Thrive in the financial services industry.

The one-year Financial Services Ontario College Graduate Certificate program prepares you for a challenging and rewarding career in the customer sales and service areas of:

• Banking
• Insurance
• Financial planning
• Wealth management

In this program, you build on your pre-existing business skills, financial knowledge and professional experience. You are introduced to financial products and services and financial advising. You learn how to create and present financial plans. As well, you practise collecting and analyzing client information and providing financial advice based on that information.

Students are eligible to write the Canadian Securities Course Exams upon successful completion of their CSC Courses. Algonquin College collaborates with the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI) and the Canadian Institute of Financial Planning (CIFP) to offer the Financial Services Graduate Certificate Program, which meets FP Canada`s Core and Advanced Curriculum educational requirements. The program provides a pathway to the following credential and designations upon completion of their additional requirements and exams:

• Canadian Securities Course (CSC credential)
• Qualified Associate Financial Planner (QAFP) designation (see FP Canada website for additional requirements)
• Certified Financial Planner(CFP) designation. (See FP Canada website for university degree and additional requirements)

The CSC QAFP and CFP are not awarded by Algonquin College. For more information, refer to the websites: https://fpcanada.ca/become-a-financial-planner , https://www.fpcanada.ca/certifications/cfp-certification and https://www.csi.ca/student/en_ca/courses/csi/csc.xhtml. 

You may find employment as a personal financial or investment advisor in a broad range of financial institutions. These might include:

• Banks
• Credit unions
• Financial planning offices
• Insurance companies
• Brokerage firms

SUCCESS FACTORS

This program is well-suited for students who:

• Possess customer-focused communication skills, both written and oral.
• Thrive in a dynamic team-based work environment.
• Possess an analytical and mathematical aptitude.
• Are detail-oriented and able to follow complex instructions.
• Are outgoing and have strong interpersonal skills.  

Careers

Graduates may find employment as financial advisors or associates, financial service representatives, account managers or investment specialists in a broad range of financial institutions including retail banks, credit unions, financial planning offices, insurance companies, brokerage firms and other businesses dedicated to providing personal financial advice and services.

Pathways

Please use our Pathways tool to search for pathway options.

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. Integrate ethical decision-making processes into all aspects of the financial planning profession.
2. Apply recognized financial planning principles and industry standards to the systematic analysis of financial position and requirements.
3. Prepare accurate and relevant financial plans manually and electronically.
4. Integrate economic and personal information necessary for effective financial planning decisions.
5. Compare, contrast, and select, from appropriate financial products and services, investment planning and counseling services for the public according to industry standards, including taxation counseling.
6. Effectively market financial products through the development of an inventory of prospective clients, following up with individual sales strategies in pursuit of new and renewal business.
7. Identify potential tax and legal implications within a financial planning situation.
8. Apply written and verbal client-focused communication styles and strategies and model professional practice in all communication according to industry standards.
9. Research market opportunities and design a financial plan in support of client needs.
10. Provide recommendations and options to the public for managing risk involving life and health insurance products.
11. Design an ongoing professional development and career plan related to the financial industry.
12. Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Application Information

FINANCIAL SERVICES
Program Code 1308X01FWO

Applications to full-time day programs must be submitted with official transcripts showing completion of the academic admission requirements through:

ontariocolleges.ca
60 Corporate Court
Guelph, ON
N1G 5J3
1-888-892-2228

Applications are available online at www.ontariocolleges.ca.  

Applications for Fall Term and Winter Term admission received by February 1 will be given equal consideration. Applications received after February 1 will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis as long as places are available.

International Student Application Form at https://algonquincollege.force.com/myACint/ or by contacting the Registrar`s Office.

For further information on the admissions process, contact:

Registrar`s Office
Algonquin College
1385 Woodroffe Ave
Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8
Telephone: 613-727-0002
Toll-free: 1-800-565-4723
TTY: 613-727-7766
Fax: 613-727-7632
Contact: https://www.algonquincollege.com/ro  

Program Resources