- 01
Apply the current rules
Understand the latest legislative, regulatory and professional requirements in the context of the adviser’s actual role.
- 02
Work in real quotation systems
Move from theory into the systems and workflows used to produce, compare and explain suitable solutions.
- 03
Analyse a real client scenario
Use anonymised current examples to work through a financial plan, client needs, risks and a risk-profile analysis.
- 04
Use the six-step adviser process
Practise a disciplined journey that can be repeated with every client.
Prepare & prospectEngage & discloseDiscover & analyseDesign & recommendPresent & implementReview & grow - 05
Take a top-down approach
Build the corporate communication and group-presentation skills to engage employers first, then connect group needs to individual financial planning.
- 06
Build a 10× growth pathway
Use a repeatable process to pursue larger employer, group and individual opportunities—and build a practice that can scale.
Insurance · Investments · Retirement Funds
Insurance & investment advisers. Retirement fund specialists.
Skills Bench Academy delivers fully online, practical qualifications in Short-Term Insurance, Wealth Management and Retirement Fund Governance—with real systems, current workplace cases, online tutors and 24-hour learner support.
100% online
Online tutor
24-hour learner support
Why Skills Bench is different
3specialist industries
100%fully online delivery
24hlearner support access
1connected academy
Market View
Indices · commodities · rand exchange rates
A new applied-learning methodology
Learn it. Apply it. Prove it. Lead with it.
The Skills Bench Applied Role Mastery Method is built for South African financial services. It combines current knowledge with real tools, cases, simulation and job-based assessment so learners finish ready to perform—not merely ready to write a test.
Skills Bench Applied Role Mastery Method
A tried-and-tested learning loop built around real performance.
Every stage closes the gap between knowing the work and being able to do the work confidently in a client meeting, an employer presentation or a retirement fund boardroom.
97.5%completion rate
97.5%start-to-pass rate
Skills Bench trustee-programme results reported to date*
- 01LearnCurrent rules and role knowledge
- 02ObserveReal systems, cases and board packs
- 03PractiseGuided tools and working examples
- 04SimulateClient, employer and boardroom decisions
- 05ProveAssessment of practical competence
- 06PerformApply, lead and pursue growth
Training-model comparison
The difference is what happens after the theory.
This graph compares a content-first course design with the applied Skills Bench journey. It is a comparison of learning models, not a claim about every individual provider.
Content-first modelKnowledge and completion
Course contentKnowledge testCertificateWorkplace conversion left to learner
Skills Bench modelKnowledge to demonstrated performance
Current rulesReal toolsReal casesSimulationExpert feedbackJob-based assessmentWorkplace performance
- 01
Receive the board pack
Start with a realistic case containing the information, reports and decisions a board would be expected to consider.
- 02
Read and prepare
Identify the key governance, benefit, investment, risk and compliance matters before the meeting starts.
- 03
Participate in four meetings
Work through four board-meeting cycles during the programme so capability develops through repeated application.
- 04
Question service providers
Learn what to ask administrators, consultants, actuaries, auditors, investment specialists and other providers—and why.
- 05
Decide and document
Evaluate the evidence, make defensible decisions and understand how the meeting record supports accountability.
- 06
Demonstrate competence
Be assessed on job-like performance, including how you interpret the board pack, participate and apply professional judgment.
The Skills Bench difference
Practitioners who know the market. Educationalists who know how people learn.
Our training team combines active financial planners, Principal Officers and retirement fund trustees with formal expertise in education, curriculum design and assessment. Learners are taught to understand, remember, apply and demonstrate—not simply to complete content.
01Current marketplace practice
02Human-centred learning design
03Assessment of practical competence
Results note: *Completion and start-to-pass figures reflect Skills Bench trustee-programme results reported by the Academy to date and should be updated as additional results are finalised. The 10× objective is an aspirational business-growth goal, not a guaranteed result; outcomes depend on consistent application, market conditions, lead flow, client needs and individual effort.
Skills Bench Learning Intelligence
A learning platform that does more than host content.
One connected digital journey for learning, practical application, workplace evidence and learner support—available wherever professionals work.
From enrolment to evidence—without losing the thread.
Clear modules, practical tasks and visible progression help learners understand what comes next and why it matters.
01Orient
02Learn
03Apply
04Evidence
05Complete
24-hour learner support
Digital help is available around the clock, with clear escalation when a learner needs human guidance.
