Introducing HR academy+: the free training platform for HR and L&D leaders
Lucy Scott29th August 2026
academy+ is pleased to announce the launch of HR academy+, a free platform for HR and L&D leaders and managers as part of Staff Skills academy+. It offers CPD-certified courses designed to help users with their day-to-day needs – continuing the company’s commitment to making learning and development more accessible to those who need it most.
Built specifically for HR and L&D leaders
For HR and L&D leaders, staying across the latest regulations can be one of the hardest parts of the job. They’re expected to know the answers to health and safety, data protection, discrimination law and more, often without dedicated time to actually learn about it. HR academy+ gives them a simple way to stay up to date.
There are currently three CPD-certified courses on the platform:
- Preparing for the Employment Rights Act. Created specifically for HR and L&D leaders to provide a comprehensive overview of the employment law updates as they come into force throughout 2026 and 2027.
- Sexual Harassment Prevention. The Worker Protection Act, which came into force in October 2024, introduced a new legal duty for employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. This course was created to help HR and L&D leaders understand the requirements and support effective prevention in the workplace.
- Preventing Workplace Discrimination. Updated in 2026 to help HR and L&D leaders build fairer workplaces and reduce the risk of claims landing on their desks.
Each course is aligned with UK legislation and recognised standards, allowing users to build genuine record of current, relevant professional development.
New resources will be added every quarter.
Why CPD matters for HR and L&D leaders
Continuing professional development isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s often expected by professional bodies as part of maintaining a membership, and it’s one of the clearest ways for HR and L&D leaders to show they’re keeping pace with a role that never stops moving. But CPD budgets are usually the first thing to disappear when a business is watching costs.
HR academy+ takes this barrier away. Every course is free and CPD-certified, so learners can keep building a record of professional development without waiting for budget approval.
Ian McClelland, CEO of academy+, says: “HR and L&D professionals spend every day supporting everyone else’s development – we wanted to build something that supports theirs too. HR academy+ gives them free, CPD-certified training they can rely on, with something new added every quarter, so staying current doesn’t have to compete with an already stretched budget.”
How to sign up for HR academy+
Signing up is free and takes less than a minute. Users will then have instant access to the courses provided on the platform, and be sent an email whenever a new resource gets added.
FAQs
What is HR academy+? A free platform from Staff Skills academy+ offering CPD-certified courses built specifically for HR and L&D professionals, with new resources added every quarter.
Who is it for? HR and L&D professionals across all UK organisations, from SMEs to public sector and enterprise.
Is it free? Yes – no subscription, no obligation, no catch.
Do users get certificates? CPD-certified courses are issued with certificates upon completion, which can be added to learners’ professional development records.
About academy+
academy+ provides compliance training alongside development and wellbeing resources to UK SMEs, public sector and enterprise organisations through Staff Skills academy+, and to individual learners through New Skills academy+.
Further enquiries
Please contact:
Paul Joyce, Chief Commercial Officer
Academy Plus Group Limited t/a academy+
paul@academypl.us