Challenging and demanding but equally rewarding - and the ultimate indicator of credibility in our industry - the CFA not only marks you out as the best in your field when out in the marketplace, it also serves to establish confidence in us from our clients.
Looking ahead, we see a strong commercial advantage in having our client-facing staff holding the Chartered Financial Analyst qualification. The CFA Programme is a globally recognised and respected curriculum that provides you with a strong foundation of real world investment analysis, portfolio management skills and practical knowledge needed in today's investment industry.
The CFA charter is benchmarked as comparable to a Masters degree in finance by the United Kingdom National Academic Recognition Information centre. It is recognised as the definitive standard by which to measure the competence, integrity and dedication of serious investment professionals. Not only that, but gaining the CFA qualification puts you in the company of an elite group of more than 90,000 respected investment professionals working in 135 countries around the world. Access to their collective expertise, networks and resources is an invaluable asset.
Typically, you'll take Level I in your first year and complete Level II and III over the next two years. At level I you'll be asked basic knowledge and comprehension questions focusing on asset valuation, some requiring that you perform analysis. Level II further emphasises analysis along with application of knowledge, whilst Level III focuses on synthesising basic knowledge with evaluation tools and analytical methods for effective portfolio management. Passing all three levels is a requirement of the graduate programme.
Please refer to the CFA website for more information.