The handbook has the following purposes:

• Act as the key reference resource for the Strategi Institute Closing the gaps course. This course provides the necessary regulatory updates from the previous versions of the level 5 financial service qualifications to the New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5) V2. The V2 qualification is the benchmark for proving competence, knowledge, and skill to meet the standards contained in the Code of Professional Conduct for Financial Advice Services.
• Provide a ‘plain English’ guide to the key regulatory and advice concepts applicable to providing regulated financial advice under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013. We have structured the handbook to be as clear and concise as the content will allow.
• Provide the regulatory training content for larger FAPs which wish to go down the ‘equivalency route’ and prove to the FMA via internal training content, systems, and processes, that their financial advisers/nominated representatives have the required competence, knowledge, and skill to operate at the equivalent of the New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5) V2.
• The minimum standard of training for all those who operate within a FAP but do not provide regulated financial advice. This includes managers, compliance staff, administration staff and anyone who interacts in a non-advice role with retail clients.