NAPF launches comprehensive academy to help pension professionals
18 October 2013, Press Release
In his inaugural speech to the National Association of Pension Fund’s (NAPF) Annual Conference in Manchester today (Friday), Ruston Smith, NAPF Chairman, announced the launch of the NAPF Academy.
The NAPF Academy will launch early next year and offer four distinct faculties:
• Human Resources
• Trustee
• Leadership and Professional Development
• Pension Practitioners’
The new initiative brings together all the NAPF’s existing training activity, including the popular Trustee Learning Zones. The leading voice of workplace pensions in the UK will collaborate with top universities in the UK and internationally and offer courses and training through a variety of training media to complement learning preferences. These will include classroom based sessions, webinars and workshops.
Joanne Segars, NAPF Chief Executive, said:
“The NAPF is delighted to announce the introduction of the NAPF Academy. We have an unrivalled reputation for providing high quality pension training. It is important that we continue to develop innovative training programmes and deliver flexible and diversified learning opportunities for today’s trustees, scheme administrators and pension professionals.”
Frances Corbett, NAPF Educational Development Manager, said:
“The NAPF Academy has been set up to improve professionalism and standards in the pensions industry. The Academy's priorities are to improve learner experience and outcomes, to enhance the reputation of the sector, to develop good practice, and to make the sector an attractive place to join and work.”
The first Academy programme will launch in February 2014 from the HR Faculty and will be the HR Pensions Certificate. It is designed for HR personnel who want to find out more about the principles of UK pensions and automatic enrolment, and to understand investment and its relevance in workplace pension schemes. The professional qualification also aims to help HR staff communicate workplace pensions to employees effectively and negotiate workplace pension provision.
Notes to editors:
1. The NAPF is the leading voice of workplace pensions in the UK. We speak for 1,300 pension schemes with some 16 million members and assets of around £900 billion. NAPF members also include over 400 businesses providing essential services to the pensions sector.
Contacts:
Dee Sullivan, Head of Media and PR, (interim), 020 7601 1717 or 07917 506 683, [email protected]
Aimee Savage Richards, Press Officer (interim), 020 7601 1718 or 07825 171 446, [email protected]