Zurich Financial Services Australia (Zurich) has launched a new adviser education offering, the Zurich Curriculum.
The Zurich Curriculum is a comprehensive program of workshops, short courses and webinars designed to equip advisers and support staff with the skills and knowledge to build specialist expertise, provide a better customer experience, and run more successful businesses.
The launch of the Zurich Curriculum comes at a time when advisers are increasingly focussed on education as the key to redefining their value propositions.
Head of Retail Distribution for Zurich’s Life and Investments business, Kristine Brooks, said Zurich research revealed many advisers intend to broaden their advice offering and enter new markets during 2016.
“The advice landscape is undergoing changes, driven by a range of disruptive forces, so it is no surprise that advisers are scrutinising their own offerings to determine how future proof they are,” she said.
“Our research (see note 1) reveals that a significant number of advisers are looking to enter more specialised markets. Almost one third of those surveyed say they’re planning to increase their participation in the business insurance market, and 40 percent say they would work more actively with white-collar professionals.
“Working with high net worth individuals, pre-retirees and business owners also brings into play far more complex technical advice strategies, which can require specialised knowledge and experience.
“The right training and education can provide the skills and confidence for advisers to be more active in these new markets, as well as with cases they may have previously outsourced to dedicated specialists and referral partners,” Brooks said.
The Zurich Curriculum includes 20 stand-alone units, delivered by expert presenters, which span a range of topics and experience levels. The program includes content on Estate Planning, Business Insurance, and two Succession Planning units, for which Zurich has again partnered with Melbourne succession planning specialist, Iron Group.
“The Zurich Curriculum caters for everyone, from a new graduate through to an advanced practitioner wanting to get best practice insights from their elite peers,” said Brooks.
“It can help advisers and advice practices comply with proposed new educational standards, as well as more broadly helping lift the level of skills and knowledge across the advice profession.”
The Zurich Curriculum will be offered nationally via a combination of face-to-face and online forums, and all units will qualify for CPD points.
More detail about the Zurich Curriculum is available via the prospectus or online at Zurich.com.au/learn.
Notes:
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1. Lewers Pulse Survey of 209 active risk advisers, December 2015.