What Is CPD?
CPD stands for ‘Continuing Professional Development’.
CPD is a currency of professional education and training and is a simple tool that ensures continual learning for the daily challenges in work and life, and consequently protects the public from incompetence and malpractice.
What do we mean by CPD Currency?
In most cases, a CPD certificate is awarded upon completion of a CPD accredited activity – whether it be;
– a training course
– workshop
– e-learning or online module
– webinars
– seminars
– conferences
The certificate will reflect a certain number of points or hours that are traditionally mandated from a particular professional body or regulator.
Certificates are a way of validating your continual learning to ‘cash in’
on career progression and your employability.
Across the globe, CPD is undertaken in most countries either as part of an individual’s day to day life, or as a focussed professional practice. It describes the long-haul career development process, programmes or activities professionals and organisations engage in to continually evolve.
Why is CPD important?
In 2023, CPD has become an important factor in determining who gets hired in the professional field. Employers do not only focus on academic qualifications nowadays; they also make these decisions based on the level of professionalism applicants exhibit and advancements made in career paths.
Engaging in ongoing improvement provides individuals with the skills necessary to stand out from the crowd. It makes individuals more experienced, dutiful and capable of handling various tasks to their client’s satisfaction and to meet and excel company standards and can make individuals masters of their field. CPD can take different forms – the one you choose depends on your discretion – all aimed at long-term professional development.