The importance of Continuing Professional Development

There are plenty of opportunities for Continuing Professional Development, but it’s important to first understand why it matters and why it exists in our industry

Why is Continued Professional Development (CPD) important and why does it exist?

It’s important to not fall behind in your knowledge and skills – not only does it show your current and potential employers that you are a keen and dedicated individual who wants to progress and better themselves at every opportunity, it also ensures you stay up-to-date with current industry trends and best practices.

As the world’s industries are forever evolving – including HVAC&R – exciting and new opportunities are always being created, but this also naturally comes with challenges. CPD allows you to regularly apply focus and attention to important areas of your own development – providing a framework to take appropriate action to reduce any shortfalls in knowledge.

By investing in your continued education, the currency of your knowledge and skills won’t become outdated.

“As more people become professionally qualified with similar qualifications, CPD becomes more important as a means of separating yourself from the pack. For example, it can give you the opportunity to differentiate yourself at moments where this may be required, such as job interviews or proposals for new work,” says Gina McMaster, CEO of IRHACE and HVAC&R industry associations.

Continued professional development exists to ensure that an individual enhances their skills and abilities once they have formally qualified. Typically, academic qualifications may have already been completed at this stage and an individual is now working within their specific industry and job function.

CPD is important as it helps to ensure that further learning is progressed in a structured, practical, and relevant way to guarantee that there are applied efficiencies to the learning. For the individual, it means they can focus on the specific skills and knowledge that they require over a short-term period, in order to be confident there is recognisable improvement within their proficiency and skill sets.

Making the most of your CPD

It is important to manage your professional development with ease and efficiency.

“For the HVAC&R industry, we have our CPD programme which provides a wide range of CPD-earning activities to ensure that you can choose the best mix of activities to meet your personal development goals. These include webinars, online courses, face-to-face courses, technical tours and events,” says Gina.

“Being an IRHACE member gives you access to the programme. Your progress through the various activities is tracked and there is an overall leaderboard showing which members are the most active. Every time you complete a CPD activity, you are provided with a CPD certificate and we can assist you with a full report of your activities.”

There is an increased need for CPD points as compliance grows across the HVAC&R industry, such as IQP, PSA and upcoming licensing. Joining IRHACE gives you access to the CPD programme as part of your membership, allowing you to:

• Maintain pace with other candidates in your field.

• Remain up-to-date with changing trends.

• Stay interested in what you do.

• Be part of boosting workforce motivation and loyalty.

• Develop your skills while you continue to work.

CPD for employers

While it is up to the individual to complete CPD – which often comes within the context of their membership and involvement with industry professional bodies or institutes – more and more employers are taking a proactive role in supporting their employees with CPD as they see the benefits of a more motivated, highly-skilled and committed workforce.

There is a common misunderstanding with some employers that CPD takes significant time which may result in periods of ‘out of the business’. However, the availability of more flexible CPD suited for the HVAC&R industry, available from IRHACE, can provide CPD learning seminars alongside new business revenue and networking opportunities.