Financial trader : Training

Comprehensive on-the-job training is provided from day one and is often organised on a rotational desk basis. This usually consists of shadowing a more senior trader, watching and listening to what is going on and learning the trading language (how to phrase questions and trades).

This training is supplemented by lectures, seminars and conferences. If traders are specialising in a product for a specific country, language training is frequently provided.

Before traders conduct any business, they must qualify to be placed on the stock exchange’s list of people who are eligible to trade. You are required to become an approved person by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) .

The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI)  offers relevant FSA-approved qualifications for traders. The SII Certificates programme consists of a regulatory unit and a specialised technical unit. Traders often have to take the exams relevant to other European exchanges. Those choosing to do further study often go on to the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) programmes at the CFA Institute .

Most firms pay for examinations, but individuals are expected to contribute a lot of self-study time. Graduate trainees are expected to learn quickly from other traders when starting out and need to be prepared to take on some menial tasks in the early days to assist their traders.