Fidelity Life celebrates its 2024 Career connect graduates.

Media release

26 March 2025

Fidelity Life, New Zealand’s largest locally owned life insurer, hosted a celebration last week to honour its latest 20 Career connect graduates. Supported by the programme, each has successfully completed their Level 5 qualifications in life, disability, and health insurance.  

Congratulations to:   

Career connect has been designed to bring in fresh talent and greater diversity to the financial advice industry, with the 2024 cohort representing the largest intake and highest number of graduates since the programme began in 2023.  

This year, 95% of Career connect graduates were women, and a quarter of the group identifies as Māori or Pasifika, marking a significant milestone. 

Michelle Doyle, Head of Solutions says Fidelity Life is proud to support the growth and development of the next generation of financial advisers.  

"More than 60% of the graduates who asked for introductions to adviser businesses have already landed jobs, excited to start careers that help New Zealanders protect what matters most. 

“Career connect is bringing passionate people to the industry and removing some of the barriers so we can help build the world’s best life risk advisers. Together, we’re growing for the good of New Zealand and helping more whānau understand and access the benefits of insurance protection,” she says.  

This year, 5 lucky Career connect graduates will also join Fidelity Life at the 3-day Financial Advice New Zealand (FANZ) National Adviser Conference next week. 

“Financial Advice New Zealand and our strategic partner the PAA Legacy Trust are delighted to extend these full scholarships to attend the National Adviser Conference to the graduates of Fidelity Life’s Career connect,” says FANZ CEO Nick Hakes.   

“Future-focused initiatives such as Career connect nurture an advice community that fosters professional client-centric behaviours, advice, and service. By attending the National Adviser Conference for the first time, these graduates will experience the very best of our profession’s culture of collaboration, passion, engagement, and curiosity.”  

Kickstarting advice careers

Career connect is part of Adviser edge, Fidelity Life’s unique market-leading career and professional development programme. Tailored for advisers at every stage of their career, Adviser edge includes three programmes: Career connect, Professional pathways and Advice masters - to help develop the finest life risk advisers in the industry. 

Since its inception in 2023, Career connect has had more than 200 registrations for 70 course places, welcomed 47 students and helped almost 40 people gain their Level 5 qualifications in life, disability, and health insurance.

One of the programme's key benefits is its facilitation of networking opportunities with established adviser businesses. Career connect students can opt-in to be connected with suitable businesses in their area for potential employment opportunities. 

To date, more than 40 advice businesses have joined the Career connect register as potential employers and more than 60% of all graduates have secured placements with adviser businesses across the country.

Expanding opportunities

Submissions to be part of the 2025 intake of Career connect closed earlier this month with nearly 70 applications from a diverse group of candidates across various ages, genders, and cultural backgrounds. 

This year also marks the largest offering of scholarships, with 8 available. Successful applicants will be notified in April and will begin their 6-month study in May.