For at least the past decade, there has been a growing awareness that the financial services sector is facing a seemingly unsolvable problem: there are fewer advisers joining the industry than there are leaving.

The New Model Business Academy has applied to be added to the register of apprenticeship training providers.

European Union requirements for adviser firms to record all client telephone calls have been branded a 'step too far' by members of the New Model Business Academy.

Almost half of advisers think that some clients are overpaying for the value of service they receive, according to a survey conducted by SimplyBiz's New Model Business Academy (NMBA).

SimplyBiz Group's not-for-profit training and development division has received direct accreditation from the Government's Skills Funding Agency to provide apprenticeship training.

Spring is a wonderful time for new growth as the trees blossom and flowers emerge to brighten even the smallest of gardens. So what better time could there be to look at the positive opportunities emerging to grow the number of financial advisers available to serve consumers and increase their effectiveness?

Financial advisers have a unique skill set, which consists of technical knowledge, adherence to regulation and ethics, business skills to remain profitable, and interpersonal skills, which many would say are the most important, as these will determine whether an adviser is successful or not.

Existing training providers have seen their funding slashed while advice firms have to wait longer to register their employees for apprenticeship schemes.