Life Academy sees Upsurge in Pre-Retirement Courses

The educational charity Life Academy which provides pre-retirement courses for staff in companies has seen an upsurge in pre-retirement course demand. The charity has seen significantly higher levels of activity throughout 2007, with activity in the second quarter increasing 48% over the same period in the previous year as companies put in place strategies for older workers following the age discrimination legislation and pension scheme changes.

Life Academy Chief Executive, Stuart Royston, said: “It is not only employers who are appreciating the benefits of helping staff to plan for their retirement. When the staff evaluated how interesting and valuable they found the course, 98% rated the interest ‘very good’ or ‘good’ and 94% rated the value to them as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.”

He continued: “We are very pleased that increasing numbers of employers are helping their staff over the transition into a positive retirement. With the need now to manage older employees on a competency and not an age basis as well as the additional pension flexibilities offered by A Day, it is also encouraging that employers are helping their staff five or more years before retirement with our courses to help them plan their later career stages and journey into retirement.”