Build Real Financial Technology Skills

Most people think they need years of formal education to understand financial systems. We've found that's not exactly true. Our twelve-month program starts in September 2025 and walks you through actual fintech tools and methods used by working professionals. You'll spend time with accounting automation, payment processing frameworks, and data analysis platforms that banks actually use.

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Students working with financial technology platforms during practical training session

Six Core Modules That Actually Matter

We've structured the program around what employers keep asking for. No fluff modules about "digital transformation" or abstract theory. Just practical skills you can demonstrate in an interview.

01

Payment Systems Architecture

You'll work with REST APIs, webhook handlers, and transaction reconciliation scripts. We start with Stripe's testing environment and move to building custom payment flows that handle edge cases.

02

Financial Data Analysis

Python libraries like pandas and matplotlib become your tools for pattern recognition in transaction data. We use anonymized datasets from actual Australian businesses to teach cleaning, visualization, and reporting.

03

Compliance Automation

AML screening, KYC verification, and audit trail generation aren't glamorous, but they're necessary. You'll configure systems that flag suspicious patterns and document compliance processes automatically.

04

Banking Integration Protocols

Learn how Open Banking APIs work in practice. You'll connect to test environments from major Australian banks, handle OAuth flows, and parse account data into usable formats.

05

Security Implementation

Encryption, tokenization, and secure storage aren't optional in finance. We cover PCI DSS requirements and teach you to spot common vulnerabilities in payment handling code.

06

Process Documentation

Technical writing matters more than people admit. You'll create API documentation, system diagrams, and user guides that non-technical stakeholders can actually understand and use.

What You'll Actually Do Each Month

We've broken down the twelve months into specific projects. Click any month to see the detailed breakdown of tools, assignments, and expected outcomes.

  • Install Python development environment and configure version control with Git
  • Complete introductory exercises in data structures and basic financial calculations
  • Set up Stripe test account and process your first sandbox transaction
  • Read Australian Payment Systems documentation and map out how card networks function
  • Submit a written explanation of how a typical online purchase moves through payment infrastructure

  • Build a Flask application that accepts webhook notifications from payment processors
  • Handle idempotency keys and implement retry logic for failed transactions
  • Write unit tests for payment flow edge cases like network timeouts and declined cards
  • Create logging systems that track transaction lifecycle without exposing sensitive data
  • Present your working demo to the cohort and explain architectural decisions

  • Import transaction datasets and clean messy real-world financial records
  • Calculate daily reconciliation reports and identify discrepancies programmatically
  • Build visualization dashboards showing revenue trends and payment method distribution
  • Write SQL queries against PostgreSQL databases to aggregate financial metrics
  • Create automated reports that generate PDF summaries from live data connections

  • Configure AML screening tools and test against AUSTRAC watchlists
  • Implement KYC verification flows using document scanning APIs
  • Build audit logging systems that track every data access and modification
  • Study GDPR and Australian Privacy Principles and apply them to data handling code
  • Complete certification exam covering financial regulations and compliance frameworks

  • Design a complete fintech solution addressing a specific business problem
  • Connect multiple APIs including payments, banking data, and verification services
  • Implement security measures and document compliance with relevant regulations
  • Create technical documentation and user guides for your solution
  • Present final project to industry reviewers and receive structured feedback

Who's Teaching This Program

Both instructors come from hands-on roles at financial institutions. They're not career educators, which means you'll hear about actual problems they've solved and mistakes they've made along the way.

Instructor Callum Stonebridge reviewing payment system code with program participants

Callum Stonebridge

Payment Systems Specialist

Spent eight years building payment infrastructure for Australian neobanks. He's dealt with everything from card network certification to building fraud detection systems that process millions in daily volume. Callum handles the technical integration modules and has a particular interest in teaching proper error handling.

API Architecture Payment Processing System Integration
Instructor Henrik Torvaldsen explaining compliance requirements during training workshop

Henrik Torvaldsen

Compliance Technology Lead

Previously worked in regulatory technology for wealth management firms. He's implemented AML systems, built audit reporting tools, and actually reads financial regulations for context. Henrik teaches the compliance modules and helps students understand why certain technical requirements exist in the first place.

Financial Regulations AML Systems Risk Management