Air Later Life Academy announces training programme accreditation

21 January 2021

Air Later Life Academy (LLA), the commercial and training organisation for later life advisers, has today (21st January 2021) announced its learning programme has now been fully accredited by The London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF).

The Academy provides later life advisers with structured CPD and training on a variety of core topics, ensuring members have a solid foundation of knowledge to best advise their clients, plus Academy membership also comes with access to enhanced products and commission terms, plus dedicated business support.

Each month the Academy hosts training, support and partner events via its Training Programme as well as advanced courses on content such as equity release, long-term care, estate planning, State benefits, as well as marketing courses and exam preparation.

The LIBF accreditation for the programme is added to that from the Financial Services National College and Air said it shows the strength and quality of the training programme on offer.

With the FCA recently announcing ‘lifetime mortgages’ as a key focus of its supervision work in 2021, Air said it had also aligned a number of modules, events and support to ensure advisers continued to meet all their regulatory requirements.

Members of the Academy are able to complete their training and courses online in their own time, or via live sessions in workshops. If they progress through seven modules they reach Professional Status.

One member firm, Viva Retirement Solutions, recently put its entire adviser workforce through the Academy programme and all have now completed their courses to secure Professional Status.

Up until the end of January, membership of the Academy comes at discounted price of £15 per month – normally £30 – and there will be nothing to pay until March. Membership of the Academy also provides free access to Air Sourcing - the free, one-stop platform for servicing clients’ entire later life requirements – and entitledto, a State benefit calculator.

The Air Later Life Academy is part of Air Group, the collective of companies covering a range of retirement and later life service. Air Group also includes Air Mortgage Club - the distributor for equity release and later life advisers; Air Sourcing; and Air Rewards – the Group’s reward scheme for advisers.

Stuart Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of AIR Group, commented:

“Securing accreditation from the LIBF has been the next stage in showing the quality and robustness of our training programme, and we have worked closely with the Institute in order to meet the high standards it expects. Having achieved those, we can rightfully position the Academy as one of the premier providers of structured CPD and training in the later life advisory space.

“Part of our goal is to get as many advisers through to Professional Status as possible and we have seen member firms like Viva putting their entire advisory staff through the programme in order to do this. What we need to show to consumers is they are in the safest of advisory hands when it comes to all their advice needs and by securing Professional Status, this is one further opportunity to develop consumer confidence in their proposition.

“At the moment we’re able to offer new members a discounted monthly price and outline how they will not just have access to the training programme by joining, but also exclusive products, enhanced terms, excellent levels of support plus access to Air Sourcing and our rewards scheme.

“Finally, one area I am also personally looking to provide more bespoke support to Academy members is via mentoring and one-to-one sessions where required. This is a more of an ad hoc arrangement but we’ve noticed a growing demand from advisory firms to discuss market conditions, business opportunities and the like, and I am pleased to provide this where appropriate. Sometimes just chatting through a situation or issue can provide a new way of looking at it or help clarify the option to be taken. Air Group is here to support all our members as and when they need us.”

For more information on Air Later Life Academy, please visit: www.laterlifeacademy.co.uk

For more information on the LIBF, please visit: www.libf.ac.uk