Tenet has teamed up with the Financial Skills Partnership to help launch its ‘Graduate Foundation College’ pilot pre-employment and internship programme.

The support services provider will be opening up its training facilities and supplying a qualified trainer to help unemployed graduates take the first step towards a career in financial services.

150 candidates will take part and over a 10-week period, they will be trained to RO1 standard – with the intention of subsequently securing a six-month paid internship with a small to medium-sized financial advice company in 2013.

The initial RO1 series begins on Thursday 16 October at six major provincial venues: Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, London and Manchester.

Tenet is one of several leading organisations from the financial sector to back the initiative, alongside others such as Aviva, the CII, the Department of Work & Pensions, Redland Business Solutions and Scottish Widows.

“Tenet is proud to be supporting this programme from the outset,” said group distribution and development director, Keith Richards.

“It’s a very positive move, particularly given the impact of RDR and challenge of bringing new blood into the industry.

“There is a real need to attract young talent to the sector. This fast-track solution significantly shortens the graduate recruitment process for adviser firms and provides them with candidates who are already RO1 qualified.”

“If this pilot scheme is a success, we will be seeking to expand the workshops to cover mortgage advice, paraplanning and wealth management,” added the FSP’s partnership manager, Paul McCraith.