Welcome to CFT!

Southeast Regional Center for Financial Training has been serving you for 97 years.  This non-profit organization remains committed to offering the best educational services at the reasonable prices with no membership fees!

We have been known as the Center for Financial Training since 2002, but we still receive numerous questions regarding why we made this name change when we have been so well known for the American Institute of Banking (AIB) products and services we provide.

In 2002, the American Bankers Association (ABA), working with the AIB chapters, discontinued the franchise relationship that it maintained with the AIB chapters across the United States. This franchise had become cumbersome, time-consuming and expensive for the ABA, and it was labor intensive for the AIB chapters as well. Significant work, documentation and funding had to be provided to the ABA just to comply with standards. There were positive points such as volunteer recognition and awards for excellence in meeting standards. However, this all came to an end in 2002 with the end of the franchise.

When the organization changed from being a franchise to being a training provider of the American Bankers Association, it was decided that the AIB’s across the nation needed to come up with a new, shared name that would be nationally recognized. The new name that was agreed upon was Center for Financial Training (CFT). This group of CFT executive directors found that they would offer similar products and services, such as those offered by the ABA, but that they would also search for other products that would meet the needs of the bankers in their geographic service area.

As your American Bankers Association local training provider, CFT offers spring, summer and fall term schedules that include in-person, instructor-led online, assisted self-study and self-paced online courses. CFT also offers Webinars (telephone seminars accompanied by an Internet presentation). Through these resources, bankers can obtain education in operations, management, supervision, teller practices, compliance, computer skills, trust, IRA, and numerous other important, relevant financial topics. CFT also offers self-paced online securities training.

CFT maintains student records showing each student’s grades and credits earned for both AIB and CFT programs, and CFT will continue to award, through the National ABA organization, diplomas and certificates, according to National curriculum standards.

CFT is pleased to use ABA materials for all AIB programs, and CFT works with full time bankers to teach AIB courses. CFT works with two boards of directors, one that oversees the whole organization, and another that works directly with South Carolina. Both of these boards continue to direct and influence the activities of the organization, and the members represent the needs of local bankers.

CFT has gone through a name change and its product and service line has been expanded to serve you more efficiently and effectively. We have changed for the better, but we have kept the things that people have always valued. Whatever you are looking for in banker education – look here!

Set up a CFT Bank Learning Program in your area

Are you interested in expanding your banking knowledge but unsure of how to start? Would you like to see in-person classroom instruction available in your community?

Southeast Regional CFT will assist you in offering any of our courses at your location.  SER-CFT Executive Director Lisa Phillips may be contacted by phone, e-mail or fax to make arrangements regarding obtaining an instructor's manual and textbook to prepare for the course.  She will also review procedures with you regarding registration forms to track student enrollments and ordering textbooks. Call (904) 354-4830 during weekday work hours, or you can send an email to our office at: lisaphillipscft@bellsouth.net.

I.C.B. CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS

The Institute of Certified Bankers offers nine professional certification programs. Click the underlined link to learn more about these professional financial services courses!

ASSISTED SELF-STUDY PROGRAM

For the busy person who wants to learn -- with professional guidance -- this may be the program for you. Click the link to see what we have.

A.C.E. COLLEGE ACCREDITED COURSES

Twelve of our courses have been approved by the American Council on Education for college credit! Click the link to read more.

---

CFT can customize training for your organization

If you are interested in a specific class for your employees to be held at your institution give us a call.  We can tailor any class to suit your needs.   A minimum of 10 students is required.  Contact the CFT Office for further information.