Access FS launches mentoring programme

Access Financial Services has announced the launch of a new mentoring programme.

At the start of 2025, Access FS launched the programme internally for advisers with new qualifications but limited experience.

Since then, Access FS has put 18 people through the training programme including four advisers who were previously employed on the protection side of the business.

Access FS says that the mentoring programme is part of a "skills ecosystem" that it is seeking to develop throughout the business. Access FS is looking to bring candidates into the industry via its Broker Academy, where they are trained in-house to pass CeMAP. Once they have qualified, they progress to the mentoring programme.

Nick Jones (pictured), mortgage sales and marketing director of Access FS, said: “The idea for the mentoring programme was to help advisers who have just qualified. It might feel as though it’s all downhill once you have your qualifications but, in reality, that’s where the journey starts. While they aspire to be Formula 1 drivers, the truth is these advisers only just passed their proverbial theory test. The programme will teach them practical elements: how to speak to a customer, how to assess someone's position, how to establish what a customer really wants, and how to source and then recommend and advise. It’s a big undertaking but the pilot shows that it works.

“There are so many people out there that who would excel in financial services if they knew about it. Personal finance is not on the curriculum when you’re at school and everybody I've met in the industry has fallen into it – no one leaves full-time education wanting to be a mortgage adviser. So where's the next generation of mortgage advisers going to come from if not from brokerages like ours? The big banks and building societies are letting people go and the average existing adviser is 53. What happens when they retire in 10 years? We need to be bringing the advisers of tomorrow on. 

"If you want to succeed in financial services, no matter what stage you're at in your career, we've got a place for you. If you want to get in at the ground level and get your CeMAP qualification, we can help. If you want to be mentored through to CAS, we can help. You want to develop and grow into different areas like equity release or specialist finance – we can assist you then, too. And then, when you want to retire in 30 years, we'll buy your client bank, and we'll pay you a retainer. Our vision is to create a cradle-to-grave journey for our talent.”