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Scheduling a CPD event to match specific projects which staff are currently working on, such as retaining walls, creates a positive and practical link.
The Humble CPD – Friend Or Foe? The subject of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) can sometimes be viewed as an onerous requirement by both construction professionals and their employers, but Rhodes and Partners Technical Director Peter Graham argues both parties can gain from the process.
There’s no doubt that the CPD process is a prominent consideration for today’s architects and many other construction professionals. It has many positive values, not the least of which is helping people keep their professional skills up to date. Despite this, many people view the CPD process as a burden and only comply with its requirements reluctantly. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. By injecting a little commitment and imagination into the process, employers can transform the CPD process into something which is not only attractive to their staff, but also practical, informative and enjoyable. THE CPD EVENT If the employer takes care to properly structure the CPD opportunities it provides, both junior and senior staff will know that their employer is keen to ensure that they are armed with the skills they need to handle their day-to-day work. While CPD events help to build technical knowledge and confidence among younger staff, in today’s everchanging world there is also much that can be learned by more senior people. They also help ensure that employees at all levels across the company are working to consistent standards. CPD events can prove to be a valuable aid to career progression, and also help employees maintain their professional qualifications. A properly thought-out CPD event should also provoke discussion and debate among the attendees. Providing this sort of open forum in which different approaches and new ideas can be discussed
freely can go a long way towards promoting a sense of engagement and partnership among employees. CREATING BENEFITS It makes sense then that employers should seek out opportunities to maximise the effectiveness of any CPD events they organise. This doesn’t have to be a difficult task, and a few simple steps can go a long way towards this objective. Scheduling the subject matter of CPD events to coincide with specific projects which staff are currently handling can be one way to achieve this. Our own experience has shown that timing a CPD event on planning issues to coincide with a current major redevelopment project we worked on created a natural link between the CPD content and our day-to-day work which people found both interesting and useful. We have also found that this approach often prompts our staff to suggest topics and content for future CPD subjects which are directly relevant to their work. Linking the CPD subject matter to the everyday workload really does help to eliminate any ‘CPD resistance’ which staff may hold if they feel obliged to attend simply to maintain their annual attendance record. EXTRA SUPPORT There’s no doubt that holding CPD events where properly accredited content is delivered by an external specialist is an excellent way to maintain the knowledge and skillsbase of your employees, but there are other ways for the
