Continuing Professional Development

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CPD is the means by which members of professional associations maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge and skills and develop the personal qualities required in their professional lives.

CPD is defined as the holistic commitment to structured skills enhancement and personal or professional competence ^[1]

1 CILT (UK)
2 IAM
3 CMI
4 CIPD
5 References
6 See also

[edit] CILT (UK)

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport defines Continuing Professional Development (CPD) as: The systematic maintenance and improvement of knowledge, skills and competence throughout a professional's working life. It is about maintaining and improving standards of competence and professionalism. The onus is on the learner to take responsibility for developing and directing their own career.^[2]

[edit] IAM

The Institute of Administrative Management requires candidates to complete the following:^[3]

Self-SWOT Analysis (see SWOT analysis)

This is intended to help the individual carry out some initial thinking about your strengths and weaknesses. In addition, you will need to think about possible directions for your career development and to highlight potential threats.

Personal & Professional Development

Development of your PPDP is based upon the individuals SWOT Analysis. Its purpose is to assist them to formulate a set of development activities covering a period of twelve months. Long-term career plans should cover development activities for the next twelve months in the light of their intentions over the next three years.

Implementation

Implementing of the indivduals plan does not imply that they cannot or should not change it once implementation is underway. Situations and circumstances can and do change.

Learning Diary

It is vital that the individual records their efforts and assess the benefits of their planned activities. The activities that they undertake may not always generate the results that were intended. Time spent reflecting on how they have tackled each activity and in assessing the outcomes will enable the individual to adjust their PPDP for the following year. Moreover, by recording their activities they will be building a complete record of their professional/personal development that can form the basis for long-term career progression.

Annual Review/Summary

At the end of the twelve month period, having reviewed the individuals activities they are required to complete the Summary Sheet. The process is repeated for the second and subsequent years by reviewing and updating your SWOT Analysis and then drawing up a new PPDP.

Registration for CPD shows the individuals own commitment to learning and allows them to consider best practice within the workplace.

[edit] CMI

The Chartered Management Institute uses CPD as part of it assessment of members who wish to upgrade to Chartered Manager status.

The CPD process asks:^[4]

What do you to achieve?
Where do you want to go?:
- in the short term
- in the longer term
What is required?:
- Knowledge
- Skills

The P in CPD could also stand for 'Personal' or 'Performance'. This very much depends on the interpretation and how it is applied. CPD is about planned self-development which covers personal and professional aims and may improve performance.

A CPD profile may include the following:

Goals
Skills
SWOT analysis
Diagnostics
Development Needs
Learning Objectives
Activities which may include:
- Reviews and reflection
- Evidence/Portfolio of learning
- CPD learning log/Notebook
- Future Intentions

[edit] CIPD

According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)^[5], CPD should:

be continuous - professionals should always be looking for ways to improve performance
be the responsibility of the individual learner to own and manage
be driven by the learning needs and development of the individual
Evaluative rather than descriptive of what has taken place
be an essential component of professional and personal life, never an optional extra