The importance of CPD for employers and CPD learning types
CPD (Continuous Professional Development) takes an extra step in the learning process , ensuring that the way you’re learning – and what you’re learning – is structured, practical, and relevant. When you start a new role in a specific industry, you will likely have completed your academic qualifications. CPD takes further steps in the learning process and allows you to focus on any specific skills and knowledge – usually over a short time period. CPD benefits the organisation, their employers and employees in many ways.
By engaging in CPD, one ensures that neither one’s academic nor one’s practical qualifications will become obsolete. CPD offers the opportunity for upskilling, regardless of where the step in one’s career, age, or even level of education. Not only does CPD help to enhance the skill set, but it also enables adapting to changes in the work environment too.
In an ever-changing world, engaging in CPD can help one get prepared for the jobs of the future, while also showing commitment to self-development and professionalism. More and more employers are starting to encourage their employees to engage in CPD due to the issue of skills gaps. Besides employees’ development and upskilling, CPD allows employers to keep the standards up and sustain high business performance. Employers’ benefits include faster reaction to changes within the organisation and industry, growth of human resources and organization capacity, elevated productivity, better design of services etc.
When the employer is an education provider, supporting their teaching staff with regards to CPD activities is fundamendal in order to enhance their professional skills and design new innovative education & training programs. So companies’ support is crucial for trainers’ competence development and a strategic CPD plan in this direction will enable the offer of new, innovative and quality training services.
CPD learning types
There are three main types, or steps, of CPD that one can engage in. CPD enables you to be proactive and take steps to equip yourself with the relevant knowledge that your industry requires. With structured CPD, however, it is in the hands of your company to encourage CPD. Let’s have look:
Structured/Active CPD
This type of CPD learning involves interactive study, along with participation. CPD in this format could involve attending training courses, conferences, workshops and seminars, or even taking part in an online course to help you focus on the essential skills for your career development.
Reflective/Passive CPD
CPD learning in this format doesn’t require any sort of participation and is a much more one-directional method of learning. This could involve reading relevant CPD articles, engaging in podcasts, and keeping up to date with industry news.
Unstructured/self-directed CPD
Unstructured or self-directed CPD includes all activities that you would do on your own. These include reading articles and publications, keeping up to date with industry journals and magazines, and monitoring work by leading experts in your field.