Date: 14 July 2021 Author: Seccl Seccl, the Octopus-owned custodian and platform technology provider, is piloting an industry training programme to upskill financial advice and investment professionals in the basics of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Designed for anyone working in financial advice or investment management, regardless of role or seniority, the Academy will aim to provide participants with a working knowledge of APIs, and the role and function that they serve. It will also teach the basic coding skills required to extract and input data using any open API – skills that participants will be able to readily apply to their day-to-day role, for example to build reporting dashboards, or to create or update client records. Kicking off on 28 July, the course will consist of four 90-minute online classes (detailed below). Each class will be supported by a range of tasks designed to be completed by participants in their own time. Participants can expect a supportive, skills-based learning environment, where no prior knowledge is required – though an aptitude for Excel might prove a useful starting point. Annabel Melvin, Account Executive at Seccl who will be leading the course, said: “While APIs have become a bit of a buzzword in the industry, many people have been telling us that they would love to really understand what they are and how they work. Anyone who can query an API can quickly and easily extract any bit of data that an API-driven system holds, in real time – and so by teaching people the basics, we hope to empower them to run slicker, more data-led and more efficient businesses.” The upcoming public pilot follows an initial private trial of the Academy conducted in February, which involved advisers, operations staff and administrators. In attendance at the initial client trial was Andy Weston, Managing Director of IronBright Investment Management, who commented: “Seccl’s API Academy provided an ideal opportunity to get some insight into a growing industry trend, while gaining exposure to the technology that powers investment platforms behind the scenes. “Being able to use and manipulate APIs means I can now get my hands on valuable information that would have previously been out of reach – and has helped me gain more confidence when working with other third-parties and their integration. It’s definitely worthwhile for anyone who wants to get the most out of the technology that’s available in the market.” Annabel Melvin continued: “It’s often assumed that APIs are something for only developers to grapple with – but everyone can benefit from learning the fundamentals. Just as Excel has allowed people from all functions to perform simple data analysis, so too can some basic coding skills allow anyone to get to grips with APIs. The Academy will be the perfect low-intensity and free way to learn the ropes, and should add real value to day-to-day work. The free course will be structured as follows:

• Wed 28 July – Introduction: Understand how to query & interact with an open API
• Wed 4 August – Automation: Use Python to perform automated instructions
• Wed 11 August – Data: Use Python to retrieve & manipulate data from an API
• Wed 18 August – Reporting: Use Python to produce bespoke reports

To find out more and register, head to: https://seccl.tech/blog/api-academy-for-advisers/

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