KIWI banking is about to get a huge skillset shot in the arm as thousands enrol on FINSIA’s Professional Banking Fundamentals program.
The prestigious, globally-recognised qualification is to be made available in New Zealand for the first time after being tailored for the local market.
“It is obviously an exciting time to be bringing Professional Banking Fundamentals to New Zealand,” Head of Education Kylie Blundell SA FIN said.
“We have gone through the process of updating the Australian version with enhanced delivery methods for PBF Edition Three and have been able to apply those extras to the New Zealand qualification.
“But to say this is a version of that or an adaptation does give a true reflection of what New Zealand bankers are getting.
“The New Zealand Professional Banking Fundamentals has been completely rebuilt from the ground up with input from experts over the past year.
“There are some chapters - like the Ethics and Professionalism chapter - that can be looked at from a global perspective.
“But we can safely say the New Zealand PBF is just that - focused on banking in New Zealand, its regulatory make-up, the Products and Services sections.”
Students working through the rigorous seven chapter course are able to access bite-sized e-learning, audio or interactive PDFs as part of the improvements to the PBF which is aimed at the next generation of bankers working in the digital age.
The relevance of the content on the course itself is up to the minute, too.
“Where we have needed to update content for COVID-19 impacts we have done that too,” added Kylie.
For FINSIA’s Chair of the New Zealand National Council Bernard McCrea SF FIN, the launch of the PBF is a game changer.
“It’s so important because it’s FINSIA’s return to New Zealand as an education provider,” he said.
“The program will compliment the other learning advisers are currently needing to do.”
