Registered associates are required to meet certain continuing education requirements as stipulated by FINRA Rule 1120(b). As such, Assent contracts with certain 3rd party service providers to offer an online "Firm Element" training module that can be accessed at your convenience. As well, Assent Branch Office Managers ("BOM's") administer and carry out (at least annually) formal Branch Compliance Meetings through which Assent and regulatory requirements, rule changes, policy updates, procedural revisions and other administrative matters are reviewed in detail. Participation in such meetings, as well as completing Continuing Education courses is mandatory for all Assent proprietary traders and other registered personnel.
Such training is required on at least an annual basis, and serves as an excellent means of keeping abreast of important developments in the trading arena, including timely regulatory developments and procedural requirements that may have changed over the past year.
Please see below for the instructions you'll need to access the Assent Firm Element component of the Continuing Education Program.
{THIS DOES NOT PERTAIN TO "CUSTOMERS", ONLY TO ASSENT REGISTERED PERSONNEL)
FINRA Rule 1120(b) requires each broker-dealer to administer a continuing education program (i.e., Firm Element) for its covered associates. Assent’s Firm element has a number of components. One such component is the online training portion, which is currently administered under the auspices of STC Corporation.
Please note that most representatives (i.e., proprietary traders) are required to complete two educational modules every year to address important regulatory concerns (i.e., anti-money laundering, trading away issues). All online training must be completed by December 1st, annually. All registered persons are expected to participate, including associates that are new to the firm. A waiver from participation may be offered to new associates who offer proof that they completed Firm Element training at another broker-dealer in the current calendar year. Supervisors are required to monitor this training to assure that their covered associates complete the assigned educational module(s) within the delineated time period. Supervisors should refer to previously issued Compliance Notices on this topic for more information regarding continuing education and procedures for assuring completion and proper documentation of the online Firm Element component.
Online Training Instructions:
LOG IN
- copy and paste the following link into your web browser, in order to access the site to complete your CE Firm Element Training:
https://www.stcinteractive.com/new/FIRM_ELEMENT/firm.html
STEP ONE: User name- type your last name and last 4 digits of your social security number. (Ex: smith3456)
STEP TWO: Password- type your last name. (Ex: Smith)
STEP THREE: Click each course listed in your current courses in your Homeroom. Complete all sections in each.
Helpful Hints:
- Click the particular course (i.e., module) to begin training;
- You may stop the session and return at a later time without losing the portion that you completed;
- After completing the module, a survey will come up;
- After completing the survey, a “completion” page pops up, which indicates the date of completion, the name of the course and satisfactory result (i.e., goal attained);
- Participant must print the “goal attained” page and submit it to the appropriate supervisor to evidence successful participation;
- If you’ve been assigned more than one course this year, please click “homeroom tab” to return to the “homeroom” page and begin the second module;
- To complete a second module, please follow the same steps used for successfully completing the first module.
- Module for Firm Element Training should take approximately 60 minutes to finish.
If you are unable to login, please call STC Technical Support at 800-546-7223 between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm EST.
If you have any questions, please call the STC Continuing Education Department at (800) 782-1223, Ext. 231 or 255 for assistance.
Completion of these courses is required to satisfy the Year Firm Element Continuing Education Requirement.
Supervisors may contact the Registration Department at (201) 356-1469 to receive a status report for their associates. In addition, the Registration Department must be contacted to add individuals for training if they are new Assent associates.
