The Intermediary – August 2025 - Flipbook - Page 78
B RO K E R B U S I N E S S
Opinion
Stop the talent
pool drying out
W
hen I look at
the mortgage
advice
industry today,
one thing
stands out:
we’re facing an urgent and growing
skills shortage. The average age of a
UK mortgage adviser is now in the
mid-fiies, yet across the sector,
there’s a noticeable lack of meaningful
initiatives to aract, train, and retain
new talent.
At present, most mortgages are still
arranged through advisers. While
evidence indicates that this model will
remain in demand, we must take a
proactive approach to achieving this.
This is especially true with the
growing influence of digital and
artificial intelligence (AI)-driven
advice platforms, demonstrating
the need as an industry to invest in
people. That means actively building
a pipeline of new talent and creating
clear pathways into the profession.
Bridging the gap
One of the key challenges the industry
faces is supporting those who are just
beginning their journey into mortgage
advice, particularly individuals who
haven’t yet obtained their CeMAP 1
qualification. While there are several
academy propositions available in the
market, including our own, they oen
cater for those who already hold the
necessary certifications.
What the industry truly needs, if it
is to thrive, is a programme that acts
as a genuine entrypoint – one that
also welcomes graduates uncertain
about their next steps, career changers
looking for a fresh start, or individuals
who’ve never even considered a career
in mortgage advice before.
An ideal scheme would not only
provide foundational knowledge
and training, but also offer a clear,
supported pathway to qualification
and employment. For example, at Just
Mortgages, we recently launched Just
76
The Intermediary | August 2025
What the
RODNEY SLOAN
is head of learning and
development at Just Mortgages
industry really needs,
if it is to thrive, is a
programme that acts as a
genuine entrypoint”
Learning to provide full support to
those looking to achieve their CeMAP
1 qualification.
Through a blended learning model
combining our learning management
system (LMS) and in-person training,
the course includes a structured
revision programme, all the learning
materials needed, and a week-long,
face-to-face intensive course ahead
of the exam. The aim is to equip
aendees with the tools, guidance, and
confidence they need to take their first
steps into the industry.
Of course, securing the qualification
is only the first hurdle. In the case
of Just Learning, every person who
completes the course is guaranteed
an interview with one of our expert
sales managers. If successful, they will
secure a place in our academy – the
very same programme that helps more
than 50 advisers launch their career
each year.
The next step
Our academy has long been a
cornerstone of success at Just
Mortgages. It’s where some of our
most successful brokers began their
journey, individuals who have the
talent, the aitude, and the drive, and
just needed someone to open the door
to success.
With Just Learning, we’re widening
that open door. We’re meeting people
earlier in their journey and providing
the tools, support, and confidence
they need to step through it. It doesn’t
maer if you have never worked in
finance before, if you possess the
drive, we’ll help you develop the skills.
We’ve already commied to
running six academies in 2025. And
now, with this additional entrypoint,
we’re giving more people than ever
the chance to build a rewarding career
in advice and with Just Mortgages –
whether in our employed division in
estate agency branches, or as part of
our thriving self-employed division.
Top up the pool
At Just Mortgages, we are proud
to support more than 650 brokers
nationwide. But we know that
experience alone can’t carry the
industry forward.
The property market is changing.
Client expectations are evolving.
If we don’t actively invest in the
next generation of advisers, we risk
leaving a glaring and gaping hole in a
profession that plays such a vital role
– not just in the housing sector or the
wider economy, but in people’s lives.
With fewer advisers entering
the profession, and an ever-ageing
workforce leaving it, we’re running
the risk of completely draining the
talent pool.
According to industry reports,
the number of mortgage advisers
in the UK is declining year-on-year.
Unless we act now, we are going to
feel the impact in every corner of the
housing market.
That is why initiatives like Just
Learning aren’t just helpful, they’re
imperative to the vital longevity of our
industry. I truly hope that other firms
take up the mantle, too.
We need more programmes like this
across the board if we want to keep our
profession thriving. ●
