Finsure launches scholarship to empower female mortgage brokers

Finsure Group has recently unveiled a scholarship initiative, part of its Women in Finsure program, designed to empower more women to enter the mortgage broking field.

This industry-first scholarship, supported by the AAMC Training Group and the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA), offers each recipient more than $15,000 in value.

The launch comes at a time when Finsure is experiencing significant growth, evidenced by a 26% increase in its loan book to $139 billion, alongside the addition of 1,000-plus new brokers, including Australia’s top broker.

Tearing down barriers

Fatima Dib (pictured), Finsure’s head of business innovation and co-chair of Women in Finsure, shared her personal journey and the challenges she faced in a male-dominated industry.

“I understand first-hand the challenges that female mortgage brokers face in our industry, and I believe this program helps knock down barriers that prevent many women from joining,” Dib said.

She stressed the dual challenges of balancing professional and home life, which many women encounter.

Comprehensive support for aspiring female brokers

The scholarship winners will benefit from comprehensive training opportunities provided by the AAMC Training Group and Finsure Broker Academy. In addition, Finsure’s Business Start-Up package offers free branding and IT support to kickstart their careers.

“Add to that 1:1 mentoring from industry leaders plus a strong support network through our Women in Finsure program and we’re confident our scholarship gives our candidates the best possible start to their career with a clear pathway to success,” Dib said.

Industry-wide support and aspirations

Anja Pannek, CEO of MFAA, expressed the association’s support for the initiative.

“With women making up just 27% of brokers, the report highlights a clear opportunity to improve gender diversity in the industry,” Pannek said. “We are pleased to support this initiative; it aligns with the Association’s goal of fostering a more diverse industry that better reflects the communities it serves across Australia.”

Recent MFAA statistics show the number of female brokers has risen to 3,749, the highest since 2018 – yet they still make up only 26.7% of the industry, highlighting ongoing gender equality challenges.

Finsure’s initiatives, including the Women in Finsure platform, aim to achieve a balanced 50/50 split of women and men within their network and broader financial services sector.

Noushig Megerditchian, Finsure’s Northern Region head of sales and co-chair of Women in Finsure, highlighted the platform's role in supporting equality throughout the network.