Two surveys have been launched to gauge education and training expectations of financial planners, advisers and their training managers.
The surveys are being conducted by education provider Kaplan Professional (Kaplan) in partnership with the Association of Financial Advisors (AFA), Association of Financial Services Educators (AFSE) and Growth Focus Financial Planning Recruitment (GFFPR).
"We want to establish the level of qualifications organisations expect their financial planners/advisers to have and benchmark that against what a financial planner/adviser thinks," Kaplan chief executive Neil Shilbury said.
"We also want to know whether employers feel their current training needs are being met, and how they want their training delivered."
Surveys will give financial planners and advisers a better idea of what level of qualifications they feel are necessary, and at the same time give trainers an overview of what the rest of the industry is doing and the qualifications it looks for, Shilbury said.
AFA chief executive Richard Klipin and AFSE president Cara Edwards both said that survey results are likely to lift the benchmark for the industry and show that employers have higher expectations than most think.
GFFPR managing director Steven Fine said the survey will provide important feedback for those seeking jobs in the downturn.
"Job seekers really need concrete reassurance that spending money on furthering their education is prudent and well justified in the current economic environment," Fine said.
The surveys, one for financial planners and advisers and one for trainers, are located on the Kaplan homepage and close today at 5pm. Participants will receive a copy of the results in mid-May.
