Janie Barrett
Julian Stevenson, product and workforce development director at RMIT Online, says short courses are quicker and cheaper than traditional university degrees and provide an avenue for people to gain practical and industry-relevant skills without having to sacrifice their day jobs. RMIT’s School of Economics Finance and Marketing, for example, offers several short courses targeting various areas of financial services and skills bases, including portfolio management, trading techniques and sustainable investment to help asset managers integrate environmental, social and governance factors into investment decision-making. There are no educational prerequisites for most of its RMIT Online Future Skills courses.
Micro-credentials are a good way for busy professionals to upskill and be recognised for their efforts.Thomas Matthys, lecturer with UTS Business School, adds: “Learners really enjoy the flexibility of mostly online learning while maintaining the personalised learning experience with after-hours consultations and face-to-face contact with academic staff.”
“The FPA also encourages others in the financial planning profession, including those who are not in client-facing roles and therefore not subject to the current education standards or required to undertake CPD, to pursue further studies.“To help with this, the FPA will be launching micro-credential courses in coming months specifically to assist paraplanners in areas such as financial modelling, technology and statements of advice.