Course Title: Apply principles of professional practice to work in the financial services industry
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2017
Course Code: EMPL7068C
Course Title: Apply principles of professional practice to work in the financial services industry
School: 650T Vocational Business Education
Campus: City Campus
Program: C4369 - Certificate IV in Banking Services
Course Contact: Callie Harvey
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5772
Course Contact Email: callie.harvey@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
+61 3 9925 5897
arie.herrnstadt@rmit.edu.au
Nominal Hours: 30
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
None
Course Description
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to identify industry professional approaches to procedures, guidelines, policies and standards, including ethical requirements and model and meet expectations of these in all aspects of work. This unit covers skills required to work in senior roles in the financial services industry and underpins other specialist units used in all sectors of the industry.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
FNSINC401 Apply principles of professional practice to work in the financial services industry |
Element: |
1. Identify scope, sectors and responsibilities of industry |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 Identify and consider external forces impacting on financial services industry while carrying out activities |
Element: |
2. Identify and apply guidelines, procedures and legislation |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Collect, apply and analyse information on relevant legislation, regulations and codes of practice as applied to financial services industry 2.2 Clarify own work practice and regularly refine in light of relevant legislation, regulations and codes of practice, and organisational policy, guidelines and procedures 2.3 Apply relevant codes of practice in an ethical approach to workplace practice and decisions |
Element: |
3. Identify sustainability issues |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 Obtain and analyse information on sustainability policies, strategies and impacts on industry from a range of sources 3.2 Identify and promote environmental sustainability as an integral part of business planning and business opportunity 3.3 Incorporate and support triple bottom line principles in work planning |
Element: |
4. Manage information |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1 Read and discuss with appropriate persons relevant documents and reports that could impact on work effectiveness and compliance 4.2 Analyse, evaluate and check documents, reports, data and numerical calculations to meet customer and organisational requirements 4.3 Present information in format appropriate for audience |
Element: |
5. Participate in and facilitate work team activities |
Performance Criteria: |
5.1 Provide feedback to team members to encourage, value and reward individual and team efforts, and contributions 5.2 Actively encourage team members to participate in and take responsibility for team activities and communication processes 5.3 Support team to identify and resolve problems which impede its performance 5.4 Ensure own work serves as role model for others and enhances organisation's image and financial services industry |
Element: |
6. Plan work to be completed |
Performance Criteria: |
6.1 Determine tasks to be done and identify relevant conditions to work autonomously or in team environment 6.2 Plan work to manage resources, time and priorities 6.3 Contribute to organisational planning process as required to achieve service improvement 6.4 Adapt to changes in technology and work organisation in timely manner |
Element: |
7. Develop and maintain personal competency |
Performance Criteria: |
7.1 Identify and review personal professional development needs and goals on regular basis 7.2 Clarify and comply with competency, authorisation and licensing requirements 7.3 Seek professional development opportunities that reflect needs and goals in agreed timeframe |
Learning Outcomes
Details of Learning Activities
A range of learning activities are planned for this course including self-paced and collaborative classroom based activities.
The self-paced activities will be delivered thought various technology platforms and include your contribution to wikis and discussion threads, reflective journals, quizzes and interactive sessions.
The collaborative classroom based activities will include group discussion, group problem solving activities and opportunities to practice your skills in a simulated/real workplace environment.
We expect you to participate and contribute in all scheduled learning activities.
Teaching Schedule
Induction Session
Prior to training commencement a program level induction session will be conducted that comprises the following:
- Program overview and requirements
- MyRMIT/Blackboard
- Overview of assessment requirements
- Pre-Training Review including:
- Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfers
- Assessment of current skills and knowledge
- Competency/Grading Criteria
- Plagiarism
- Appeals
- Extensions
- Feedback
- Privacy
- Submission requirements
- Resubmission policy
- Where to get support
- Student responsibilities
The Teaching Schedule for this course is as follows but please note that it is subject to change.
Course Delivery: Note that this schedule is a guide only and may be altered as deemed necessary by the teacher.
