NMBA welcomes paraplanner apprentices

The cohort of 20 apprentices began their 18 month programme on 1September.

NMBA welcomes paraplanner apprentices

The New Model Business Academy (NMBA), the training and development division of The SimplyBiz Group, has welcomed the second intake to its Paraplanner Apprenticeship Programme.

The cohort of 20 apprentices began their 18 month programme on 1September, and will be following a syllabus consisting of both on-the-job training and classroom-based study.

Richard Ardron, joint managing director of the NMBA, said: “Our plans for the NMBA apprenticeship programmes are ambitious, but they are also absolutely essential to help to safeguard the future of the industry.

“We are passionate about ensuring ongoing access to advice for consumers, and the long-term health of the financial services sector.

“The function of the paraplanner has become increasingly key to the smooth running of many financial services firms in recent years, but is not always recognised universally as the pivotal role it can potentially be.

“I believe this apprenticeship programme will help to raise the profile of the paraplanner across the sector, as well as starting these 20 apprentices on the path to a very successful and fulfilling career.

“We have trebled the size of the NMBA team over the past month, in order to supply adequate support to the new intakes of financial services professionals of the future and remain dedicated to expanding the programme going forward.”

The NMBA apprenticeship schemes will be growing across the board for the rest of 2019, with 40 additional financial adviser apprentices beginning their training in October and the inaugural 40 mortgage adviser apprentices starting in November.

The cohorts enrolling in the coming months are part of the academy’s growth plans, which will see its number of apprentices rise from 100 to 300 in six months.