CPD, which stands for continuous professional development, describes the learning activities that a professional undertakes in order to further their career. It is of great benefit to individuals and employers alike, and its important to understand the depths of the benefits of CPD.
Methods of CPD
There are three core methods of CPD, which cover a range of different learning methods. The first type is structured CPD, which is considered active learning and is often proactive. Reflective learning involves no participant-based interaction, and is more passive, and the final type is self-directed CPD, which typically involves all unaccompanied CPD activities.
CPD benefits
There are many benefits of CPD, but the key benefit is to maintain current skills and knowledge.
Maintaining existing knowledge
CPD isn’t only for expanding your knowledge and skills, but also to maintain pre-existing knowledge and skills. This ensures that standards won’t slip, and you won’t get comfortable with your daily tasks. We’re only human, and over time, knowledge can fade. If you haven’t touched on a certain subject for a while, you might find yourself forgetting key information, elements or steps, and this is a great benefit of CPD.
Expanding knowledge and skills
It’s important to build upon your existing knowledge base to provide the best possible service to customers and clients, and also to feel satisfied with your work at the end of the day.
Formal CIPD courses online are a great way to discover how to do this. Whilst CIPD isn’t directly about continuous professional development, it is designed by HR and L&D professionals to help to build your career and enhance your professionalism, particularly if you work in HR or training.
Industry updates, best practices and trends
CPD benefits include that it provides the chance to observe industry updates and best practices, and to learn about new trends in the industry. This isn’t formal learning to skills-building, but it’s important to know what’s going on in your industry.
Professional memberships and registrations are maintained
Some professional bodies actually have a requirement for a particular number of hours to be spent on CPD within a given time frame. This is particularly important, as some employers and professions require these memberships and registrations as standard.
For example, to maintain membership with ACCA, it is a requirement to do 40 units of CPD every year. CIPD has a slightly less rigid structure, but it’s still a requirement of membership to undertake some CPD every year.
Offers time for reflection
One of the benefits of CPD is that it gives you time to reflect on your career as a whole, as well as your skills, knowledge, any gaps, where you can improve, and what you might wish to learn in the future.
Builds confidence and credibility
A benefit of CPD is that your credibility within your profession improves whilst it offers you more confidence in yourself and your abilities.
Promotion of career advancement
CPD promotes activities that encourage or help towards career advancement. Building upon skills, knowledge, and personal qualities shows superiors that you are serious about your career and are ready for advancement.
Benefits of CPD for employers
CPD is beneficial to employers for a wide variety of reasons. Encouraging employees to undertake CPD will create a more effective and engaged workforce. As a result, there might be lower staff turnover, as staff often feel more committed to their profession when they undergo training. A workforce that is encouraged to take on CPD will be full of up-to-date, highly skills employees, helping to meet legal and industry requirements.
Is CPD a recognised qualification?
There are no CPD-specific courses, as each individuals needs will differ depending on their industry and role. It sits outside the qualifications framework. However, as we’ve already mentioned, some industries will have CPD qualification standards. They are usually in reference to in-house CPD training programs, or to courses they require employees to undertake throughout their employment.
If you are invested in CPD and are looking for a qualification, our CIPD level 3 course online encompasses CPD techniques, encouraging aspiring HR professionals to adopt CPD methodology into their skillset.
