How do I carry out CPD?
There are many ways that you can do CPD, and the method(s) that you choose will be influenced by your goals, motivation, preferences and circumstances.
We all do CPD every day – learning and developing skills just through the work and other activities that we undertake. Reading technical journals, taking on new tasks, practicing and getting better at the tasks we regularly undertake, and picking up information from networking with colleagues, are all forms of CPD.
For many people this is enough, and will often be sufficient to maintain the level of skill and knowledge necessary to fulfil their current role or to move into similar roles if they wish. However, if you are at a stage in your career when you need to learn new skills or do a lot of learning, whether to understand a new sector, to cope with dramatic change, or for a different role, then you might need to take a more structured approach to ensure you develop all the competence you need as quickly as possible.
A structured approach means that you identify the specific skills or knowledge that you need and formulate a plan to achieve them. You will also need to regularly review your progress to assess whether you have achieved your goals, and maybe to plan some further development. This process is called the Development Cycle.
If you work in an organisation that conducts appraisals or has a formal training scheme then some of this will be done for you; but you may still like to keep personal plans and records to meet your own needs.
Deciding on an Approach
What CPD you do and how you tackle it will vary throughout your career, and will need to remain flexible to take advantage of changing circumstances. However, giving some thought to your own approach will help you decide on the best route for you, and help cement your commitment. Some questions that might help you decide what approach to take are:
- What do I want to achieve?
- What skills or knowledge do I need to develop?
- How do I learn best?
- Who is available to help me?
- What does my employer expect from me?
- Do I need to demonstrate my competence?
- How much time do I have to commit?
The IET offers lots of support and guidance on undertaking CPD. So, once you've thought about the questions above you might like to look at the links around this page for further advice and ideas. For example:
- For more detailed information on planning and undertaking CPD see the PD-How2 guide.
- Career Manager is an online tool that will guide you through the process and help you store your records in one easily accessible place.
- Find out what benefit having a mentor can bring.
- Competencies can be a helpful tool for identifying the skills you need.
Alternatively, if you've read enough or you're in a hurry to get going, why not try the PD-How2 Quick Start Guide for a simple step-by-step approach that will get you started straight away.
