Continuing Professional Development : Is it essential for career progression?

Dr Ann Hartley, Associate Director Human Resources

What is CPD?

Continuing professional development (CPD) is the means by which people maintain their knowledge and skills related to their professional lives. (Wikipedia)CPD is the way professionals continue to learn and develop throughout their careers so they keep their skills and knowledge up to date and are able to work safely, legally and effectively. (HPC)CPD is a combination of approaches, ideas and techniques that will help you manage your own learning and growth (CIPD)

CIPD – stated benefits of CPD

Build confidence and credibility, you can see your progression by tracking your learning. Earn more by showcasing your achievements. A handy tool for appraisals. Achieve your career goals by focussing on your training and development. Cope positively with change by constantly updating your skill set. Be more productive and efficient by reflecting on your learning and highlighting gaps in your knowledge and experience.

CPD – what does it look like? Known outcome Unknown outcome

Planned(12

months)

QualificationsWorkshops

CoursesTasks

Projects Planned(12

months)

Ad-hoc

WorkshopsCourses

Reading (purposeful)

On-the-jobConferences

Reading (general)

Ad-hoc

Known outcome Unknown outcome

Definition of personal development planning

‘a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development'.

(Higher Education Academy)

PDP – key questions

What do I want/need to learn?What should I do to achieve this?What resources or support will I need?What will my success criteria be?What are my milestones and key completion dates?How will I apply and practice what I learn?

CPD – unknown learning outcomes

Ad hoc, short-term, not in ‘the master plan’Or, activity known about well in advance, but uncertain of learning outcomes May be opportunisticMay be tangential, speculativeMay be on–the-job or off-the-jobReflection is crucial because the learning can be ‘lost’

Activity

Why did I choose to come to this conference?What did I hope to learn?What did I learn?What am I going to do next?How am I going to apply my learning to my practice?

How to make your CPD choices

SWOTPESTLESkills analyses Appraisal discussionsNeeds for explicit career developmentNeeds for anticipated career developmentProfessional interestsPersonal interests

Employability

“Employability .......... being equipped with a defined range of skills, strengths and competencies and having the ability to demonstrate them to employers; enabling successful movement within the labour market and the ultimate goal of fulfilling employment”

“Employability is not just about vocational and academic skills”  

Employability competencies

Achievement orientationCreativity and innovationDecision makingInfluence and persuasivenessMotivation and initiativePersonal developmentProblem solving and analysisTeamwork and interpersonal

Commercial awarenessCustomer focusFlexibilityLeadershipOral communicationPlanning and organisationResilienceWritten communication

Your Continuing Professional Development record

Easy to keep track of your planned activitiesBut need to add in more than those things on your PDPAll activities (ad-hoc, unknown outcomes, on-the-job)Evidence-basedOrganised around competencies? Keeping a portfolioInclude reflections on your learning

What is a CPD portfolio?

Record of continuing professional developmentIt is a systematic way of recording your learning experiences and activities Something which demonstrates reflection on your developmentIt includes reference to on-the-job learning and developmentProvides concrete evidence of your developmentShould show not just what you did, but why you did it, what you have learned and how you have applied this to your practice

E-portfolio

The AUA CPD portfolio

Pebblepad

Conclusion

CPD: essential for career progression?The answer is, unequivocally, yesBUT I. You need to have made the ‘right’ CPD choices for the new

role/job. In changing times this can be tricky. II. You need to understand the full breadth of what CPD

encompasses. III. Your CPD record must not be just lists of activities or courses.

CPD records must include reflections on your learning and how you have applied learning in practice.

IV. Career progression requires you to develop attitudes and behaviours that employers are looking for. These are often less tangible, so think hard as to how you ‘capture’ these so you can demonstrate them to others.