CPD – what is it and where does it come from?

Continuing Professional Development is the means by which people maintain their knowledge and skills related to their professional lives both currently and in the future. CPD comprises updating particular areas of competence, developing personal and managerial skills and broadening experience and expertise.

Many kinds of activities may enhance skills and knowledge whilst others will trigger the desire to change/improve/develop working practices and procedures – or even try something completely different!  

If you are able to describe how you, and the users of the service you provide, have benefited from a particular activity, then it’s likely to be CPD.

Activities that are carried out as part of your normal working life will not, however, count as CPD.

Examples of potential CPD activities:

• Learning by doing new work, outside your normal work activities
• Updating your scientific / technical / supervisory skills by study, secondment, job shadowing, etc.
• Researching / testing new resources for your own work or for others
• Researching / trialing new techniques / methods for your own work or for others
• Technical discussions with colleagues within the team and outside
• Reading / writing / reviewing technical literature and case studies
• Contributing to the work of the IST (or other professional organisations)
• Membership of / contributing to a special-interest group in the workplace
• Reading / evaluating / discussing articles in technical and management journals
• Attending / contributing to conferences and technical meetings
• Planning / running a training course for colleagues, other staff or external delegates
• Updating knowledge through the internet and other sources
• Writing a report on new / updated equipment or technique
• Contributing to / leading a team of volunteers / community project
• Improving coaching / mentoring / counselling skills by study, practice, etc.
• Volunteering to assist in national STEAM projects
• Contributing to / creating making presentations for delivery to clients, regulators, managers, etc.

These are only a few examples – there are likely to be many more opportunities that you haven’t thought of as CPD before.  It is important to keep records of your activities, including your thoughts and any outcomes.

Philippa Nobbs, IST Education Officer

Reposted from the IST e-newsletter for Winter 2017