Tenet has launched a ‘Graduate Foundation College' pilot pre-employment and internship programme.
The network, in league with the Financial Skills Partnership, aims to help unemployed graduates take the first step towards a career in financial services.
Over a 10-week period 150 candidates will be trained to RO1 standard - with the intention of subsequently securing a six-month paid internship with a small to medium-sized financial advice company in 2013.
Tenet is one of several organisations from the financial sector to back the initiative, others include Aviva, the CII, the Department of Work & Pensions, Redland Business Solutions and Scottish Widows.
Keith Richards, group distribution & development director at tenet, said: "There is a real need to attract young talent to the sector.
"This fast-track solution significantly shortens the graduate recruitment process for adviser firms and provides them with candidates who are already RO1 qualified."
If this pilot scheme is a success, Tenet will expand the workshops to cover mortgage advice, paraplanning and wealth management.
The initial RO1 series begins on Thursday 16 October at six major provincial venues: Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, London and Manchester.
