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Dear Stakeholder
“You are the pioneers! Break those glass ceilings so that others can follow.” With this strong message, Adrian Burke, CEO of the Association for Savings and Investment South Africa (ASISA), provided a fitting send-off for the first group of graduates to complete the Fezeka Graduate Programme. After 15 challenging months, all eight young Black South African women graduated from the Fezeka Graduate Programme at a ceremony held on 13 June 2024.
At the time of writing, six of the eight graduates had secured permanent employment in the industry and have, therefore, been given the opportunity to start breaking those glass ceilings. We would like to thank the following companies for recognising their potential and enabling them to build a career in asset management: Standard Bank Group (Global Markets team), Stanlib Multi-Managers, Sanlam Investment Management and Ninety One.
From the top left: Chanel MacMinn and Moipone Pitso (Sanlam Investment Management), Mikano Masithi and Regomoditswe Moremedi (Standard Bank Group - Global Markets), Mamatholo Mkwanazi (Ninety One), Tsholofelo Maake (Stanlib Multi-Managers).
The very special Fezeka graduation event was hosted in Cape Town by the Sanlam Investment Group (SIG). Not only has SIG hosted three Fezeka grads on their 5-month work rotations, but the company has also offered permanent employment to Chanel MacMinn and Moipone Pitso (pictured below with Theesan Moodley, CEO of Sanlam Private Wealth).
Theesan Moodley (CEO of Sanlam Private Wealth) pictured with Moipone Pitso (left) and Chanel MacMinn (right).
Addressing the celebratory event, Theesan confirmed to guests that the participants in the Fezeka Graduate Programme are “put through their paces on this programme”. In addition to the on-the-job deliverables, the Fezeka graduates participate in the ASISA Academy’s NQF 7 Financial Markets Practitioner (FMP) Learnership and are prepared for the CFA level 1 examination.
“The importance of the programme should not be underestimated as it seeks to address the gender imbalance in the industry and, in doing so, bring about the transformation that is so needed,” according to Theesan.
He challenged other industry participants to join hands in actively nurturing young talent. “Together, we can break barriers, challenge norms, and create a more inclusive future where everyone, irrespective of colour, creed or gender, is given the opportunity to thrive.”
The graduation event was also attended by the 12 young women of the 2024/25 programme, providing them with the opportunity to network and draw inspiration from the inaugural group. All 12 grads concluded their first rotation with host employers at the end of June and are looking forward to the next two rotations that await them.
This programme concludes in May 2025. Non-participating asset managers who are interested in partnering and getting to know the current graduates may reach out to me at adavids@asisaacademy.org.za
The Fezeka Graduate Programme is delivered by the ASISA Academy in partnership with business consultancy, Joint Prosperity.
The 12 graduates currently participating in the 2024/25 Fezeka Graduate Programme.
NEWS FROM OTHER GRADUATE PROGRAMMES
IMACS@TSiBA
The 39 students from the TSiBA Business School participating in the current ASISA Academy IMACS@TSiBA Internship wrote their final exam on Friday, 21 June 2024, and are eagerly awaiting their results.
We have secured internships for 17 students with the following companies: Allan Gray, Coronation Fund Managers, Intembeko Investment Administrators, JTC Fund Solutions, M & G Investments, Sanlam Investment Group, Prescient Investment Management, and Taquanta Asset Managers. While celebrating this, we also received the amazing news that Sanlam Private Wealth has made 10 internship positions available across the business, all of which are 12 months in duration. This speaks directly to the need for graduate employment, so we would like to express our sincere thanks to Sanlam Private Wealth for joining us as a new partner on this programme.
Bongi Motse, Head of Human Capital at Sanlam Private Wealth, says providing development opportunities to 10 graduates from previously disadvantaged communities enables Sanlam Private Wealth to “grow our own timber of talent to meet future business needs”.
“The ASISA Academy and TSiBA partnership is closely aligned to our commitment at Sanlam Private Wealth to empowering generations to be financially confident, secure and prosperous. The partnership is playing a key role in supporting training and future employment for young South Africans, and our business is keen to contribute to this important initiative.”
We are preparing to welcome the 14th intake of TSiBA students on 26 July 2024 and would like to thank the following sponsors who have already committed their financial support to the 2024/2025 programme: Allan Gray, Ci Collective Investments (a first-time sponsor), Foord, Intembeko, JTC Fund Solutions, M & G Investments, Prescient Investment Management, Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) and Taquanta. ASISA members interested in sponsoring are requested to sign up here.
