Have you a desire to Earn and Learn at the same time? Maybe, you don’t want to go to college full time, but you know you need a college degree to advance your career.
Q Financial Advisors, a Claregalway company are promoting the opportunity to acquire a BA Honours (Level 8 ) in Insurance Practice while attending online lectures only each Thursday, while you earn a full time salary as a Financial Services Intern.
We are all familiar with apprenticeships in the trades like plumbers or electricians, but we are not so familiar with the same approach in other industries.
Well, for a number of years now, the LIA –(Life Insurance Association ) have been offering a three year apprenticeship, leading to a full Level 8 BA Honours degree at completion.
Q Financial Advisors, a regulated Financial Advisory firm have been established in Claregalway for the last five years and they are now seeking School leavers or third level students/mature students to join them as Financial Advisory Interns under this programme.
‘The Programme’ – Tell us about it
The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship is Ireland’s first apprenticeship to award a level 8 honours degree – the BA (Hons ) in Insurance Practise.
The three-year, work-based training programme combines academics with on-the-job learning, allowing the apprentice to acquire both technical and soft skills.
They are given the opportunity to learn the practical aspects of the job while studying towards their degree. All study is online through ATU Sligo and the LIA.
So typically, they would work with Q Finance full time from its offices at the The Courtyard Claregalway and have their Thursdays free to attend online lectures, linking in with ATU SLIGO.
Alongside the business modules apprentices study in year 1 and year 2, they also achieve their professional insurance qualifications.
By year two, all apprentices will have their QFA qualification. Year three of the programme is spent working on their capstone or dissertation project to complete the BA (Hons ) in Insurance Practise.
So who can apply?
18 years of age or older, Mature Students – if over 23 years there are no minimum educational requirements
Between 18-23 years, Leaving Cert, minimum of 180 points to include two honours in higher level and passes in Maths and English/Irish .
Even someone might consider it who has tried another course and maybe do not like it or are struggling with the exams — there are people for exams and there are people who might not be that strong academically, but can be absolutely brilliant in the workplace — efficient, bubbly etc.
That’s what’s needed in Financial Services — being efficient, hardworking, bubbly and of course have good communications skills are key.
Self-motivation and committed to all aspects of work, training and education, Communications skills, socially confident, Good IT skills
If interested, contact Kenneth at the office in Claregalway on 091-421900, or email him Kenneth @qfinancial.ie
The assessments will be happening over the next three weeks and then there will be at least three placements.
The places will be awarded in early September in conjunction with the start of the Academic year. Success is not really based on the results, once you have the 180 points or mature student aged 23 or older, you can qualify. They are looking for people to commit to the three year course and employment.
There will be a few days per term at the College, but not many, so students will not miss out on the social aspect of starting college as Freshers — just that they will have maybe more spending money than their Fresher colleagues.
