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9 Jul

‘Where do I even start?’: Breaking into paraplanning

Advanced
Beginner
Intermediate
Financial planning
Accredited
Event
Time:

12:30 pm

Date:

Wednesday 9th July 2025

Location:

Online at Crowdcast

Duration

1 HRS 30 MINS

Starting any career feels like a leap into the unknown. How do you know if paraplanning is right for you? How do you get your first break? What do you actually need to know to succeed?

Whether you’re fresh from education, switching careers, or taking those first steps in paraplanning, getting established isn’t easy. But here’s the thing: every successful paraplanner started exactly where you are now.

Learn from people who have walked in your shoes

Join us online at 12.30pm on 9 July to hear from paraplanners who’ve faced exactly the same challenges and come out the other side.

Host Caroline Stuart will be joined by guests Chris Wormwell and Ceetal Katechia – paraplanners who’ve who have both taken different routes into the profession – and Sarah Purves, learning and organisational development consultant, who’ll share practical ideas to build your career.

Together, they’ll explore the real stories behind successful paraplanning careers – from barista to paraplanner, marketing professional to financial planning, and administration assistant to qualified paraplanner.

We’re ever so grateful to Aegon whose support has made this Assembly possible, enabling us to bring together different perspectives that could help you work out where to go next in your career.

What you’ll discover
  • Multiple pathways into paraplanning (spoiler: there’s no single “right” route)
  • How to overcome the obstacles that everyone faces starting out
  • Building a career plan that will work for you
  • Creating the support network you need around you
  • Tackling imposter syndrome head-on
  • Conversations to have with current or prospective employers
  • How employers can better support newcomers to the profession

What can you expect to take away?

You’ll leave this Assembly with practical insights about breaking into paraplanning, confidence about your career direction, and – most importantly – the knowledge that your questions and concerns are completely normal.

This session will give you strategies to start and develop your paraplanning career and connect with others on the same journey.

Whether you’re considering paraplanning, just starting out, or you’re an experienced paraplanner keen to help others, we’d welcome you to this conversation.

Sound like a good idea? Save your spot now.

Speakers

1
Caroline Stuart
Sparrow Paraplanning

Caroline is a leading figure in the UK’s wealth management and financial advice community.

In a career spanning more than 20 years, Caroline's worked in-house as a paraplanner, senior paraplanner and head of technical for small and large firms until, in 2019, she founded outsourced paraplanning practice, Sparrow Paraplanning. In 2024, Caroline launched Sparrow Solutions which offers training, learning and development, and operational support to financial planning and outsource paraplanning businesses. Soon after, she co-founded The Co-Laboratory with Melissa Kidd - a service which offers planners, advisers and paraplanners help and training with the ‘human skills’-side of financial planning and advice.

1
Ceetal Katechia
PSA Financial Services

Ceetal is Head of Paraplanning at PSA Financial Services. She's been a team leader for 4 years and leads a great team of paraplanners. She really enjoys the support side of things providing research and analysis for clients.

1
Chris Wormwell
Wesleyan Financial Services

After a 25 year career in university marketing, developing a particular interest in student finance, Chris took the plunge and retrained to work in financial services. Last year he started a new role as a paraplanner for Wesleyan Financial Services. After work he enjoys cricket, comedy and walking his Labrador, Quin.

1
Sarah Purves
Aegon

As a learning professional based in Aegon UK’s People function, my role is to empower colleagues to thrive and grow their career with us. As part of this, I design and deliver programmes to develop our aspiring and existing managers and leaders to support their skill development in an ever-evolving landscape in our organisation and in the wider sector. I also lead on work around performance management that supports great performance and development conversations and processes. I’ve spent the majority of my career working at Aegon, doing a variety of roles across Operations and moving to the people function in the last three years

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