The importance of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Continuing professional development might be a pain, but we all need to do it. Adding to our growing pile of knowledge and skills, keeping our hand in the qualifications that we may have done years ago.
You may not even think you are doing it, but you are. Every time you watch a webinar, or research a subject deeper you are adding to your already vast information base and creating new resources in your brain that may be useful to complete that project or report.
Would you buy a car that had been last serviced when brand new? Really? Would you? Think about it, if you didn’t service your new car every year, but instead waited 3 years and did it then, what difference would it make to the car? The manufacturers’ warranty would be void and the car may have issues that have not been spotted and turn into very expensive repair jobs.
CPD comes in all shapes and sizes it is not just the well-known point system of attainment, but other external means too. This could be a one day workshop (similar to the one we offer – free advertising here) or an external club such as public speaking where you are developing your skill in an area or more formally in an educational format of a school, college, or university.
After all, standards are changing all the time and new techniques are being invented and used, think about BIM, it was unheard of 10 years ago, now becoming a massive part of construction. The same with management qualifications, you did the profession and then worked up to management, now professional management is a degree course in its own right. Creating excellence in your field and even being an influencer has its merits, you get to pave the way for others and become the founding voice, creating your path.
Upskilling, cross-skilling, and multi-skilling, which are you doing? Come on, we know you are doing one of them…. If you think about it, you are probably doing a bit of all of them, just never thought about it, I know I am. Where does it end? The exciting or daunting answer depends on your viewpoint…
It’s never, we must keep moving onwards and learning new things, opening our minds to possibilities if for no other reason than to keep up with the market, our peers and our competitors.