No images? Click here Dear StakeholderOnce a year, the ASISA Academy hosts a get-together in Cape Town and Johannesburg for alumni who have passed through our various graduate programmes over the years. Also invited to these events are current interns who benefit greatly from the insights, learnings, and inspiration shared by our alumni. For me, our annual alumni events are incredibly special because every year I get to see the phenomenal growth in the graduates who have come through our internships. Some have achieved milestones on their journey to becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst, and others have already qualified as Certified Financial Planners. Many have progressed to leadership positions and have started playing a positive role in creating opportunities for the next generation of graduates. Among the ASISA Academy alumni are some budding future leaders in the financial services industry. The alumni events also bear testimony to our ability, as an industry, to change lives. The dynamic partnership between the ASISA Academy and the financial services industry has proven to be a powerful means of channelling Black graduates into employment opportunities within the industry. Around 80% of our interns are absorbed by their host employers, while most of the remaining 20% have little trouble finding employment within the industry. Looking past the economic benefits, creating jobs also provides hope, which is unfortunately in short supply for South Africa’s young adults, who face an unemployment rate of 45.3%. According to Statistics South Africa, 4.7 million South Africans between the ages of 15 and 34 were unemployed in the second quarter of 2023. Having attended both the Cape Town and Johannesburg alumni events in October, I was reminded that what sometimes feels like a “drop in the ocean” can have a significant multiplier effect if applied consistently over many years. In 2011, our first internship in partnership with TSiBA, a Cape Town-based not-for-profit higher education institution, created opportunities for 10 Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Finance students. Since then, more than 500 young people have passed through our internships, and more than 600 university students and graduates in their first year of work have participated in our work readiness courses. Alumni and current interns who attended the events that were held in Cape Town (left) and Johannesburg (right). NEWS FROM OTHER GRADUATE PROGRAMMESFezeka Graduate ProgrammeThe eight graduates participating in the inaugural Fezeka programme took part in a second networking event, this time hosted in Johannesburg by Standard Bank. The Cape Town networking event was hosted by Ninety One in June. The event aims to introduce these young women to the programme sponsors, hosts and prospective employers. Some valuable connections were made that we are anticipating will lead to employment opportunities for these talented young women at the end of the 15-month programme. Fezeka is an exciting industry collaboration aimed at helping the South African asset management industry improve the representation of Black women on investment teams. Twelve exceptional young women from around the country have been selected for the second iteration of the Fezeka programme starting in January 2024, but we are still short of the funding required to place all selected graduates on the second programme. I invite you to contact me to discuss how your company can get involved and what the benefits are. Alternatively, please click here if you would like to make a financial contribution. Networking event that took place in Johannesburg, hosted by Standard Bank. Financial Markets Practitioner (FMP) LearnershipEmployers in the investment management industry interested in enrolling employees or unemployed graduates in the Financial Markets Practitioner Learnership are urged to submit their Employer Enrolment Forms. The third iteration of the learnership starts in March 2024. The FMP qualification complies with the Financial Sector Code (FSC) criteria set out in categories B and D on the Learning Programme Matrix for scoring skills development points. Therefore, companies are also encouraged to reserve spaces for new graduates who are currently unemployed. The ASISA Academy maintains a database of unemployed eligible graduates for companies willing to partner with the ASISA Academy in creating career pathways for these graduates. Interested employers can email us for more information. This NQF Level 7 learnership is registered with the Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Fasset) and provides a learning pathway to a higher qualification such as an honours degree or a NQF level 8 postgraduate diploma. Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) InternshipThe IFA practices that have agreed to participate as hosts in next year’s ASISA Academy Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) Internship starting in February 2024 are currently interviewing applicants. Once complete, successful candidates will have a place at a host practice in Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, East London or Johannesburg. The selection process is of critical importance for the IFA practices with the focus on identifying graduates that will fit in well with the practice culture and also with the existing and potential clients. RETIREMENT FUND TRUSTEE EDUCATION UPDATEIn October, we presented 18 Retirement Fund Trustee Education (RFTE) workshops to 198 trustees and principal officers. Of these workshops, nine were public, one was delivered in partnership with Atleha-Edu, and eight were presented to the following single funds:
Some of the delegates who attended the various RFTE workshops during the month of October. OTHER COURSES PRESENTED IN OCTOBER
Delegates who attended the UCT Life Insurance Claims Assessors Short Course in Johannesburg.
Delegates who attended the UCT Collective Investment Schemes (CIS) Short Course in Johannesburg.
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SPOTLIGHT FOR NOVEMBERPublic RFTE workshops
LEARN WITH US IN 2024In response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, we turned our one-day Blitzcamps into two-hour online Investment Sprints. Four years later, there is a strong demand for focused face-to-face learning again, and we have therefore decided to bring back our popular Financial Services Overview Blitzcamp and Investment Management Overview Blitzcamp in 2024. The 2024 dates have been set and both Blitzcamps are open for enrolment. For a complete overview of learning opportunities, please visit the ASISA Academy Learning Calendar. 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. 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 |