Access Financial Services has formally launched a new mentoring programme designed to support recently qualified advisers, following a successful six-month internal pilot.
The initiative, which was introduced at the start of 2025, is aimed at advisers with CeMAP qualifications but little real-world experience.
So far, 18 advisers have completed the programme, including four who previously worked within the firm’s protection business.
Nick Jones (pictured), mortgage sales and marketing director at Access FS, said the programme was created to bridge the gap between qualification and professional competence. “The idea for the mentoring programme was to help advisers who have just qualified,” he said.
“It might feel as though it’s all downhill once you have your qualifications but, in reality, that’s where the journey starts. While they aspire to be Formula 1 drivers, the truth is these advisers only just passed their proverbial theory test.”
He added that the scheme focuses on the core practical elements of advisory work, including client communication, needs assessment, sourcing suitable products, and making appropriate recommendations. “It’s a big undertaking but the pilot shows that it works,” he said.
WIDER PROGRAMME
The mentoring programme now forms a central part of what Access FS describes as a wider “skills ecosystem”. This ecosystem begins with the firm’s in-house Broker Academy, which prepares new recruits for the CeMAP qualification. Once advisers pass their exams, they move into the mentoring programme to gain hands-on training before becoming fully authorised.
Jones emphasised the need for firms to take responsibility for attracting and nurturing new talent. “There are so many people out there that who would excel in financial services if they knew about it,” he said.
“Personal finance is not on the curriculum when you’re at school and everybody I’ve met in the industry has fallen into it – no one leaves full-time education wanting to be a mortgage adviser.”
He warned that the sector faces a potential talent shortage in the coming years. “The big banks and building societies are letting people go and the average existing adviser is 53. What happens when they retire in 10 years? We need to be bringing the advisers of tomorrow on.”
Jones said Access FS is aiming to offer a full professional lifecycle to its advisers, from first entry into the sector through to retirement. “If you want to get in at the ground level and get your CeMAP qualification, we can help. If you want to be mentored through to CAS, we can help.
“You want to develop and grow into different areas like equity release or specialist finance – we can assist you then, too. And then, when you want to retire in 30 years, we’ll buy your client bank, and we’ll pay you a retainer. Our vision is to create a cradle-to-grave journey for our talent.”
