Open University
Open University
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Continuing professional development (CPD)
Continuing professional development (CPD) is the learning and development you undertake that contributes to being effective in your profession.
So long as they add value to your work, quite a range of activities can contribute to your CPD. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) they could include
- in-house or external training
- study leading to a qualification, which may be vocational
- conferences, workshops and seminars
- membership of a planning group or committee
- work-based research
- reading professional magazines and journals
- relevant hobbies, leisure activities and voluntary work.
Keep any evidence of your CPD, for example certificates from previous study or training. It's easy to overlook internal training, but make a note of how it changed your ability to do your work as it may prove vital when you apply for future jobs.
CPD not only helps you improve your knowledge, skills and competence in the workplace but also to achieve your career goals and contributes to your lifelong learning.
The CIPD provides useful guidance on organising your CPD, including questions to help reflect on your learning experiences, templates for recording CPD activity and a section on managing CPD while on a career break.