Sampling success
With this year’s CPD sampling period now wrapped up, we hear from IGEM’s Professional Development Officer Kelly Smith on the findings from the exercise and how you can keep your records up to date.
As we say goodbye to the summer months and prepare for the seasonal changes, now would be a great time to reflect upon the year so far; how have you developed, both personally and professionally? Are your CPD records up to date and your future development activities well planned, perhaps even looking towards the new year for these opportunities?
It is also a useful time for reflection on this year’s CPD sampling. IGEM’s Professional Code of Conduct requires all members to complete and record CPD.
In addition to this, professionally registered members are required to complete and record CPD as detailed in the CPD Code for Registrants, within UK SPEC.
To support this, every year IGEM will randomly select a number of professionally registered members (Chartered Engineers, Incorporated Engineers and Engineering Technicians), and ask them to present their CPD records for review.
This year we were hopeful to review around fifty CPD records, after receiving 36 records from our members last year; this previously being the highest number reviewed.
With fantastic communication and support from our members we are pleased to feedback that we received sixty CPD records this year; helping us to achieve the 2 per cent sample and gain further insight into the development that is important to our members, and the industry.
This has given us an extremely useful, representative sample of our professionally registered members and we are extremely appreciative of the support that our members continue to provide us with each year.
We had the pleasure of reviewing lots of well detailed CPD records this year and have noticed that reflection on the benefits gained from a CPD activity, is being included more within records, but there is still room for improvement.
Including the benefits gained from a CPD activity within your CPD records, can really support you to understand how you might use certain skills professionally and personally, and to create future development goals.
We also found that there were also lots of opportunities to include a professional development plan to underpin CPD records and support personal goals.
When you reflect upon development activities and provide a professional development plan within your records, this enables the CPD reviewers to provide more detailed and specific feedback, including how you might achieve some of your goals and potential development opportunities.
Communication from our members, enquiries into the sampling process and the support that we can provide, was excellent this year. For next year’s sampling we would really like to see more CPD plans included within records, a variety of CPD activities being completed and the benefits gained being linked to job role, development goals; both personal and professional, and supporting others.
Final thoughts
We would like to thank our members for supporting with this year’s sampling and hope you have found the review useful. Please get in touch if you would like to provide feedback on the sampling process.
Please remember that IGEM’s annual CPD sampling is a supportive exercise and a great opportunity to gain feedback on your CPD records; potentially receiving advice on future development opportunities too.
When updating your CPD records remember to record, reflect and review: make a record of the activity, reflect upon what you have learned and your experience, and review your development goals.
IGEM are keen to review CPD records throughout the year from any of our members, and should you wish to seek feedback and professional development support, please get in touch.