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Courses for Individual Investors
Learning more about financial markets and how
they work is something that interests us all. The first step is to take
the time to keep current - simply read the paper each and every day. Add
on to this some structured reading or course work and you are well on
the way to becoming an expert!
If you are interested in learning more about financial markets, it's
probably best to start with your advisor. At some point they would have
been in the same position and likely have hundreds of hours of study behind
them. They are sure to be able to point you in the right direction.
To help you get started, we have assembled a small sampling of some of
the courses that are available to you through a variety of educational
providers. The associations supporting the insurance, brokerage, banking,
and mutual fund industries are the CAIFA, CSI, ICB, and IFIC, respectively.
Each organization provides a broad range of courses related to financial
planning and investments, many of which are available to the investing
public.
This list is provided for general information purposes only. Further
information regarding these and other courses can be obtained from each
organization's respective Internet site.
Canadian Association
of Insurance and Financial Advisors (www.caifa.com)
provides training for insurance professionals and financial planners.
Programs include:
- Life Licensing Qualification Program - an entry-level proficiency
standard for new life agents and a one-step system of licensing. It
is designed to raise the educational standards and skill level for agents
entering the profession. Topics include life insurance products, group
insurance, and fundamentals of insurance investments.
- Insurance and Financial Advisors Training Course - comprised
of three individual courses that focus on personal life insurance, estate
planning, and financial planning.
- Financial Planning - consists of five individual courses (i.e.
wealth accumulation, planning for retirement, investment products and
strategies, risk management and estate planning, and professional practice)
that may be taken after the IFATC courses in order to write the Certified
Financial Planner exam.
Canadian Securities
Institute (www.csi.ca) offers numerous courses targeted
to individual investors and those interested in a career as an investment
advisor in the brokerage industry. Courses include:
- Canadian Securities Course - covers the basics of investing
and is designed to enhance students' understanding of investment principles
to allow them to become more knowledgeable investors. Topics include:
understanding fixed-income products, equities, investment funds and
derivatives; analysing securities and the factors affecting their prices;
and how the capital markets and financial services industry work.
- Investment Management Techniques - builds upon the knowledge
gained from the CSC and introduces concepts to measure and evaluate
portfolio performance. In addition, it reviews the investment styles
and various approaches to asset allocation and the assessment of risk
and return.
- Derivatives Fundamentals Course™ - explains the many features
common to all derivatives and then elaborates on the specific features
of various instruments used in today's global business environment.
The DFC also spotlights important operational considerations that must
be observed if a derivatives risk management program is to provide benefits
with limited risk.
Institute of Canadian
Bankers (www.icb.ca) offers a broad range of courses
and seminars for banking and financial professionals, including:
- Professional Banking Program - covers numerous topics including
bank financial management, financial services marketing, and global
financial systems and markets.
- Financial Planning Integration Activity and the Personal Financial
Planning Program - review topics such as risk management, estate
planning, investments, tax planning, and wealth valuation.
- Branch Compliance Officer Course - examines supervision of mutual
fund sales representatives, the client service process, product suitability,
internal controls, and procedures.
Investment Funds
Institute of Canada (www.ific.ca) offers many courses
related to investment funds and financial planning, including:
- Canadian Investment Funds Course - the licensing requirement
for mutual funds salespersons in each Canadian province. It is a hands-on
course involving case studies, emphasizing real-life issues and challenges
relating to mutual fund sales and individual compliance. Course topics
include: duties and obligations of a salesperson; economic and financial
environments; basics of mutual funds in Canada; administration of mutual
funds; role of the portfolio manager; taxation of investment income;
pensions and retirement income; and competitive products.
- Canadian Institute of Financial Planning - offers a six-part
program that leads to the exam that is part of the requirement for the
Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. Topics include financial
planning principles, retirement planning, income tax planning, strategic
investment planning, risk management, and estate planning.
- Canadian Investment Funds Operations Course - reviews the essential
administrative and operational procedures that must occur for an investor
to purchase or redeem mutual funds in Canada. This course is targeted
to those interested will give you the competitive advantage for obtaining
an entry-level position in the mutual fund industry.
Professional Designations
There are numerous professional designations used in the financial services
industry. Some of the more popular designations are listed below with
the related web address where you can obtain more information.
- Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP) designation: the Financial
Planners Standards Council (www.cfp-ca.org).
- Certified General Accountant (CGA) designation: CGA Canada (www.cga-canada.org)
- Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation: the Society of
Management Accountants of Canada (www.cma-canada.org).
- Chartered Accountant (CA) designation: the Canadian Institute of Chartered
Accountants (www.cica.ca).
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation: the Association for
Investment Management Research (www.aimr.org).
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