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Financial Services

Financial Services Competency Model

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) collaborated with leading industry organizations to develop a comprehensive competency model framework for the Financial Services Industry. The framework is designed to evolve along with changing skill requirements.

In 2025, the foundational tiers of the model were updated to align with changes in the Building Blocks Model. For more information, download the Summary of Changes.

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Financial Services Competency Model

Financial Services Building Blocks Pyramid

<strong>1.1 Interpersonal Skills</strong> Displaying the skills to work effectively with others. <strong>1.2 Integrity and Ethics</strong> Displaying accepted social and work behaviors. <strong>1.3 Professionalism and Credibility</strong> Displaying responsible behaviors at work. <strong>1.4 Initiative and Self-Management</strong> Seeking out new work challenges and increasing the variety and scope of work. <strong>1.5 Dependability and Reliability</strong> Behaving consistently and predictably in fulfilling obligations. <strong>2.1 Reading for Information</strong> Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. <strong>2.2 Business Writing</strong> Using standard business English, defined as writing that is direct, courteous, grammatically correct, clear, succinct, and business-like. <strong>2.3 Functional Mathematics, Bookkeeping, and Accounting</strong> Using mathematics to solve problems, tabulate, and analyze data. <strong>2.4 Fundamentals of Market Economies</strong> Determining how an economy functions as a whole. <strong>2.5 Communication - Listening and Speaking</strong> Communicate in order to make oneself understood by supervisors and co-workers. <strong>2.6 Critical and Analytical Thinking</strong> Processing information to make logical decisions. <strong>2.7 Basic Computer Skills</strong> Using information technology and related applications, including adaptive devices and software, to convey and retrieve information. <strong>3.1 Teamwork</strong> Developing capacities used to work with people to achieve goals. Includes social perceptiveness, coordination, persuasion, negotiation, instructing, and service orientation. <strong>3.2 Adaptability and Flexibility</strong> Being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. <strong>3.3 Customer Service and Service Orientation</strong> Actively looking for ways to identify market demands and meet the customer or client need. <strong>3.4 Strategic Planning and Organization</strong> Developing plans and efficiently using resources to accomplish goals. <strong>3.5 Problem Solving and Decision-Making</strong> Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. <strong>3.6 Using Computers</strong> Proficiency in applying basic computer functions. <strong>3.7 Health and Safety</strong> Supporting a safe and healthy workplace. <strong>4.1 Products and Concepts</strong> Knowledge of the products and concepts relating to the financial services industry, including financial instruments, financial management, insurance principles, and cash and capital principles. <strong>4.2 Business Operations</strong> Performs activities associated with transaction management and understands the business operations performed by organizations within the financial services industry. <strong>4.3 Financial Reporting</strong> Knowledge of the documents associated with measuring a business financial information. <strong>4.4 Technology Applications</strong> Knowledge of basic technology as it specifically relates to the financial services industry. <strong>4.5 Regulations and Codes</strong> Knowledge of relevant regulations and codes that impact the financial services industry. <strong>4.6 Fraud Prevention</strong> Knowledge of the appropriate procedures for identifying, reporting, and preventing fraud. Click here to search for O*NET Occupational Competencies Profiles