Online tutor support
Ask questions, clarify difficult concepts and keep moving through the qualification.
AI where it adds value. Human oversight where it matters.
Guided digital learning reduces friction while assessors and moderators retain the professional decisions that require human judgment.
Fully online. Nationally accessible. Globally ambitious.
Study across desktop and mobile, in a rhythm designed around work, family and professional responsibility.
Pathway finder
Start with the work you want to do.
Select the route closest to your role. The Academy connects learning to practical responsibility—not just course titles.
Lead a retirement fund with confidence.
Build the governance judgment, technical understanding and practical evidence required of trustees and principal officers.
Designed forTrustees, principal officers and retirement fund professionals
Core focusGovernance, fiduciary duties, legislation and strategic leadership
Learning styleApplied cases, workplace evidence and guided assessment
Includes the Occupational Certificate: Professional Principal Executive Officer (Retirement Fund Trustee), NQF Level 5, 120 credits, SAQA ID 99574, and the Occupational Certificate: Professional Principal Executive Officer, NQF Level 7, 150 credits, SAQA ID 93602.
View modules & chapters
Wealth Management · Short Term Insurance
Become the adviser clients remember.
The 10x Financial Adviser Academy connects official qualification outcomes to a repeatable adviser method: professional qualifications, practical sales discipline and advice that clients understand and act on.
- 01Prepare & prospect
- 02Engage & disclose
- 03Discover & analyse
- 04Design & recommend
- 05Present & implement
- 06Review & grow
The 10x objective is an aspirational capability and business-growth objective—not a guaranteed sales result. Outcomes depend on application, market conditions, lead flow and individual effort.
Local qualification pathways
Modules and chapters, mapped to the work.
Choose a qualification to see its full SAQA title, Skills Bench delivery structure and the chapters learners work through. Exact electives and workplace evidence are confirmed in the approved enrolment plan.
01Retirement Fund Specialisation
02Financial Adviser Specialisation
Occupational Certificate: Professional Principal Executive Officer (Retirement Fund Trustee)
Govern a retirement fund responsibly, interrogate board information and translate fiduciary duties into sound decisions.
Knowledge modules with practical and workplace application
01 · Governance and strategic direction & control
- Chapter 1: Governance of the Board
- Chapter 2: Strategic direction and governance of the Fund
- Chapter 3: Governance of stakeholder relationships
02 · Legal requirements and common law
- Statutes, regulations and the Pension Funds Act environment
- Directives, notices, circulars and regulatory submissions
- Fiduciary duties, common-law duties and accountability
03 · Rules and operations of a retirement fund
- Fund rules, contributions and administration controls
- Benefits, withdrawals and member events
- Service-provider roles and operational oversight
04 · Governance of fund assets
- Investment policy and Regulation 28 oversight
- Managers, consultants, custodians and mandates
- Performance, costs, responsible investment and reporting
05 · Financial requirements of a retirement fund
- Budgets, financial statements and audit findings
- Actuarial valuations and funding information
- Approval of rule amendments and statutory submissions
06 · Risk management and applied governance
- Risk frameworks, internal controls and monitoring
- Conflicts of interest, ethics and conduct
- Board governance, service-provider assessment and workplace evidence
Course introduction
Training for the boardroom—not only the classroom
See how learners use a realistic board pack, work through four applied board meetings and practise the questions, decisions and governance responsibilities of an effective trustee.
HeyGen presentation · 3 min 59 sec
Occupational Certificate: Professional Principal Executive Officer
An integrated executive route combining regulation, operations, finance, investment governance and strategic board leadership.
Twelve compulsory modules grouped into four applied phases
Phase 1 · External regulatory framework · 400 hours
- KM01: External regulatory framework for retirement funds
- PM01: Apply primary legislation to a retirement fund
- WM01: Apply the external framework to fund operations
Phase 2 · Internal rules and policies · 190 hours
- KM02: Implementation and monitoring of the internal framework
- PM02: Implement and monitor fund rules and approved policies
- WM02: Monitor adherence to fund rules and policies
Phase 3 · Fund operations · 230 hours
- KM03: Operational, financial and investment requirements
- PM03: Manage the operations of the retirement fund
- WM03: Manage retirement-fund deliverables
Phase 4 · Governance and board leadership · 680 hours
- KM04: Fund governance and strategic leadership
- PM04: Guide the board in its decision-making responsibility
- WM04: Apply sound governance practices to the management framework
Course introduction
The Role of the Principal Officer
Meet the professional role before exploring the modules, evidence requirements and governance responsibilities in the curriculum.
