Panel covers adviser academies and training schemes

A 25 minute watch.

Joining us on the latest panel in our Building Better Financial Services Expo, The Private Office’s Christie Tillett and Sarika Dhanjal of Progeny talk to Sam Shaw about all things training, development, graduate schemes and adviser academies.

From the importance of mentoring and coaching and role play, to pointing trainees to other resources and sharing responsibility for learning, we hear sharp insights and observations of what works well, what not to do and quashing preconceptions about the advice profession of yesteryear.

While having a dedicated mentor helped Christie recognise her tendency to want to “run before she could walk”, having a clear and structured career path was a vital factor in her decision to join TPO.”Also having someone supporting me, really helped me understand how to express myself in the right place at the right time.”

As both firms share a passion for breaking the one-time norms of what the industry has looked like and building on the basic schools curriculum, Sarika also reminds us all about the additional considerations to move from pre-, during and now (hopefully) post-pandemic around new social etiquette, virtual vs live meeting preparation.

Both share their experiences of applying newly-learnt softer skills into real life situations, so they don’t seem scripted, or overwhelming as Christie talks about the importance of giving something back to the firm, by sharing a fresh perspective.

“It’s all about having a growth mindset,” Sarika says, stressing the importance of bringing ongoing training and development to life using different formats to draw out individual talents.