Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is an intrinsic element of professionalism. CPD is, in its most basic form, the undertaking of developmental learning activities relating to skills, knowledge and experience which are gained both formally and informally, in a range of settings. CPD provides the practitioner with the capacity to retain and operate effectively and legally (depending upon profession) within their evolving scope of professional practice.
It is an important aspect of professionalism as it ensures occupational competency and keeps skills and knowledge up-to-date, which improves accuracy and operational efficiency. According to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI):
‘Effective Continuing Professional Development is a commitment to professionalism, it shows that you have taken personal responsibility for ensuring that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the challenges of an ever changing world.’
Concerns
Many professionals are concerned with the time CPD activities take, and the impact upon their work. However, it is more than the attendance of an event or reading a document, it is critical reflection upon practice relating to experience that drives the development of the individual, and this is the corner stone of the reflective practitioner. It gives credibility and ensures individuals meet regulatory and statutory requirements.
What are the benefits?
More and more employers are now viewing ‘learning agility’ as a core competency. By this, we mean, the ability of an individual to self-own and self-manage their learning, as they are ultimately responsible for their development before entering and leaving an organisation.
On this basis, the benefits of CPD include:
- Developing professional capability and enhancing reputation
- Enhancing performance
- Gaining competitive advantage
- Improved morale and motivation
- Keeping pace with changing technologies, developments and advancements
- Promotion of reflective practice
- Recognition of professional skills
- Possible career progression
What counts as CPD?
In simplistic terms, an activity that increases your knowledge and skills in a way that makes you a more effective professional is considered to be a valid CPD activity.
When undertaking activities there should be a learning outcome (an output), that is independent of the activity itself (the input). Again, it is not just about attending formal training courses. The process of informal learning, gained through experience in the workplace, can also be extremely important, as can self-directed learning.
There are multitudes of valid ways to undertake CPD activities including:
- Attending events:
- Conferences
- Seminars/webinars
- Exhibitions
- Networking events
- Structured learning:
- Embarking upon, working towards and completing a qualification
- Training courses, including in-company programmes
- Tests
- Informal or self-directed learning:
- Reading journals, books, research papers etc…
- Viewing multimedia resources e.g. videos, e-learning etc…
- Coaching and mentoring
- Experiential or “on-the-job” learning
Development is an ongoing process, individuals should not seek to hang up their mortarboards once they have achieved a qualification, or settle into an office once they have attended a conference. Individuals should actively seek out opportunities to develop themselves, thus keeping them competent, current and engaged.