Continuum highlights importance of continuous professional development

Continuum believes in the power of continuous professional development, encouraging advisers to pursue further qualifications to enhance their expertise, support clients more effectively, and strengthen the partnership as a whole.

Advice firms should encourage their team members to look towards continuous professional development and additional qualifications if they are to make the best of what they have to offer.

It can be easy for firms to concentrate on attracting new advisers, rather than looking to help develop further qualifications within their own ranks. But by doing so they could be missing out.

By encouraging existing advisers to broaden their knowledge base via professional qualifications, firms are not only ensuring the best service for their clients, but can also gain new clients as a result.

Craig Parkinson joined the Continuum partnership as a Mortgage Adviser in 2014. He has recently qualified as a full wealth adviser, receiving his Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning from the CII (a Level 4 qualification).

He said: “If I had my time again I would have done my wealth management qualification a decade ago as the whole process has been brilliant.

“I made the leap as more and more of my clients were getting to the age where they were looking at their retirement and investment options and they wanted to deal with someone that they have trusted to look after them for a number of years and knows their financial background. By qualifying as a full wealth adviser, I now have the confidence to do this for them.

“The new qualification is already helping bring me new clients. Previously clients were referring me to younger clients looking to obtain mortgages. Now by qualifying as a wealth manager clients can also refer me to parents and older relatives rather than just moving down the family chain.”

By supporting team members to gain new qualifications, advice firms can help reduce adviser turnover within their business.
Craig added that the support from Continuum through the qualification process has helped him feel even further integrated into the partnership.

He said: “I got so much support from Continuum and other members of the partnership from the start to finish of the further qualification process. I was looked after, and also checked in on, to ensure I was meeting my own personal targets with the exams and studying. The affirmations I have received afterwards have also been exceptional.”

Liam Mulhern, one of the latest new advisers within the partnership, first joined Continuum in 2017, working as a financial administrator for an existing Continuum adviser based in Kent.

He worked hard to develop his skills and knowledge during this time, progressing to first become a Senior Administrator and then a Technical analyst, completing financial reports for clients.

Liam completed his level 4 diploma in Financial Planning in 2024.

Martin Brown, Managing Partner at Continuum, said it is very encouraging for the whole partnership to see members of the team develop their careers.

He said: “At Continuum we pride ourselves on the support our advisers offer not just their clients, but to each other and the wider team. At a time when there has never been a bigger need for more fully qualified financial advisers, it is particularly rewarding to see them rising from our own ranks.

“Helping our advisers broaden their skillset is a win-win for us. It is a win for the adviser who can bring new strings to their bow, and it is a win for Continuum as a business when they use their expanded expertise to bring in new clients and share their new knowledge with other members of the partnership.”