HeyGen presentation · captions included · 2 min 42 sec
Status note: the published last date for enrolment is 30 December 2026 and the last date for achievement is 30 December 2029. Cohort and workplace-evidence availability are confirmed before enrolment.
National Certificate: Wealth Management
A top-down adviser pathway from economics, risk and the client life cycle to suitable advice, retirement-fund application and portfolio thinking.
Current Skills Bench pathway: 21 selected unit standards · 123 credits · final elective combination confirmed at enrolment
Module 1 · Read the financial-services environment
- 230071: Apply basic economic principles to financial services
- 120075: Interpret current affairs in financial services
- 230075: Understand the changing industry and its consumers
- 119997: Understand risk in a financial-services environment
- 230077: The individual financial life cycle
- 230070: Present an informed business argument
Module 2 · Discover, analyse and advise
- 242601: Apply researched trends to individual financial risk
- 242594: Apply asset-class knowledge to financial advice
- 242580: Use scenario planning to explain risk
- 242573: Determine needs and wants for a suitable solution
- 242574: Optimise tax aspects of wealth management
- 242554: Research information for a financial risk assessment
- 230078: Apply ethics in a business environment
Module 3 · Retirement-fund advice and oversight
- 242586: Legislation and regulation affecting retirement-fund benefits
- 242596: Evaluate retirement-fund administration
- 242611: Develop compliant fund rules
- 242564: Structure and implement a retirement fund
Module 4 · Investments, retirement and portfolios
- 242578: Advise on the structure of fund investments
- 242613: Advise an individual on retirement planning
- 242559: Analyse reports and data to inform a decision
- 242619: Advise on financial-portfolio composition
- Integrated advice, communication and ongoing client review
Course introduction
Practical advice training built around real work
See how Skills Bench combines quotation systems, anonymised client cases, financial plans, risk profiling and the six-step advice process into a workplace-ready learning journey.
HeyGen presentation · 3 min 33 sec
FSCA relevance
Long-term InsuranceInvestmentsPension Fund Benefits
The qualification supports Category I advice pathways. The precise FSCA product-category recognition depends on the current recognised-qualifications list and the learner’s approved elective combination; it does not on its own authorise discretionary Category II services.
Teach-out note: the SAQA record has passed its registration end date. The published last date for enrolment is 30 June 2028 and the last date for achievement is 30 June 2031. Programme availability is confirmed before enrolment.
National Certificate: Short Term Insurance
A specialist Level 5 route for experienced short-term insurance professionals working with personal, commercial and complex corporate risk.
45 core credits · 30 fundamental credits · minimum 45 elective credits
Module 1 · Understand the market and client context
- 230071: Economic principles in financial services
- 243173: Technical market data in insurance
- 120075: Current affairs in financial services
- 230075: The changing industry and its consumers
- 230070: Present an informed business argument
Module 2 · Diagnose risk and act ethically
- 242554: Research information for a financial risk assessment
- 230078: Apply ethics in a business environment
- Identify frequency, severity, exposures and financial consequences
- Apply professional conduct to risk and insurance decisions
Module 3 · Build the risk-financing strategy
- 242608: Business risk and risk-financing strategies
- 242602: Alternatives for risk transfer
- 242562: Risk-finance principles for an insurance solution
- 242615: Financial consequences of a large claim to a client
- 243168: Financial consequences to an insurer or reinsurer
Module 4 · Negotiate, customise and present the solution
- 242573: Needs and wants for an appropriate solution
- 243157: Negotiate a proposal with a short-term insurer
- 243160: Manage the intermediary relationship with the market
- 243167: Risk information affecting underwriting and pricing
- 242585 / 242569: Client interaction and changing value propositions
- 243165 / 243169: Specialist cover and complex commercial enterprises
Course introduction
The Role of the Short-Term Insurance Professional
Preview the work, client responsibilities and risk-thinking that this qualification develops before opening the detailed modules.
