Delivering the New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services to Meet the Financial Markets Authority’s Requirements

The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) identified a critical need for a nationally recognised qualification to ensure professionals in the financial services sector met consistent competency and ethical standards. This was essential to strengthening public confidence and aligning workforce capability with regulatory expectations.

Working in partnership with financial institutions, we developed the New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Investment) (Level 5), a qualification designed to meet both NZQA requirements and the FMA’s competency framework.

Our role included:

· Collaborating with subject matter experts and industry representatives to define learning outcomes.

· Designing programme content that addressed compliance, ethical conduct, client engagement, and risk management.

· Ensuring delivery flexibility to enable working professionals to complete the qualification without disrupting their careers.

The qualification established a clear, standardised pathway for financial services professionals to achieve the skills and knowledge needed to operate effectively in a regulated environment.