AXA Ambition Scholarship Programme

AXA will offer up to four, one-year scholarships worth over $7,500 each for promising new entrants to the financial planning industry.

Scholarship recipients will be mentored over a one-year period and receive extensive development, including professional training opportunities, and regular sessions with AXA senior managers. They will also have the opportunity to meet leading product providers and fund managers within the industry, all facilitated by AXA.

At the conclusion of this one-year period, it is expected the scholarship recipients will have formed strong relationships with AXA, and potentially be contenders for the Young Financial Planner of the Year award.

AXA's role
AXA will prepare a tailored calendar of events for each of the scholarship recipients, which will have a set focus each quarter.

Training courses, regular contacts and workshops during each quarter will be aimed at providing recipients with a solid grounding across each of the following areas:

• Financial Protection;
• Savings; and
• Investments.

Progress will be assessed at the conclusion of each quarter, with a view to further development where required.

AXA will appoint a mentor for each of the recipients, with whom they will meet to discuss issues and progress on a regular basis, in addition to scheduled sessions and formal training opportunities.

There will also be an opportunity for the recipients to visit AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd in Melbourne for a two-day workshop to gain an insight into and understanding of the Australian Financial Services market.

Application Criteria
All applicants for the scholarship must meet the following criteria;

• Have been working in the industry for not more than five years, and be under 40 years fo age;
• Must be multi-disciplined across both financial protection, savings and investment products and services;
• Must meet the entry criteria of FPIA or be a current member of FPIA;
• Must be either studying, or planning to commence study in the year of scholarship towards their professional Diploma in Financial Planning qualifications; and
• Must be willing to commit to a year of regular contact and training sessions with AXA and to report their progress as required on a quarterly basis.

Selection Criteria
In addition to being satisfied that the applicant meets all the above criteria, the scholarship selection panel will be looking for the following:

• Motivation to become a leader in the Financial Planning Industry;
• Currently working for a financial planning practice who are supportive of the committments required during the year of the scholarship;and
• Demonstrate potential to contribute in time to the development of the financial planning industry.

To find out more about the scholarship and how to apply visit http://www.axa.co.nz/axanz/axanz.nsf/Content/zFinancialPlanningScholarship