HeyGen presentation · captions included · 2 min 09 sec
FSCA-aligned categories covered
Category I · 1.2 Personal LinesCategory I · 1.6 Commercial LinesSAQA scope · complex corporate risk
The SAQA qualification learning scope includes personal, commercial and corporate lines, with emphasis on complex corporate and commercial accounts. For FSCA approval, confirm the qualification’s current recognition for subcategories 1.2 and 1.6 against the latest recognised-qualifications list, the learner’s selected electives and role. A qualification is one competence requirement; experience, regulatory examinations, class-of-business training, product-specific training and CPD may also apply.
Teach-out note: the SAQA record has passed its registration end date. The published last date for enrolment is 30 June 2028 and the last date for achievement is 30 June 2031. Programme availability is confirmed before enrolment.
Provider approval
Approved training provider with QCTO and INSETA.
Skills Bench’s provider approval references are shown here so learners and employers can identify the relevant quality-assurance bodies.
Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)
Skills Development Provider approval07-QCTO/SDP300321-1169
Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA)
Accredited provider referenceA585000241
Approval and accreditation are qualification-, scope- and site-specific. Skills Bench confirms the applicable programme scope, delivery site, learner entry requirements and current approval documentation before enrolment.
Purpose beyond the platform
Built in South Africa. Designed to lead the world.
Our standard is not to follow conventional training. It is to create the most trusted, supportive and forward-looking professional academy for the industries we serve.
ExcellenceIntegrityKnowledgeImpact
To become the world’s preferred training provider for insurance-related qualifications and professional education.
To professionalise insurance, retirement-fund and wealth-management learning through fully online, industry-led education, intelligent technology, online tutors and exceptional learner support.
Every learner seen. Every outcome applied. Every professional prepared to lead.
Global qualifications initiative
Local relevance. International reach.
The Academy’s next chapter is a transparent learning route that can help South African insurance professionals build locally useful competence and pursue internationally recognised study.
1. Build the foundationBegin with role-relevant South African occupational learning.
2. Apply it at workUse cases, evidence and workplace practice to demonstrate competence.
3. Add a global pathwayProgress toward an international professional qualification where recognition and entry requirements are confirmed.
01
No false equivalence
Local licensing, qualification recognition and international credentials are mapped separately and explained clearly.
02
One connected learner journey
Learners should understand what to study now, what it prepares them for and what the next professional step could be.
03
Industry-led delivery
Content stays grounded in the practical demands of advice, insurance and retirement-fund leadership.
Current status: the international pathway is an initiative in development. Any future offering will remain subject to provider agreements, entry requirements and applicable regulatory recognition. No international partnership is represented as approved on this site.
Why Skills Bench
Education shaped by the industry itself.
Facilitators who understand the work
Learning is led by professionals with direct experience of financial advice, retirement-fund governance and insurance practice.
Application before abstraction
Cases, workplace evidence and decision-making activities help learners transfer knowledge into daily responsibilities.
Support across the learning journey
Clear orientation, structured milestones and assessment guidance help working professionals keep moving.
Built for individuals and organisations
Programmes can support a single professional, a fund board or an employer-wide development initiative.
Before you choose
Important questions, answered plainly.
Does a qualification automatically grant FSCA approval?
No. A recognised qualification may satisfy part of the competence requirement for specified product categories, but it does not itself create an FSP licence or representative approval. The applicable category, role, electives, experience, regulatory examinations, class-of-business training, product-specific training and CPD must be checked against the current Fit and Proper requirements.
Is the international qualifications pathway already open?
No. It is currently in development. Provider arrangements, admission criteria and recognition details will be confirmed before any international programme is marketed for enrolment.
Will an international qualification automatically meet South African licensing requirements?
Not automatically. Licensing and competence requirements must be checked against the applicable South African regulatory framework. Skills Bench Academy’s aim is to make that mapping transparent before a learner commits.
Can employers and retirement funds enrol groups?
Group learning can be structured around organisational needs, subject to programme availability, entry requirements and an agreed delivery plan.
Academy leadership
Principal of the Academy
Herme Slabber
B Com specialising in Education, Economics and Finance
Herme leads Skills Bench Academy with extensive experience across retirement-fund training, financial advice and insurance. The Academy’s programmes are designed around the real decisions professionals make at work.
Retirement funds
Insurance
Wealth management
Start a conversation
Find the right learning route.
Tell us what you or your organisation needs. We will help you identify the appropriate qualification, delivery plan and next step.
Contact the Academy directlyherme@skillsbenchh.co.za
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