1. What made you want to take the course?
After I left the military, I retained my security clearances, which allowed me to continue working in the intelligence arena. I have worked for a variety of defense contractors. Currently, on a part time basis, I am working with a defense contractor in the Washington DC area. For the past 3 years, I have been introduced to the field of financial intelligence . When I was first introduced to that field, I had no background or knowledge in this area. So, I was looking desperately for some type of coursework to complement the training I received. Your course was a godsend! Jason, your course allowed me to get a much clearer background in many areas which frankly, there are no formal courses in the financial intelligence field taught in colleges. Your course allowed me to get a much better background, which can be applied to "real world" applications. For any one out there who is contemplating a career in anti money laundering and financial crimes detection, there is really no better course out there than the AML Bootcamp which can get students up to speed on what they need for landing and maintaining a job in the ANTI MONEY LAUNDERING field. This is the reason I signed up for your course Jason and believe me, I looked, I could not find anything out there which teaches the basics, your course was the only one I found, and I thank you for it! I had no background in this field...it is your course which gave me the background, and I thank you for it!
2. What's been your impression of the course and would you recommend it?
My impression of the level of the content taught has been excellent. The best way to measure the level of the content in any job preparing course, is to see the real world applications that can be used from the coursework. Jason, what you have created in AML Bootcamp does just that: it provides students a step by step process from the beginning. I was impressed at how AML Bootcamp is designed for students who do not have ANY anti money laundering/financial crimes background, such as myself. Your coursework beginning with the basics of an AML program, Financial crimes investigations, wire transaction alerts, boolean searching, and of course the KYC tools....all of these are priceless, because there really is no other way to learn these topics! and, there are no college majors specifically designed in the field of AML.. Of course, as the level and sophistication of financial criminal activity changes, so too will the level of anti crime compliance, such as the case with any field.
3. What you would tell to another attorney (if you are one) on the fence about buying the course?
Future students who are interested in the AML Bootcamp have to realize that this is the only way to learn these vital topics . Unfortunately, there is a "Catch 22" situation in many job searches: 1) People will not be hired for an AML position, because the don't have experience and 2) In order to get the right experience, you need a job! Its for this reason, many potential job seekers get stuck. AML Bootcamp helps the potential job seekers to BREAK FREE from that vicious cycle by providing not only the right coursework, but also a snapshot of the work completed to show a hiring manager, which will allow them to hit the ground running from day one! I would tell anyone interested in the AML Bootcamp to go for it! There is nothing like it out there, and also, (because since the course designer Jason Gardner himself is working in the AML field), students will get a very hands on approach to solving potential problems they may face in a real world job setting. The course is tailored to meet those demands which will be faced in practical, on the job training. It makes a lot of difference taking a course from someone who is working in that field. AML Bootcamp will give that edge to students, because the course work is designed to deal with on the job issues.
4. If you've landed a job as a result of the course, where are you working?
I am currently employed full time in the private sector as a financial advisor, but working part time in a financial crimes/intelligence environment with the government. Eventually, within the next year, I am planning on working full time in the AML field with a bank or a financial institution. By that time, I would like to devote full time in the AML /financial crimes field in the private sector. I am certain, that by then, the courses and information which I have been exposed to in the AML Bootcamp will give me a much higher level of confidence and training in order to land a full time position in the AML field. Like I mentioned earlier, there is nothing like it for anyone interested in learning about anti money laundering and financial crimes, CAMS preparation, and working on a functional resume to land that first job. When the time comes for me to make that leap to a full time AML position, I will do so with the knowledge and confidence that I was able to because of the skills I learned from the AML Bootcamp course created by Jason Gardner.
