The St James’s Place Financial Adviser Academy has welcomed 180 newly-qualified advisers to a career in Financial Planning.

The new planners were celebrated in a graduation ceremony held at London’s Science Museum on Friday.

Speakers at the ceremony included head of academy Andy Payne and SJP’s chief executive Mark Fitzpatrick.

The academy was set up in 2012 to train candidates in financial advice, providing support for future partners of SJP to start and build their own high-quality wealth management practices.

Academy graduates can run their own business under the umbrella of SJP, or choose to work within existing partner practices.

So far, the academy has welcomed more than 1,300 budding advisers through its doors, from professional athletes and former members of the military to teachers and female career returners. Many have gone on to become Chartered Financial Planners.

Andy Payne, head of academy at St James’s Place, said: “We want to ensure that as many people as possible have access to financial advice, and bringing new advisers into the industry is an essential part of this. I am incredibly excited to see what the future holds for them.”

Three years ago the Academy moved to a more flexible structure with a location-less way of working to reduce the barriers of having to travel to particular sites and support the complexities of candidates’ individual situations.

Andy Payne said: “We are committed to providing an accessible and inclusive environment where all advisers, regardless of circumstance, whether that be gender, sexuality, personal identity, disability, or social or ethnic background, feel welcome.”