A new Jersey-based training practice has launched a range of over 30 online courses designed to make it easier for financial professionals to meet the latest compliance standards and help fight financial crime.
The new courses offered by CPD First will be suitable for all employees in any finance firm, but the courses also have broader reach to non-financial services firms too. They will cater for gatekeepers who need the most basic of knowledge right through to those tasked with minimising reputational risk and leading efforts to identify criminal activity. Rising international standards are making it imperative that increasing numbers of employees have some knowledge of how to identify criminal business and the tactics used to disguise the true origin and ownership of illegal assets.
And it is planned in time that the new practice will provide courses to help estate agents and high value retailers such as motor traders, jewellers etc, play their part in tackling money launderers.
The new firm’s courses are currently used by financial services companies in the UK, Europe and internationally and have been subject to considerable review and enhancement by leading compliance professionals.
The e-learning courses are fully audio, interactive and are authored by influential training and development professionals in the compliance sector.
In addition, CPD FIRST also offers custom and bespoke e learning courses whereby clients can have courses customised to their needs and incorporating their own corporate logos. Further, CPD First offer blended training where we combine e-learning courses supported by live online video conferencing training where attendees can join from their own devices, or from the comfort of their own inhouse training rooms. This is significantly cheaper and much more flexible than delivering traditional face-to-face classroom training. The firm also has an Island based help desk that can respond quickly and effectively to any technical or log on issues, for example that users taking our courses may have.
The introduction of the new provider will significantly increase the quantity and quality of courses available to finance firms to ensure their staff can meet the highest compliance standards.
Available subjects include Anti-Money Laundering, GDPR, Sanctions and Bribery and Corruption, Competition Law compliance as well as a range of more complex AML-related and internal audit courses. They include a Jersey and Guernsey specific course that covers all aspects of the island’s anti-money laundering/combating terrorist financing regime.
CPD First offers a Financial Crime series, which ranges from six modules of four hours of study right up to 28 modules or 22 hours of study. The business can customise courses to a client’s specific requirements, including white labelling in the company’s logo and incorporating firm-specific policies and procedures.
The great value courses start at £30.00 with an average 90-minute AML course costing £60.00 ranging right up to £320 for the advanced 22 module Financial Crime Series course. Volume based discounts are available for ten or more users and students can take the courses on their PC, tablet or phone.
Founder and chief executive of CPD First, Paul Hamilton, said that both regulators and financial services companies were increasingly looking for industry specific CPD experience. ‘Our structured AML courses are an excellent way to meet those expectations,’ he said.
The launch courses offered by CPD First cover specific sectors including Investment Funds, Private Banking & Wealth Management, Life Assurance and New Payment Methods.
The practice intends to follow-up by offering AML specific learning for the Jersey Trust and Company sector as well as AML for estate agents and high value retailers, plus a whole range of accountancy-related courses.
In the growing field of Governance and Risk, CPD First offers 60-90 minute audit and risk based courses in Finance, Asset Management, Human Resources, Retail Banking, Social Media, Strategy and Treasury.
Paul Hamilton added that CPD First can also convert a company’s own Policy & Procedures Manual into a short standalone training module with an assessment test attached. ‘Often staff will be required to sign that they have read and understood the Policy & Procedures Manual which we can do. We go a step further and test staff on the Manual itself, which gives the companies themselves the satisfaction that their staff have a good understanding’, he said.
In addition, for any company looking to improve performance, reduce costs and eliminate waste, Lean Six Sigma e-learning courses in White, Yellow and Green belts are also available. These courses are applicable to all businesses and are becoming increasingly popular as tools that help identifying waste in organisations.
Mr Hamilton said that the demand for new e-learning compliance courses and blended learning using latest technological solutions, has never been greater. ‘We aim to deliver quality courses in an interactive way, at great value with more industry and Island-specific courses to follow,’ he said.