Congruent Solutions is a specialist organization. Focused on the retirement plan industry, we provide innovative technology solutions and outsourced plan administration services to record-keepers, Plan Providers, and TPAs. Being a specialist means that

  1. We can understand our customers’ challenges faster
  2. We can design impactful solutions and deliver them quickly
  3. We can relate to our clients better by speaking their language

However, it is easier said than done. Academia doesn’t churn out talent that is tailor-made to suit the specific needs of the industry. We, at Congruent, understood this long ago and put together a holistic training program for our employees. We have exclusive sets of training and certification (both internal and external) programs for our CORE product development and retirement plan administration employees. The common objective between the two is to build Defined Contribution domain expertise amongst our employees. It helps the employees get an in-depth understanding of the industry and the intricacies of 401(k) plan administration, thereby enabling them to deliver more meaningful solutions and services.

The domain expertise training is based on the Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA) credential program from the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA). It provides training in the technical aspects of 401(k) to help with its administration. It is useful for professionals working in the retirement plan industry – be it the record-keeper, Third Party Administrator (TPA) or a consulting group. Certifications are offered from the Retirement Plan Fundamentals level to progressively more detailed and in-depth courses for plan administration, management, planning, Compliance Testing, and other complex processes.

Getting the Employees Ready

Congruent’s commitment to the retirement plan space is demonstrated right from the recruitment stage. It begins with a rigorous recruitment process where candidates take an aptitude test for mathematical and statistical skills. Since the majority of the clients are US-based, good communication capability in English is also mandatory.

The shortlisted candidates are then given training in the domain with several ASPPA-based concepts introduced at this stage. At the end of the week-long training program, they are assessed again, and only suitable candidates absorbed. This training program ensures that every potential candidate has exposure to the Retirement Plan Fundamentals (RFA). So, by the time they are on-boarded as a full-time employee, they are already capable of understanding the basics of plan administration and dive right into the projects under expert guidance.

After working for a year or so and gaining some experience, they are enrolled for ASPPA RFA certification. From here on, as they show promise and gain experience, they pursue higher certifications. The company provides them with the training materials and time to prepare and appear in the examinations.

Benefits of Certification

As the team works on the client’s platform, the certification helps them navigate the systems more efficiently and solve problems better, including offering suggestions for improvement.

On quality metrics, the team has been consistently achieving a high rating and winning the customers’ confidence.

At Congruent, the bedrock philosophy is to be a specialist organization with specialist employees.

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