Course Title: Apply principles of professional practice to work in the financial services industry

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2016

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 5519

 

michael.elliot@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 1.2 Identify main sectors of financial services industry and interrelationship between sectors in carrying out activities 1.3 Identify roles and responsibilities of other participants in financial services industry in carrying out activities

Element:

2. Identify and apply guidelines, procedures and legislation

Performance Criteria:

2. Identify and apply guidelines, procedures and legislation

Element:

3. Identify sustainability issues

Performance Criteria:

3. Identify sustainability issues

Element:

4. Manage information

Performance Criteria:

4. Manage information

Element:

5. Participate in and facilitate work team activities

Performance Criteria:

5. Participate in and facilitate work team activities

Element:

6. Plan work to be completed

Performance Criteria:

6. Plan work to be completed

Element:

7. Develop and maintain personal competency

Performance Criteria:

7. Develop and maintain personal competency


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:

  • Course requirements and support documents/resources
  • Course Blackboard access
  • Accuracy of enrolment
  • Assessment requirements/Cover Sheets
  • Reminder re Plagiarism/Appeals
  • Extensions/Resubmissions
  • Feedback in this course
  • Getting help

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 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 in the workbooks.


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
  • Activities


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.

 

Task 2 – Sustainability presentation (Due Week 10)

Group (maximum 3 students per group) PowerPoint presentation on Sustainability. In addition, a short group report on how the group performed as a team, maximum of 350 words, to be presented during class by Week 10, 12 September 2016.

For this assessment you are required to present clearly to the class, both in the layout and content of your slides and in your verbal presentation regarding aspects of Sustainability. In addition, you are required to submit a short report on how your team members worked together as a team. 

TASK 3 - Personal competency folio (Due Week 14)

 

Individual task, incorporating a written job application plus additional information to prepare for a job interview in the financial services industry.

To be presented in Blackboard/Learning Hub by 14 October 2016.

For this assessment you are required to answer the questions and submit a cover letter and resume that incorporates the advice given during class. 

 

Task 1 - Sectors and responsibilities of the financial services industry (Due Week 4)

Individual report, maximum 800 words,

To be presented via Turnitin in Blackboard/Learning Hub by the end of Week 4.

The purpose of the assessment is to enable you to demonstrate understanding of problems in regulating and enforcing laws in the financial services sector. 

You are required to demonstrate your knowledge by researching and answering questions about aspects of the financial services industry under appropriate headings, and citing and referencing your sources. 

 

Task 2 Sustainability presentation  (Due Week 10)

Group (maximum 3 students per group) PowerPoint presentation on Sustainability and a short group report on how the group performed as a team, maximum of 350 words, to be presented during class by Week 10.

This is a group assessment comprising of a maximum 3 students per group.

The purpose of the assessment is for you to demonstrate:

a)      Your knowledge and understanding of sustainability principles and practices as applied to the financial services industry. 

b)      Your ability to effectively communicate the results of your research into sustainability in the form of a power point presentation during class.

c)      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 achieve competency:

a)     Research and compare the reasons for, application and measurement of sustainability practices of two financial services organisations.

b)    Demonstrate effective communication skills in presenting the results of your research on sustainability in (a) above. This will be in the form of appropriately formatted and written power point slides supported by verbal explanations to the class.

Your slides must be highly readable through clear text, concise, relevant and well organised content. Finally your verbal presentation must be well prepared and delivered within 5-6 minutes.

c)     Write a short group report on how the team worked together and resolved any conflict. This is to be presented via Blackboard after the presentation in (b) above.

 

Task 3 Personal competency folio

Individual task, incorporating a job application plus additional information to prepare for a job interview in the financial services industry. To be presented in Blackboard/Learning Hub by Week 15.

The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate your ability to:

 

a)    Prepare for a job application and interview.

b)    Customise your job application (covering letter and resume) to meet the specific job requirements of a job ad.

c)    Plan additional activities for ongoing professional development beyond those meeting their formal education requirements.

 

To satisfactorily complete this assessment you will write an individual report showing you can:

a)    Identify your own strengths and weaknesses as an employee.

b)    Research the requirements of the job you are applying for and match these with your capabilities.

c)    Research (if available) the industry and organisation for which you are writing your job application.

d)    Customise and update your cover letter and resume to meet the employer’s specific requirements.

e)    Demonstrate that after finishing your formal education accepting an employment contract you have a plan to extend your training and education, perhaps based on your identified strengths and weaknesses outlined in (a) above. 

 


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