The importance of this cannot be under stated. Due to the changes in this area and post-Brexit potential changes, we consider it prudent to provide a link to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Handbook www.fca.org.uk/firms/training-competence.
Additionally, you may find these points useful:
How are individual training needs identified and by whom?
Identifying the training needs for each role in the T&C scheme should start with the professional knowledge / qualifications required of that role. Professional bodies like the CII (Chartered Institute of Finance) and Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) run both training programmes and provide qualifications. A second source of guidance is your professional trade body. Many trade bodies host interest groups on T&C that will enable networking and the opportunity to benchmark with other similar organisations. The third source of guidance should be your internal HR team. If you don’t already have the competency requirements defined for the roles in the T&C scheme, they should have the expertise to help you define what these are. HR should be a key resource for guidance on the competency requirements of each role beyond the core set of professional knowledge / qualifications. Once defined for each role, these competency frameworks form the basis for the identification of training needs that should be aligned by role. All that remains then is to organise any training needs in a logical sequence. On a final note, training needs can arise at any time and a key part to effective identification is supervisors who are trained and capable of not only spotting training needs but providing appropriate support to resolve them.
How are the learning objectives, timescales, responsibilities and measurements set defined for each training need identified?
This depends on the nature of the training needs. There is a great deal of discretion for firms to decide how they define and subsequently deliver their training. Professional bodies usually set annual standards for continuing professional development (CPD) for their members and many firms will also have their own in-house expectations too. These CPD requirements will often be split into structured versus unstructured learning. In fact, the FCA requires that retail investment advisers need to complete 35 hours of CPD each year. Successful completion of this CPD enables the individual to retain their Statement of Professional Standing (SPS). Beyond the CPD targets set by professional bodies, firms can and do set their own CPD requirements. This should be linked to the required measurements and timescales and be evidenced as part of the T&C Scheme arrangements.
In essence, any training identified should be noted via a SMART training plan that allows anyone looking at an individual’s development to be able to see when the need was identified, how will it be met and, when it is met, how will the change be measured.
What is in place to ensure training remains effective and up to date?
Training plans should be subject to regular review. There should be corporate training input that is managed by a central training team and typically will cover the provision of e-learning together with behavioural type inputs such as selling skills, handling difficult clients etc. Then you have the localised training that will tend to be managed by the T&C Supervisor. This is where small needs are identified through other T&C activities and then localised on the spot training is delivered to meet the need. The trick here though is once again for a well-trained supervisor who can identify, manage and deliver against these needs, ensuring of course that everything is documented on the individual’s records, because if you can’t evidence it then in the eyes of the regulator it didn’t happen.
Who is responsible for ensuring training is timely, appropriate and evaluated?
At a localised level it is the T&C supervisor that needs to cater for the needs of the individual through either 1:1, group or referred training. Each training intervention should be evidenced through some type of Training Event Record that details what the training need is, what the proposed solution is and how this will be taken into the workplace. A structured approach of this nature then allows the T&C Scheme activity to be reviewed by the most senior overseer of the scheme to help ensure that training needs are either being met in the field or referred where a more formalised response is required.
How is training evaluated and by whom?
Who takes responsibility for making assessments about the competence and capabilities of individuals will vary across different organisations. However, responsibility for evaluating the effectiveness of training tends to fall to the staff member’s immediate line manager, dedicated T&C supervisors or, in some cases, a mix of both. Because whilst training is the input, the most effective way of evaluating its success is looking at the output and that means reviewing the individual whilst operational in role. The T&C scheme should define who assesses what activities and training will typically be evaluated at the point of delivery (by the training team) and at the point of use by the supervisory team.
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This guide is only an aide memoire and intended for information only for anyone appraising the documentation needed in an audit/compliance check. It is not to be considered as direct advice or intended to replace specific 1 to 1 engagement with your compliance and risk professional.
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