Academy

Our Academy’s purpose

At The Penny Group, we believe in shaping the future of financial planning by investing in the next generation of advisers. The Penny Group Academy is designed for individuals at the beginning of their journey into financial services. Whether you are a recent college leaver, a university graduate or someone seeking a meaningful career change.

Our mission is simple

to equip future financial advisers with the knowledge, skills, and credentials needed to thrive in the industry. Through a structured and supportive development pathway, our Academy empowers candidates to grow from Trainee Financial Planner to fully qualified, client-facing Wealth Adviser.

We offer more than just a training course, we offer a proven career track. Our Academy is an established trainee programme with a strong track record of producing high-quality, confident, and competent advisers.

Our programme goes beyond technical skills. It focuses equally on soft skills, attitude, and ambition. We provide:

A collaborative environment that nurtures personal growth
Flexibility and support tailored to every employee
A culture that values opportunity, effort, and progression

Our Academy programme

The Academy is structured into four key phases, typically spanning a three-year journey to Financial Planner status:

Phase 1: Trainee Financial Planner (0 – 6 months)

Focus: Mastering the fundamentals of financial services.
Activities: 100% admin-based tasks, structured learning, and early exposure to client advice principles.
Goal: Lay the foundation for a career in financial advice.

Phase 2: Protection Adviser Trainee Financial Planner (7 – 12 months)

Focus: Transition into advising clients on protection needs.
Activities: 100% admin-based tasks, off-site development event
Goal: Achieve CII Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning and gain protection advice authorisation.

Phase 3: Protection/Wealth Adviser Tier 0 (13 – 36 months)

Focus: Engagement with protection advice initially and wealth advice from month 9 of this phase. Further skills development.
Activities:
- Continued advice experience moving to a 75% advice / 25% admin balance.
- Progression to 100% client-facing wealth advice by 18–24 months of this phase.
Goal: Build confidence and competence in an advice role. Start working toward CII Level 6 Advanced Diploma

Phase 4: Wealth Adviser Tier 1 (37+ months)

Focus: Career progression and portfolio management.
Activities: Full wealth advice responsibilities, active client portfolio development.
Goal: Join the The Penny Group’s Financial Planner career progression track and work towards individual Chartered status.

What’s in it for you?

Professional qualifications: Gain accredited industry certifications as you train.
Practical experience: Work with real clients under expert supervision.
Structured progression: Move from protection advice to wealth management with a clear roadmap.
Supportive environment: Learn within a culture of mentorship, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Career opportunities: Graduates of the Academy continue to grow into senior advisory and leadership roles within The Penny Group.
Employed position: Unlike many entry points into the industry, our Trainee and Adviser roles are fully employed positions. Providing the structure, stability, and support needed to build a long-term career in financial advice.

Interested?

If you are passionate about building a meaningful career in financial planning and ready to start a career that offers purpose, progression, and the opportunity to make a real impact on people’s financial futures, The Penny Group Academy is the place to begin. You will gain the tools, training, and support needed to succeed in a career that makes a difference.

If you are interested in joining our next intake of Trainee Financial Planners, please apply here and upload your CV. Once received, we’ll be in touch to confirm our upcoming recruitment timeline and the next steps in the process.

And if you are interested in roles outside of the Academy route, please keep an eye on our careers page here