Steve Martin CFPTM, Chartered MCSI, chief executive of Accredited Financial Planning Firm Smart Financial, based in the north-west, launched an academy last year.

He told Financial Planning Today it had been an incredible first year of the scheme, with over 100 people being trained.

He said: “We realise there is demand for a more extensive Financial Planning course. We are looking to launch a new extensive course in mid-September.

“We’re trying to give people some of those skills and stop them doing some daft things that they’ve picked up. All of our stuff is about helping people in their own way to help people build a rapport with customers.

“That’s the path we’re on and we’ve really enjoyed the year we’ve had doing it.”

Mr Martin has been assisted by two Chartered Financial Planners - Tamsin Caine CFPTM Chartered MCSI, also from Smart, and Damien Rylett, owner of Brunel Capital Partners and Pilgrim Financial Planning. Both have been involved directly in the training days.

Mr Martin said: “We have effectively finished our first year. We have trained 100 people in that year which is astonishing considering it started as a daft idea to see if two or three people would turn up to do some role play under supervision.

“It has been very successful during that period and we’re now looking at where we can take it next.”

He added: “We’ve had so many unexpected benefits and our own skills have improved by teaching people. Tamsin (Caine) has been involved and it’s been great for her and her skills have improved by helping to train other people.”

Mr Martin’s firm is based in Altrincham and has 300 clients, looking after approximately £70m worth of assets.