Financial Markets Practitioner (FMP) Qualification

Qualification ID 117238 Occupational Certificate: Financial Markets Practitioner (NQF Level 7) 

The SAIS has developed the Financial Markets Practitioner (FMP), an entry level qualification, for those wishing to move into this sector. The Occupational Certificate: Financial Markets Practitioner (OC:FMP) is aimed at providing learners with entry-level knowledge, practical skills and experience in key functions in the financial markets. The OC:FMP qualification consists of three components:

• •    Knowledge;

• •    Practical skills; and

• •    Work experience.

The focus of the work experience is to provide the learner with the opportunity to acquire context, knowledge and exposure to the work environment. Financial Markets Practitioners provide services across various functions in the stockbroking and investment environments. They are involved in the take-on of clients, the assessment of clients’ investment needs, the development of suitable investment portfolios, trading and settlement of financial markets transactions, the management of corporate actions and the monitoring and re-balancing of portfolios.

Delivery of the Qualification 
The Knowledge and Practical Skills components are delivered by Skills Development Providers (SDPs) who have been accredited by the QCTO for the OC: FMP. The accredited SDPs are listed lower down on this page and a can also be found on the QCTO website.

Content of the Qualification
Knowledge modules
The Knowledge modules will provide the learner with the correct theoretical underpinnings and understanding of concepts in the financial markets.  

Practical Modules
The practical modules will allow the learner to put the theory into practice. This will most often take place in a simulated environment.  

Work experience
Learners need to acquire actual experience in the workplace, in order to complete their eligibility criteria for the EISA. The work experience must be gained at an accredited workplace. A fee is charged for the workplace accreditation The work experience will provide the learner with the real, tangible implementation of the theory and the practical experience. It has the added benefit of providing the learner with work experience in the financial markets. A minimum of 6 months’ work experience is required. Learners completing the OC: FMP are required to attain  experience in 9 areas (7 compulsory and 2 elective), as follows:

• NQF Level 6 qualification in finance or a related field of study: or 
• NQF Level 6 qualification with three years’ relevant assessed work experience in the financial markets; OR
• Five years’ relevant work experience in the financial markets.

For the candidates that require three years’ relevant assessed work experience in the financial markets, this can be assessed as follows: 

• Performance Appraisal Portfolio of Evidence

A Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) comprising a minimum of three (3) years’ worth of performance appraisals is required to be submitted.  The work that has been assessed through the performance appraisal should be linked to the Work Experience Areas of the OC: FMP.  All the compulsory work experience areas need to be evidenced and two of the elective areas.  

The employer will need to submit to the Skills Provider, the PoE and a confirmation that in their (employer’s) opinion, the experience is valid and a true reflection of the student’s abilities.  This will allow the learner to gain entry to the FMP.  

If the employer is an Accredited Workplace for the OC: FMP, based on the experience, the PoE can also be used as confirmation that Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) has taken place.  This will exempt the learner from having to gain the six (6) months’ work experience required for the OC: FMP.”

Only once all three components i.e. Knowledge, Practical Skills and Work Experience, have been completed, can learners enrol to complete the EISA. A successfully completed EISA is required in order to obtain the qualification.

The EISA consists of two (2) examination papers. For a successful EISA, both examinations need to be completed with a pass mark of 50% obtained for each examination. Should a learner obtain a pass for only one (1) of the examinations, that pass will be held in credit until the following examination session. Should the learner elect not to write in the following examination session or fail the examination again, the credit will fall away and both examinations will have to be re-attempted.

Once the OC: FMP has been obtained successful candidates are eligible to apply for the designation CFMP(SA) - Certified Financial Markets Professional (South Africa), awarded by the SAIS. Exemplars of the EISA can be viewed for an indication of how students will be assessed.