CPD Guide

What is CPD?

CPD is the process of developing and maintaining competence; a set of recognised skills needed to reliably perform the occupation of your choice. It’s how you keep up-to-date with current practice; it drives you to improve your skills and progress into new roles and keeps you employable throughout your working life.

Structuring your CPD will help you achieve your career goals faster as it is likely to target your development needs more effectively. However, it is also important to take advantage of ad hoc CPD opportunities that come along too, as these can also be valuable.

See our CPD policy for information about how much CPD you should do, and what activities count as CPD.

Professional development cycle

An easy-to-follow approach for managing your CPD:

Each section, below, includes easy-to-follow steps as well as IET products and services to support you at each stage of the cycle.

Planning your CPD

Creating a plan involves defining your goals and then setting objectives and actions to ensure you achieve them.

Doing your CPD

Tips for successfully undertaking the development activities you have planned.

Recording your CPD

Record your CPD activities and reflect on what you have learned and how you can apply your learning.

Reviewing your CPD

Review your learning against your plan. Any outstanding development or new goals can be carried over into the planning stage for your next cycle.

PD How2

A joint website from the IET, IMechE, RAeS, IoP and IMarEST, providing further information about planning and undertaking professional development.