Having the right qualifications can help you get into the sector and move you on in your career. 

There are two types of qualifications which employers look at when reviewing job applications:

1. General education qualifications, for example, GCSE’s, A Levels, Scottish Standards, Highers, degrees and other qualifications that may be gained at school, college and university. 
2. Professional qualifications which have been gained on the job. There are some jobs in the sector that due to professional rules and regulations require the person to have a specific professional qualification before they are able to operate unsupervised.   A good example of this is a Financial Adviser.

Most employers would not expect new entrants to have relevant professional qualifications but would require them to have good Maths and English skills, alongside the minimum academic qualifications required for the job which they are applying for.  Most employers in the sector will support individuals in achieving the relevant professional qualifications and value their workforce improving their knowledge and skills.