Stay ahead of the game

Zoe Lacey-Cooper has four good reasons why your CPD isn’t just a ‘tick-the-box’ activity with live and video on-demand content readily available online to watch, listen and learn at your own convenience.

3. Up-to-date knowledge is key

Video on demand is great, so you can watch in your own time to fit around your busy daily life or even face-to-face events to network among your peers.

CPD is far more than just a tick-thebox exercise. Your CPD should be an invaluable support, helping you provide even greater value and support to your clients. And, most importantly, CPD allows you to develop your key technical skills by learning from the top experts in the industry.

So how can you make your CPD work better for you?

1. It is a vital component of your career development

There has been a massive shift in attitudes when it comes to CPD. Once seen as something of a nuisance, we’ve noticed from chatting with members that they are now placing more value on the content they complete, viewing it as a vital and valuable part of their career development.

2. Don’t lose the will to learn! Identify the way you do it best

The nature of CPD is that it is ‘continuing’, meaning it is not advisable to leave completing your annual requirement until the last weeks in December. If you do, it will become a burden, you will put yourself under immense pressure and you won’t extract the value from the content you complete.

Access to quality CPD has never been easier

Even those with the most advanced qualifications need to keep informed of new trends and products, as well as important regulatory updates that the industry needs to be aware of. These elements are constantly changing, so it’s important to remain in the loop and build on what has been learnt from the study days.

Also, accounting firms with competent and qualified staff is a far more attractive prospect for customers and is more likely to gain and retain business.

4. The content is transferable to your day job

It is hugely important that you can take away some key learnings from the activities you complete and apply it to your job.

Summary

Change your mindset and don’t make CPD a burden. Most importantly, don’t make CPD a box-ticking exercise. You have worked hard for your accounting qualification, so make sure that you are constantly building on your knowledge. Be on top of your game, know all the updates and changes that are coming up and make yourself the best accountant for your clients.

It’s simple – don’t leave it until the end of the year. Make a plan of the subjects and content that you want to complete throughout the year. Decide on the best way that you like to learn. Live online webinars are great for interaction and gaining direct access to experts to ask questions.

Plan ahead. Check out your favourite CPD provider website and look at their schedule for the year ahead. Most will have these published three to six months in advance. If you have a subscription to a CPD provider like CPDStore you can easily enrol onto all the courses that are relevant to you.

Be proud of the knowledge that you are building – it will make you a better accountant for your clients.

About CPDStore

CPDStore offers dedicated UK online CPD for Accountants. We work with the UK top accounting experts to deliver CPD ‘need to know’ core technical, compliance and practice skills online.

As mentioned before, CPD shouldn’t be a tickmaking exercise! CPDStore focus on curating the best content by working with top experts and popular names including Rebecca Benneyworth, Peter Rayney, HMRC, the organised crime department and many more.

We create interesting and interactive sessions where you can enjoy and learn and not forgetting the fact that you get direct access to ask the experts as many questions as you like.

Check out the website at www.cpdstore. co.uk and click on the CPDClub tab at the top for a very special offer of £19.99 a month for ‘allyou-can-eat’ CPD. We run live sessions twice a week and there is access to over 300 videos on demand – all CPD accredited.

• Zoe Lacey-Cooper is MD at CPDStore