Dear Stakeholder

As much as I am inspired by the work the ASISA Academy does developing promising young people, I am also very pleased to be fulfilling our mandate of serving our industry through member partnerships. This month, we feature another longstanding ASISA member partner, Allan Gray. As the company’s HR Business Partner, Norman Petersen, said in a recent interview, the ASISA Academy graduate programmes solve a key recruitment challenge at ASISA member companies. Talking about the IMACS@TSIBA Internship, in particular, he said “Sometimes when these stories are told, the focus is placed entirely on the development side, and what gets forgotten is how valuable these young people are to businesses.” Petersen added that a large number of those who did an internship with Allan Gray were still employed there, and many of them had moved up the ladder. Read the full story here: Solving staffing gaps and shaping futures.

Norman Petersen (right) pictured with ASISA Academy alumni employed by Allan Gray.

In other news from the IMACS@TSIBA Internship, as last year’s cohort embarks on its compulsory four-month internships this week, the current intake commences with the academic component of the internship. On 18 July, we welcomed the class of 2025/2026. These are second-year students who will be journeying with us until June 2026. Students who wish to participate in this programme must achieve a minimum of 65% in these three courses: Quantitative Methods, Principles of Accounting & Finance, and Finance. 

The class of 2025/2026.

Thank you to the following companies who have sponsored the 2025/2026 programme:

OTHER GRADUATE PROGRAMMES

FMP Learnership

Our class of 2024/2025 wrote the external examinations set by the South African Institute of Stockbrokers (SAIS) in May this year. I was delighted to receive the news that not only did our delegates record a 100% pass rate in the NQF 7 Financial Markets Practitioner (FMP) Learnership this year, they achieved an exceptional set of results. Natércia Faustino, General Manager of the SAIS, shared this congratulatory note with us:

“SAIS congratulates ASISA Academy on the outstanding performance of its students on the most recent Financial Markets Professional examination.”

Below are some reflections shared by delegates on their FMP Learnership experience:

"My experience with the ASISA Academy has been nothing short of amazing. The lecturers were exceptional in terms of the content delivery and the admin/support staff were always ready to address queries or sort out issues, which all contributed positively to the learning process."

"The facilitators were excellent. They were well prepared and explained the concepts in a detailed and comprehensive manner, which allowed me to understand and apply the concepts to the assignments and workplace tasks. I enjoyed the learning experience and the course, and I know it will be useful in my career journey."

Delegates who achieved the NQF 7 Financial Markets Practitioner (FMP) qualification.

The Financial Markets Practitioner Learnership is best suited to members of investment administration and client servicing teams. It also offers value for staff working in related areas such as compliance and IT. The course focuses on investment management administration and exposes delegates to financial market principles, processes and instruments from both a South African and global perspective. 

Fezeka Graduate Programme

In July, AlexForbes in Johannesburg generously hosted members of two Fezeka Graduate Programme cohorts for a series of events, including lectures, a graduation celebration and a networking evening. Below are a few photographs from the event.

Our current group of eight graduates attended their regular two-day lecture programme at the AlexForbes offices, which culminated in an evening event that brought together past and present graduates.

For the 2024/2025 cohort, the evening marked the completion of their 15-month work experience programme. Shortly after that celebration, we received the news that those graduates who wrote the FMP exams in May had passed. Congratulations to them all! Eight of the graduates from this cohort have already secured roles. If you would like to view the CVs of those who are still in the market, please contact Zubeida Ebrahim. 

A big thank you to AlexForbes for hosting the lectures as well as as wonderful evening event celebrating the graduates and offering them an opportunity to network with each other and with executives from various asset managers who were in attendance. 

Top: The 2024/2025 Fezeka graduates who completed their 15-month programme. Bottom: The 2025/2026 Fezeka graduates.

Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) Internship

Every year our new IFA interns must register for the Regulatory 5 examinations. The exam covers aspects of the FAIS Act, TCF, consumer protection and financial products and services, legal principles and ethical practices. According to past years’ interns and their managers, this achievement gives interns’ confidence a real boost.  

Last month, two IFA interns, Kelcy Fabing and Yonela Qabaka, who had already achieved their certificates, offered to host an online exam prep support session for their peers.

Well done to Kelcy and Yonela for leading the way and supporting their peers and best wishes to the rest of the interns who still have to achieve this milestone.

Kelcy Fabing (left) and Yonela Qabaka (right), who successfully passed their RE5 exams.

RETIREMENT FUND TRUSTEE EDUCATION

The ASISA Academy delivered a total of 17 RFTE workshops to more than 300 delegates during the month of July.  

Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Africa (ELCSA) Pension Fund who attended the Cybersecurity workshop in July.

The ASISA Academy, in partnership with the ASISA Foundation, delivers a range of engaging workshops on a fully-funded basis to South African Retirement Fund Trustees.  Workshops are registered with Batseta for CPD points and are presented by industry professionals.

SHORT COURSES

UCT Life Insurance Claims Assessors Short Course

We were pleased to welcome our 17th group of Claims Assessor delegates who embarked on their 20-day face-to-face course in Johannesburg. Delegates attend one week of training each month for four consecutive months. They complete a number of assessments and assignments before sitting the final exams.  

For a complete overview of learning opportunities, please visit the 2025 ASISA Academy Learning Calendar.  

LEARN WITH US

The ASISA Academy is recognised as a Level 1 B-BBEE Qualifying Small Enterprise, with more than 83% 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.

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