Week |
Topics/Learning Outcomes |
Assessment Details |
1 |
Introduction to the course including:
Introduction to sectors of the financial services industry |
|
2 |
Financial services industry legislation and regulators |
|
3 |
Financial services industry legislation and regulators |
|
4 |
Ethics, codes of practice, minimum and best practice standards |
Task 1 due |
5 |
Working in teams |
|
6 |
Managing information |
Feedback on Task 1 |
7 |
Managing self and managing time |
|
8 |
Sustainability: principles |
|
9 |
Sustainability: legislation and practices |
|
10 |
Group sustainability presentation and report on how the group performed as a team to be supplied during class. |
Task 2 due, feedback on Ppt presentation to be supplied during class, feedback on group report to be given the following week. |
Mid semester break 13-19 April |
||
| 10 | Group sustainability presentation and report on how the group performed as a team to be supplied during class. |
Task 2 due, feedback on Ppt presentation to be supplied during class, feedback on group report to be given the following week. |
11 |
Personal competency: Job applications |
|
12 |
Personal competency: Job applications |
|
13 |
Personal competency: professional development |
|
14 |
|
Task 3 due |
15 |
|
Feedback Task 3 |
16 |
Resubmissions, if necessary |
|
17 |
|
|
The nominal hours associated with this are a guide only and represent the total teaching time and student effort required to successfully complete the course. This may include not only scheduled classes but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities including the self paced activities..
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
Online learning materials can be accessed by going into the RMIT web sites Online Learning Hub.
The online learning materials listed include
- Course outlines
- Power point Presentations
- Supporting Reading material
- Industry relevant articles
- Class activities
- Assessments and related materials
- relevant url links
Overview of Assessment
In order to achieve competency in this unit, you must provide:
Performance Evidence
Evidence of the ability to:
- access, interpret and analyse product and service information provided by industry sectors in an effective and timely manner
- interpret and comply with relevant financial services legislation, regulations and industry codes of practice, and ethics applicable to the workplace
- recognise and implement sustainability principles and work practices
- accurately analyse, evaluate and organise relevant information
- effectively plan work and maintain a team environment, taking into account any constraints and available resources
- identify and evaluate appropriate professional development opportunities
Knowledge Evidence
To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, you must:
- discuss environmental or sustainability legislation, regulations and codes of practice applicable to industry and organisations
- outline the main sectors in the financial services industry and the interrelationships between the sectors
- explain industry and organisational policy and procedures and ethical behaviours in regard to customer service and administration
- outline industry and organisational security practices and rationale
- identify internal administration systems such as accounting systems and databases
- explain principles, practices and available tools and techniques of sustainability management relevant to the industry context
- explain key requirements of relevant legislation, statutory requirements and industry codes of practice as they relate to:
- consumer credit
- privacy
- financial transaction reporting
- corporations (including accounting standards)
- financial services
- identify the economic and political climate relating to the financial services industry
- explain triple bottom line principles used in work planning
Assessment Conditions
Assessment must be conducted in a safe environment where evidence gathered demonstrates consistent performance of typical activities experienced in the industry capability field and include access to:
- organisational policy, procedures, legislation, regulations and codes of practice
- specialist financial services software and data
- common office equipment, technology, software and consumables
You are advised that you are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate your assessment work to your teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
Feedback
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions. You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time and online sessions so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed. Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.
You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning outcomes and final performance in the course.
Assessment Tasks
Overview of Assessment
Critical Aspects of assessment are described above in the performance evidence for this course
The assessments for this course have been designed to allow participants apply their learning to particular simulated work scenarios and demonstrate their competence in a variety of ways.
Overview
You will be given three assessment tasks, with various ways of demonstrating your competency to meet the performance criteria for all Elements of this course.
You will need to successfully complete all three tasks to be deemed competent in this course.
Assessment Task/Titles:
Task 1 Sectors and responsibilities of the financial services industry (Week 4)
Individual report, maximum 800 words, broken into two parts, A and B.
To be presented via Turnitin in Blackboard/Learning Hub by the end of Week 5, COB 10 March 2017.
The purpose of this assessment task is to give you an overview of the financial services industry, the various products and services it provides, external factors that influence and affect this industry and problem areas that require regulation and codes of practice.
In Part A you will be researching and reporting on various types of organisations operating in the financial service industry, their products, the relationship between at least two of these sectors, and the external factors that affect these organisations.
In Part B you will research various problems in the financial services industry, including scams, pay day loans, instances of inappropriate behaviour toward customers of the major banks and insurance companies. You will also research how these activities and parties have breached laws, regulations and their own codes of conduct.
