October 29, 2026: Australia’s next generation of financial planners shone at the 16th Annual Entireti University Challenge in Melbourne yesterday, with RMIT student Olivia Handreck fending off strong competition from TAFE NSW to win the prestigious competition.
In second place was TAFE NSW student, Tasos Mihail, and Handreck’s fellow RMIT student, Adam Fowler, claimed third place.
In total, 91 teams from 13 tertiary education institutions nationally participated in this year’s event, which featured a technical quiz, statement of advice (SoA) preparation and presentation, and a topical presentation on wealth protection and life insurance advice.
Established in 2010 by AMP, the competition aims to recognise the next generation of financial planning talent, and promote financial planning as an attractive career.
Neil Younger, Chief Executive Officer of Entireti, commended Handreck for her commitment to becoming a financial adviser and improving her skills, and encouraged all participants to continue pursuing a career in financial planning.
“We are proud to continue supporting this worthy initiative because financial planning is a fulfilling and rewarding career path, and every organisation can play a role in attracting talent to the profession,” he said.
“I’m excited about the high calibre of talent coming up through our universities and tertiary education institutions at a critical time for the profession”
“The Entireti University Challenge is an important part of Entireti’s efforts to identify, nurture and advance the next generation of financial advisers.”
The judging panel for this year’s Challenge included Rebecca Pritchard, Senior Financial Adviser, Rising Tide Financial Services; Alisdair Barr, Founder and CEO of Striver; and Phil Anderson, General Manager Policy, Advocacy and Standards at the Financial Advisers Association of Australia (FAAA).
Handreck said the Entireti University Challenge provided a unique opportunity for students to put their technical training into practice and receive feedback from advice experts.
“Participating in this event has been a great experience, especially early on in my career because there are tips and feedback from the judges that I can implement now,” she said.
“I’m passionate about helping people achieve their financial goals and I think, in this world of AI, advisers can make clients feel genuinely cared for and understood. Advice goes far beyond facts and numbers, it’s about making sure clients understand the advice they have been given and the risks in their lives.”
Handreck currently works part-time at Melbourne-based financial planning firm, Belay Advisory. After she graduates from RMIT, she will commence full-time work at Belay next year.
