raising standards, bringing new blood into the industry and helping our existing adviser members to grow their own businesses.”
The academies are designed to bring new advisers into the specialist mortgage industry.
They are open either to brokers returning to the industry after a period of absence or for accountants, estate or letting agents, as well as other individuals experienced in property, who want to make the move into advice.
The only requirement is that attendees join Connect’s network once they have completed the course.
The academy is also open to trainees or other new staff being taken on by existing members of Connect’s network. The academy is just one of the steps that Connect is proactively taking to help those of its ARs who want to grow their businesses.
Connect's academies give attendees the regulatory framework on which to trade. It also helps attendees develop their mortgage knowledge, with a focus on understanding the criteria and lender offerings in the specialist market.
On completion of the course, attendees will be able to provide advice on specialist mortgages such as complex buy-to-let, commercial, development and bridge loans.
While there is no regulatory requirement to hold a mortgage qualification or demonstrate competent adviser status in much of the specialist mortgage market, many lenders will not now accept applications from non-regulated advisers or one who is not part of a regulated environment.
Attendee, Jack Carter, added: “My knowledge has increased greatly, and the academy has given me added confidence.”
Another attendee Terence McCann said: “The course was excellent, and it was beneficial in all areas.”
Training and mentoring will continue after the course and all candidates will have access to the Connect for Intermediaries team to help them grow and develop, achieve Competent Adviser Status and become successful advisers.
