What's the point of a CPD record?

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 05/01/2011 - 16:39

I should clarify that I'm not in any way against learning and development as that is crucial throughout your career, but what is the point of logging things in a CPD record? Are these things ever used other than for your own purposes?

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Submitted by Kevin Saunders CMgr MCMI on Thu, 06/01/2011 - 13:22 Profile image

Hi Wayne,

There are a number of different ways in which we know that members make use of their CPD records including:

As a personal learning log
As evidence to present during appraisals
As evidence to show a potential employer at interview
To support the personal development units of some CMI qualifications
As part of the Chartered Manager application and revalidation process
As evidence to support the formal CPD requirements of other professional bodies

Outside of the Chartered Manager process, CMI has no formal requirement for members to keep a CPD record – our approach is to provide practical resources and services that can effectively support personal development and learning, for example ManagementDirect, the CMI Library and our events.

Our online CPD system automatically records members’ use of CMI resources and services, giving the option to add these to your record quickly. The intention here is to take some of the pain out of the recording of activities to enable you to focus on the most important aspect of CPD – what were the learning outcomes and the impact at work?

You can find out more about the CPD system and our CPD policy at www.managers.org.uk/cpd

Submitted by on Thu, 06/01/2011 - 14:37

Thanks Kevin. I've never used one in my career before. Not sure if it's a British thing or not. Do you find they're used much by members?

Submitted by Paul Haley CMgr FCMI FIC on Thu, 06/01/2011 - 14:48 Profile image

It depends on what sector and professional specialism arena you are in.

For example, I'm a Chartered Internal Auditor and a professional requirement is for mandatory CPD. Records must be maintained as the professional body does an annual sample of a percentage of members to see that the CPD requirement is met and records are a way of evidencing that.

Many other professions, such as Accountancy, Legal, have similar requirements....and these cross International boundaries, so a global not British thing.

From a practical perspective, it is a way of demonstrating that you have uptodate competencies for the task/job in hand, and therefore could act as a professional negligence defence.

Hope this helps.

Submitted by on Thu, 06/01/2011 - 14:54

Thanks Paul. As I said at the outset, I'm all for the whole continual learning thing. I think that should be mandatory in any profession, I've just never had to document it before in a CPD type format.

Submitted by Kevin Saunders CMgr MCMI on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 13:22 Profile image

We can certainly see from the usage data that a lot of members are regularly updating their records on the CPD system. Quite how many people are actively using the reports they can produce from it is difficult for us to know but we do get a lot of positive feedback from members saying that they like the system and find it useful.

Submitted by Peter Elliott CMgr MCMI on Thu, 20/01/2011 - 20:48 Profile image

Wayne - it's a very common requirement here in the UK. Most engineering Institutions, for instance, require a CDP record (e.g. ICE, CIHT etc) and I keep one as I'm now working toward Chartered Manager.

If nothing else it can help to concentrate the mind as to what you are (or aren't!)actually doing about your own personal development (much in the same way as keeping food diary helps people to cut out the trash).

I certainly find mine useful.

Submitted by Adrian Gaskell MCMI on Fri, 21/01/2011 - 08:35 Profile image