Why continuing professional development is important

The term lifelong learning is something more and more of us are embracing. The truth is that traditional learning techniques make up a very small proportion of our overall learning. The vast majority actually comes from experience — as we see from the approach. So now we know where learning takes place, the next task is to find out when. Learning takes place all the time, however significant learning takes place every time we experience change — whether big or small.

The more we push outside of our comfort zones, the wider it becomes. This helps increase our confidence to learn and do more. But we need to be careful. According to the NHS, continuing to learn throughout life can help improve and maintain mental wellbeing.

Learning can boost self-confidence and self-esteem, help build a sense of purpose, and help us connect with others. Some of us have a very clear answer. Therefore, it is even more crucial to take responsibility and provide evidence of upskilling or re-skilling. At Asset Wisdom, we have CPD accreditation on a number of our courses , making them ideal to gain the qualifications needed. To find out which of our learning solutions is right for you and discover more about our courses, click here or give us a call for the advice and support that can aid your essential growth.

What is Continuing Professional Development? Why do CPDs matter? Why are CPDs so valuable in the current climate? In an ever-changing world, engaging in CPD can help you prepare for the jobs of the future , while also showing your commitment to self-development and professionalism. Ensuring that your skills and abilities are enhanced and expanded upon beyond formal education will permit proficiency and efficiency within your skillset. When you start in a specific industry in a new role, 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. So, for instance, by focussing on the skills of the future , you can ensure your career progression is secure. So what are the benefits of CPD? While you may think that your education and the skills you end up learning on the job will supply you with all the relevant skills you require, CPD can really level up your profile.

With employers facing huge losses due to skills gaps, by engaging in professional development, you can quickly and easily build the skill sets required by your organisation. And by continuing your professional development, you continue to learn and develop, keeping your skills and knowledge up to date.

The world of work is constantly changing. Especially in the last 18 months, with the events of , working from home has become the norm, and various pieces of software and technology have had to be embraced to adjust to this unprecedented change. Keeping up to date with trends has never been more important, and by failing to do so, your skills could become outdated.

Owing to your increased knowledge, you can become much more effective in the workplace, which will open doors to career progression. Plus, you can use your increased knowledge to demonstrate your leadership skills by sharing your knowledge with others.

Refreshing your knowledge and understanding of certain skill-specific topics can make you stand out from the crowd, and can also help dust off any skills that you may have let fall down by the wayside. By taking part in CPD, you can stay up to speed with all the different changes involving technology and everything else in your industry. Having a knowledge of these pieces of technology will keep you and your employer a step ahead of the competition. Everyone can end up jaded in their professions — but by engaging in CPD, you can open yourself up to new skill areas and fresh knowledge, encouraging you to stay engaged and interested in your role.

This refreshed interest and intrigue regarding your role will make you more effective and engaged, leading to higher rates of productivity and efficiency. More often than not, the responsibility for engaging in continuing professional development lies with the individual.

This can show that you have initiative and are looking to progress, two things that employers will notice. However, as issues with skills gaps continue, more and more employers are starting to encourage their employees to engage in CPD.

There is a common misunderstanding among many employers that learning at work , and engaging in CPD, will take too much time and effort. In recent years, however, more flexible CPD options have come to the fore, and the combination of online learning, workshops, events, and even exhibitions can provide much-needed professional development as well as networking opportunities. In our ever-increasing globalised society, competition is rife, and the importance of continued professional development cannot be trivialised.

Informal work-related CPD refers to other activities associated with your work which contribute to your development as a professional but are not necessarily designed as CPD. Informal CPD can include:. There are many opportunities to enhance your CPD through activities external to your workplace; for example:. From martial arts to debating and from visual arts to yoga the choices are limited only by your imagination.

These are usually published online. However no professional association or registration board sets upper limits on how much CPD you can do. Also keep in mind that some of your career aspirations may go beyond your technical accreditation — for example if you aspire to move into management — and your CPD planning should be shaped accordingly.

A professional development portfolio is your personal record of CPD activities and the value derived from them. It includes but goes well beyond keeping a record of formal learning activities such as the short courses and conferences you have attended. A comprehensive professional development portfolio should include:. Whist many professional associations provide online facilities for members to track the time they spend on CPD and the activities undertaken those systems are not generally designed to provide the portfolio facilities outlined above.

The benefits of maintaining a detailed portfolio include:. Reflection is about giving careful thought to your experiences at work to help ongoing improvement in your performance. In the context of continuing professional development it includes thinking about your performance at work and the ways in which you can improve.

It also involves thinking critically about the professional development activity you undertake in order to evaluate what you have learned its application in your current work role and its value to your employer. CPD-related reflection includes asking yourself questions about:.