First graduates from Fidelity's new adviser programme

Fidelity Life’s first Career connect graduates step straight into jobs with advice businesses.

Wednesday, August 9th 2023, 8:26AM

Five newly-minted graduates of Fidelity Life’s financial adviser training programme Career connect have walked straight into roles with advice businesses around New Zealand.

Fidelity Life senior solutions manager Sarah-may Butterfield says it’s rewarding to see the first group of fully qualified advisers emerge from Career connect.

“Our Career connect participants are passionate about up-skilling and helping their communities become more financially resilient, and this is evidenced through the fact that most completed the programme while also holding down full-time roles elsewhere,” she says.

One new graduate who’s already found a new role is Stephanie Wilson. Recently appointed as client services manager at Auckland advice business Insurance Market Collective.

“I applied for Career connect after realising many of my peers didn’t have a great handle on their finances nor did they understand how insurance can offer them protection and how financial advice fits into all of that.

“Career connect offers such a supportive and encouraging learning environment. I found the added benefit of connecting with potential employers great, as being new to the industry, I felt a bit intimidated. I’m really looking forward to putting the knowledge I’ve gained into practice, learning how an advice business works and further growing my skillset under an experienced mentor,” she says.

Johny Winstone, Stephanie’s mentor and Director at Insurance Market Collective saw the opportunity to be part of Career connect as a mutual benefit as he looks to grow the business.

“Finding good talent is difficult and time consuming. Not only does Career connect help teach, train and qualify up-and-coming advisers, it enables us to support new advisers coming into the industry with confidence, knowing Fidelity Life has laid the all-important groundwork."

Fidelity Life has also awarded seven scholarship recipients for Career connect’s second intake.

Pounamu scholarship - to assist an outstanding Māori applicant: Josh Los’e (Ngāti Maniapoto), Auckland. Always looking for ways to upskill, Josh was keen on the idea of helping people prepare for the unexpected, especially given the importance of whanaungatanga (kinship, familial connection) and the sacrifices Māori often make to support whānau.
Kōwhai scholarship - to assist an outstanding Pasifika applicant: Nimmi Valia, Auckland. With 20 years’ experience in general insurance, Nimmi sees this as a great opportunity to make the shift to advice, and positively impact the lives of others while having a challenging and fulfilling career.
Rangi Po scholarship - to assist an outstanding applicant from other under-represented communities within financial services: Naveen Bhatia, Glenbrook. With nine years’ experience in insurance, Naveen has seen first-hand the benefits of receiving the right advice and wants to help people, especially those in the disability community, be better equipped for the future.
Toe Toe scholarship - designed to assist an outstanding applicant aged 21-25 years old: Kiri Venkatesh, Auckland. With a passion for helping people, Kiri wants to help educate, identify solutions and assist people in reaching their financial goals.
Pāua scholarship – to assist an applicant who demonstrates excellence in their submission: Chloe Balderstone, Lincoln. Having always been curious about finance and getting a financial adviser qualification, after 10 years in the FMCG industry, Chloe is keen to work with people in a meaningful way to help achieve their goals.
Rural scholarships – to assist two outstanding applicants with a rural connection:
- Sara Buerki, Dunedin.
- Alice Perry, Oamaru.