Task 2 Sustainability presentation (Week 10)
Group (maximum 3 students per group) 6 minute PowerPoint presentation on Sustainability. In addition a short group report on how the group performed as a team, maximum of 400 words, to be presented during class by Week 11
The purpose of the assessment is for you to demonstrate:
- Your knowledge and understanding of sustainability principles and practices as applied to the financial services industry.
- Your ability to effectively communicate the results of your research into sustainability in the form of a power point presentation during class.
- Your understanding of team issues and your ability as a team to resolve any internal conflict to produce the presentation in (b) above in a short team report.
There are three requirements that you need satisfactorily complete to demonstrate this competency:
- Research and compare the reasons for, application and measurement of sustainability practices of two financial services organisations.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills in presenting the results of your research on sustainability in (1) above. This will be in the form of appropriately formatted and written power point slides. This will be supported by verbal explanations to the class whereby each team member will talk for two minutes each to the class.
Once you have completed the group assessment, you will be required to attend a short interview during the same or next week to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to your teacher. You will be expected to clearly answer a series of questions based on any part of the presentation that your group gave. Your individual answers will determine whether or not you are assessed as competent for this task.
3. As a group write a maximum 400 word group report on how the team worked together and resolved any conflict. One copy if this is to be presented via Blackboard after the presentation in (2) above.
Task 3 Personal competency case study table/report (Week 14)
Individual task, identifying competency gaps preventing students getting entry level jobs or later promotions in the financial services industry.
To be presented in Blackboard/Learning Hub by Week 14, COB 19 May 2017 in Semester 1.
The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate your ability to:
- Identify employers’ key requirements, and present evidence that you can meet the main requirements.
- Identify gaps in the skills, experience and qualifications required by employers to consider applicants for an entry level job or promotion.
- Plan additional activities for ongoing professional development beyond those meeting their formal education requirements.
Using the case study of a specific job ad you will prepare a table or report showing you can:
- Research the requirements of the job you are considering
- Provide evidence to show where your capabilities and strengths match these requirements.
- Identify the skills and other gaps you have in meeting the employer’s requirements.
- Present a plan outlining what action you can take to cover these gaps, either while you are studying, or after graduation.
Assessment Matrix
Other Information
Submission Requirements
You should:
• Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date.
• Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
• When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for assessment is your own work. An assignment cover sheet for submission of each assessment task is available on blackboard.
• Each page of your assessment should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. For example, Callie Harvey, 324567, Task 2, OHS2345C Ensure safe workplace, Page 1 of 10.
Late Submission Procedures
You are required to submit assessment items and/or ensure performance based assessment is completed by the due dates.
If you are prevented from submitting an assessment item on time, by circumstances outside your control, you may apply in advance to your teacher for an extension to the due date of up to seven calendar days. <check links are still current>
More Information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension
Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/seca86tti4g4z.pdf
Where an extension of greater than seven days is needed, you must apply for special consideration. Applications for special consideration must be submitted no later than two working days after the assessment task deadline or scheduled examination. <check links are still current>
More Information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=g43abm17hc9w
Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/8a5dgcaqvaes1.pdf
Resubmissions (VET Programs):
If you are found to be unsuccessful in a Course Assessment Task you will be allowed one resubmission only. Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the resubmission. The highest grade you will receive if your resubmission is successful is “CAG”.
If you are still not meeting the assessment requirements you must apply to your Program Manager in writing outlining the steps you will take to demonstrate competence in your course. Your submission will be considered by the Program Team and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible.
Adjustments to Assessment
In certain circumstances students may be eligible for an assessment adjustment. For more information about the circumstances under which the assessment arrangements might be granted please access the following website: <check link is still current>
More Information: http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=7usdbki1fjf31
Marking Guide (Competency):
You must demonstrate that you have all the required skills/knowledge/elements in the unit of competency you are studying.
You will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you about your progress and how well you are performing.
Marking Guide (Grading)
After achieving competency we then grade your performance in the unit and you will achieve one of the following grades:
Final Grades table:
CHD Competent with High Distinction
CDI Competent with Distinction
CC Competent with Credit
CAG Competency Achieved – Graded
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for assessment
Further information regarding the application of the grading criteria will be provided by your teacher.
Course Overview: Access Course Overview