Independent Financial Advisor Internship
Launched in 2016 and funded by several ASISA members, the ASISA Academy IFA Internship helps Black South African graduates with no prior full-time work experience to bridge the gap between university and the world of work at an IFA practice. The interns participate in a structured programme, which includes work-readiness, mentoring, theoretical knowledge, and practical work experience with established IFA practices for 12 months.
I would like to invite IFA practices who are on the fence about signing up as a 2025 host practice to read the story of Jerry Uzoegbo. In the final year of his B Com Honours in Financial Planning at the University of Johannesburg, he was about to abandon his dream of working in financial education when he heard about this internship. He took a leap of faith and applied. Today, Jerry is a financial advisor and technical specialist at Gradidge Mahura Investments. Gradidge Mahura Investments has partnered with the ASISA Academy since the first IFA internship intake in 2016.
Jerry Uzoegbo, a Financial Advisor and Technical Specialist at Gradidge Mahura Investments.
The Academy team will soon be preparing for the 10th ASISA Academy Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) Internship. The application window for IFA practices interested in hosting interns in 2025 will open at 9h00 on Thursday 1 August 2024 and close at 17h00 on Friday 30 August 2024. IFA practices will be able to complete an application form via a link that will be activated on the ASISA Academy IFA Internship web page at 9h00 on 1 August. NB! This will be a different link to the link currently active on the web page, which is merely to express interest in hosting an intern. By completing the “application to host an intern” link from 1 – 30 August, IFAs are automatically placed in a pecking order (to interview and select applicants) based on the time they submitted the form.
RETIREMENT FUND TRUSTEE EDUCATION
Two-pot Retirement System Workshop
Feedback received from the retirement fund trustees who attended our third Two-Pot Retirement System Workshop in June confirms the value of the content to these key stakeholders as we approach the 1 September 2024 implementation date of the new retirement system.
Comments from the 30 trustees in attendance included:
“This is the first time I feel that I have a grasp on this subject.”
“Brilliant, surpassed my expectations.”
“I have attended quite a few of these sessions, but this was by far the most informative.”
We have scheduled further Two-Pot Retirement System workshops in July and August. Please click here for the dates and to enrol.
RFTE Workshops
We presented eight Retirement Fund Trustee Education (RFTE) workshops to 103 trustees and principal officers in June. An additional 196 trustees and principal officers participated in eight RFTE workshops delivered in partnership with our RFTE partner, Atleha-Edu, in May and June.
Trustees from the Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) attended the Two-Pot Retirement System and Investment Fundamentals workshops in June.
SHORT COURSES AND BESPOKE COURSES
UCT Life Insurance Claims Assessors Short Course
The online UCT Life Insurance Claims Assessors Short Course concluded in June with a three-hour examination for 18 participants from various ASISA member companies. The next course will be presented in Johannesburg from July until October. A limited number of seats are still available. Please enrol here.
Since 2013, some 190 life insurance claims assessors have completed this course with the ASISA Academy, and we would like to thank the various industry professionals who enthusiastically donated their time and expertise to enrich the quality of this four-month-long course.
Financial Services Industry Overview Blitzcamp
The online Financial Services Industry Overview Blitzcamp at the beginning of June was well attended, and delegates had this to say:
"This course could not have arrived at a better time as I have recently started working in the Data Operations team."
"How I wish I had some of this information earlier in my career."
The next Blitzcamp will take place online on the mornings of 6 and 7 August 2024. Please enrol here.
Bespoke Sanlam Graduate Development Programme
We delivered a bespoke online Graduate Development Programme for Sanlam over two days in June. The programme was attended by more than 100 chartered accountant graduates who were taken through topics such as the South African financial landscape and its role players, ethics in financial services, investment management and life insurance business models, thinking skills and financial services career planning.
Please contact us if you would like the ASISA Academy to offer similar topics to your junior staff.
LEARN WITH US
The ASISA Academy is recognised as a Level 1 B-BBEE Qualifying Small Enterprise, with more than 75% of the Academy’s beneficiaries being Black South Africans. This means employers can claim 135% of their skills development spend with the ASISA Academy. Please get in touch with us to discuss how we can support your skills development requirements.
For a complete overview of learning opportunities, please visit the ASISA Academy Learning Calendar.
Please visit our website for more information on our many learning opportunities. We also invite you to interact with us on LinkedIn.
Best wishes
Alicia Davids
ASISA Academy CEO
