ACAMS Launches Anti-Financial Crime (AFC) Academy to Provide Tailored Training to Banks and Other Financial Services Providers

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Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS)

Oct 02, 2023, 09:00 ET

The new initiative provides enterprise training solutions, with options to choose between ground-up development or program enhancement

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Regulators are demanding that financial institutions have effective anti-financial crime (AFC) programs in place, and effectiveness requires implementing an ongoing AFC training program that is robust and tailored to the specific risks an institution faces. To address these regulatory expectations, ACAMS has introduced a comprehensive training solution – AFC Academy – which has been designed with the flexibility to meet the unique needs and risk profiles of financial institutions.

ACAMS AFC Academy offers a variety of learning paths designed to upskill employees across all three lines of defense, providing access to the latest market leading ACAMS training, extensive webinar program and premium resources. The offering covers a broad range of key AFC topics, from know your customer (KYC), transaction monitoring, and financial crime investigations, to AFC crypto risk management and sanctions compliance. Financial institutions can choose from two AFC Academy options: to build an enterprise-wide AFC training program from the ground up or to enhance an existing in-house framework.

"The ACAMS AFC Academy represents our commitment to empower financial institutions with strategic, outcome-driven AFC training. Whether starting from scratch or enhancing existing programs, we provide tailored learning paths to meet evolving challenges and regulatory demands," said ACAMS Interim CEO Mariah Gause. "Our holistic approach, blending competency benchmark certifications, training courses, webinars, and premium resources, ensures teams gain the skills and insights needed for success. We remain dedicated to ending financial crime by offering a pathway to lasting competence and compliance," she added.

Institutions needing to build a new program will begin with a consultative mapping of the competencies their teams need to successfully mitigate financial crime risks. The Academy will then recommend learning paths aligned with the relevant needs to ensure employees are trained on the AFC skills needed by job family. Through a continuing education program, the training will address both the institution's current needs and the demands of the future.

For those who wish to enhance an established training program, the entry point into the ACAMS AFC Academy will be a deep dive into known gaps in the existing program and a discussion of industry best practices. The Academy will then recommend training paths that complement and enrich the existing program, ensuring comprehensive coverage of all the vital skillsets across the business.

"Whether building a new training program or enhancing an existing one, the Academy's overriding focus will always remain ensuring that each training regimen is expertly designed to address evolving threats and regulatory expectations by leveraging ACAMS' renowned horizon-scanning expertise," Gause added.

ACAMS AFC Academy's learning paths are built from four components: certifications, certificate training courses, webinars, and premium resources. United, these elements combine theory and practice, providing learners the right skills to perform their roles as well as broader context and industry best practices.

To find out more about the ACAMS AFC Academy, including how to enroll in the curriculum, please visit: www.acams.org/afcacademy

About ACAMS®

ACAMS is a leading international membership organization dedicated to providing opportunities for anti-financial crime (AFC) education, best practices, and peer-to-peer networking to AFC professionals globally. With over 100,000 members across 180 jurisdictions, ACAMS is committed to the mission of ending financial crime through the provision of anti-money laundering/counterterrorism-financing and sanctions knowledge-sharing, thought leadership, risk-mitigation services, ESG initiatives, and platforms for public-private dialogue. The association's CAMS certification is the gold- standard qualification for AFC professionals, while its CGSS and CCAS certifications are for sanctions professionals and AFC practitioners working in the crypto space, respectively. ACAMS' 60+ Chapters globally further amplify the association's mission through training and networking initiatives. Visit acams.org for more information.

SOURCE Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS)