Enrolments defy adviser exodus chatter

In a statement, Mentor Education founder and principal Mark Sinclair said the company has recorded “a significant increase in enrolments” for diploma, advanced diploma, master and bachelor courses.

“Contrary to many of the headlines proclaiming a mass exodus of planners, there is solid core of role model planners determined to capitalise on the opportunities in the advice era and are positioning themselves through academic endeavour and personal/professional development,” he said.

Mr Sinclair added that the qualification courses most popular with advisers were those “with an emphasis on building productivity and operational efficiency needed by the next generation of advice practices”.

“Our interaction with forward focused planners has confirmed that they’re determined to be faster to respond to opportunities, profitable, streamlined and attuned to client needs,” he said.

“The long-term benefits will be measured in significantly heightened levels of consumer trust and confidence and the standing of financial planners as highly respected professional practitioners.”

The comments follow an ifa straw poll, which found that 75 per cent of advisers plan to leave the industry by 2024, when the new adviser education standards come into effect.