Hymans Robertson is launching the LGPS’s first interactive online learning academy, enabling LGPS Committees and Pension Boards to undertake all their general training needs. The new platform provides access to all the learning modules Committee and Boards are expected to undertake in one centralised hub for the first time. It is also suitable for some Fund officer training. The online learning academy will be easily accessible, cost effective and available on demand to enable LGPS Committee and Boards to meet their knowledge and training requirements at a time and location convenient to them.

The leading pensions and financial services’ online learning academy will be launching in May, and will also provide tracking of training records giving Fund Officers valuable information for inclusion in their Fund’s annual accounts.

Commenting on the importance of an online platform for the post-pandemic world, Andrew McKerns, Governance and Administration Consultant, says:

“The LGPS has made strong moves to adapt to the online world over the past year and we believe Committee and Board members are ready to make use of an online training academy in a way they have never seen before. Using lessons learnt from working remotely throughout the pandemic, we believe we have created the first training platform of its kind for LGPS Funds. An online platform is a succinct and cost-effective way for funds to provide broad, high level training in all areas of required knowledge and giving committee and board members the flexibility to work at their own speed and in a time and location that works for them.

“We know from experience, that there can be changes during and (especially) after Committee and Board cycles. In the past it has been logistically, not to mention administratively, difficult to organise training presentations and sessions with conflicting diaries. The online platform allows new Committee and Board members to gain this without needing to go through an entire election cycle. This flexibility will ensure that all new Committee and Board members can be trained to meet requirements faster, ensuring they are able to hit the ground running.

“The first ever LGPS National Knowledge Assessment, completed in 2020, highlighted the need for an assessment of the level of knowledge of pension committees and boards. The findings emphasised the work required to match the requirements laid out by CIPFA and the Pensions Regulator and we believe our LGPS online learning academy will be a huge step towards meeting these needs.”

Access to the demo online platform can be found here.