Training is at the core of everything we do in life and directs how our lives will evolve, from the moment we are born to the day we die we are constantly learning, and regardless of our chosen career path learning follows us and guides us.
As professional Will Writers, education is extremely valuable to us, not only from how we develop our business and our knowledge but also in helping to instil the confidence our clients need when dealing with us.
The Society of Will Writers (the Society) first introduced training back in 1994, the year the Society first started, under our brand the College of Will Writing and only through distance learning, but the need for training has never been greater than it is today, twenty four years on.
More complex families and greater wealth, demand the very highest level of knowledge and experience when we are giving advice, but in a still relatively new but burgeoning profession, experience on its own is not always attainable, which is why the Society through the College of Will Writing holds education at the heart of everything we do.
The College has always offered distance learning courses, and twelve months ago the College developed its first online LMS course, based on the same principles as the highly successful and much sought after Certificate Course in Wills and Estate Planning Residential course, providing one-to-one tutorage designed for individuals who, for whatever reason, cannot find the time to be away from the home or business for 4 days to attend the College in Lincoln.
It was a huge gamble when the College began the new Distance Learning course, in as much as how would it affect the attendance on the 4-day Certificate Course? The short answer is it has not and in fact it has in one year doubled our student intake, and the Society now has members and students around the globe as well as individual members at home.
The Course was launched without fanfare to test the water, and the results have surprised us all, and in one year the number of tutors available to students has risen from one to three, dedicated solely to the distance learning course, the student’s needs, and to the development of new courses.
We have maintained the numbers of students attending the College facilities in this year alone, and the course was extended from the original three days to four, and includes more practical work including drafting, trusts, LPA’s and group studies.
The Distance Learning Course, is made up of 4 modules and further sub modules and uses essay style assignments at or during each module for the student to test their knowledge as each assignment is marked by an independent invigilator, and students can email in direct to their tutors with questions and if needed they can request a call back.
It is important to also understand that whilst STEP and CILEX also run courses, few, if any are like those delivered by the College from the induction stage that take the student through the maze of information needed, sufficient to give each student the confidence and competence to talk knowledgably with clients and provide appropriate advice and product, and will help the student later on should they wish to take the STEP or CILEX courses.
Don’t be put off because it is 4 days. Unlike many courses that start at 10 and finish at 3, students are expected to work hard, the day normally starts around 9:30 and for the first three days students are expected to work until past 5pm, this is, after all the start of your new career and a new future.
If you have been put off becoming a Will Writer (Estate Planning Consultant) because of the location or you cannot get away for 4 days because of family or work commitments, contact the office via diane@willwriters.com or call 01522 687888 and talk to one of our team and they can help you. The Distance Learning course takes on average 50 hours to complete to examination stage.
Written by Brian W McMillan, Director General of The Society of Will Writers
This article was submitted to be published by The Society of Will Writers as part of their advertising agreement with Today’s Wills and Probate. The views expressed in this article are those of the submitter and not those of Today’s Wills and Probate.
