If you’re in HR or L&D, you’re probably the person everyone else comes to when something changes – a new policy, a new law, a new compliance requirement. But when it comes to your own professional development, budget and time are usually the first things to get squeezed.
That’s why we created HR academy+. It’s a free platform for HR and L&D leaders and managers, offering CPD-certified courses and designed to help you with your day-to-day needs.
Simply sign up for instant access to the three courses already live, with new content arriving every quarter.
Built specifically for HR and L&D leaders
As an HR or L&D leader, staying across the latest regulations can be one of the hardest parts of the job. You’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 you a simple way to stay up to date.
You’ll find three CPD-certified courses on the platform right now:
- 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 – and how they could impact you, your business and your staff.
- 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, so you’re not just ticking a box – you’re building a genuine record of current, relevant professional development.
And as new material is added every quarter, you can use HR academy+ as a resource to come back to, whenever you need.
Recommended read: Third-party harassment is now your problem too: what the Employment Rights Act 2025 means for your business
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 your membership, and it’s one of the clearest ways to show you’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. And if you’re the only person managing HR or L&D in your organisation, there’s rarely anyone advocating for your development the way you advocate for everyone else’s.
HR academy+ takes that barrier away. Every course is free and CPD-certified, so you can keep building your own record of 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. You’ll then have instant access to the courses provided on the platform, and we’ll send you 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’s 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 I get a certificate? Yes, each course is CPD-certified and can be added to your professional development record.
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
