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CPD describes the Continuing Professional Development. This means ongoing, relevant development in line with your professional needs at whatever level you are working at in your organisation as you have the responsibility to keep your knowledge and skills up to date.

CPD may be planned well in advance, or you can identify a learning need through something you experience. It can cover all sorts of activities. As well as attending courses and doing qualifications, it can be achieved by shadowing someone, reading, research, problem solving etc., all of which can take place as part of your natural working life.

The CPD solution you choose should be based on the development needs you have to meet. As such, it can be useful to identify your needs under the headings of Knowledge, Skills and/or Attitude. Development needs often contain two or three of these.

I recommend that you review your learning before your appraisal and be prepared to set your development objectives with your manager for your future development. Reflecting on the past and planning for the future makes your development more methodical and easier to manage. Your CPD learning should thus be recorded and your progress charted towards achieving your objectives. This will show you and your manager’s commitment to your self-development.

A lot of CPD happens naturally and will not be recorded anywhere unless you do so yourself. Some people use their diaries as they go along, others use a personal record which shows the date, the method, the number of learning hours, details of important learning points and how you will put them into practice. Remember it is the value of the activity that counts and what you have learned.

CPD also helps us develop our practice, the service then improves and we progress faster, which may give us a higher earning potential, and shows how we maintain our professional status.

CPD is an investment that you make in yourself. It can help you keep your skills up to date and prepare you for greater responsibilities. It can boost your confidence, strengthen your professional credibility and help you become more creative in taking on new challenges. It can also assist with your career development and for some, is an essential part of their professional career. It is a necessary requirement.

Here at LT&RC all the trainers and consultants have their own CPD recorded and we ensure that our own staff development needs are met to provide you with up to date expertise and knowledge. Again, the CPD you do is your responsibility and is an investment in your future. SM