So much of what you do every day counts toward your professional development.
CPD is about maintaining and extending your professional competence.
Our approach to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is focused on learning outcomes. CPD activities will vary depending on where you are in your career and what you are aiming to achieve; they are individual to each engineer and there are currently no quantitative measures required, i.e. hours spent or points-based system.
Activities such as on the job learning, projects, problem solving, research, conferences, mentoring, volunteering, technical learning, management training and so much more – all count as valid CPD.
Formal and informal development activities
Formal CPD is the easiest to identify, whether it be attending a conference, going on a management course or attaining new qualifications. It is commonly misunderstood as the only recognised form of CPD; often overlooked is the value of informal learning.
Research has shown that only 10% of learning comes from formal training. The 70:20:10 model suggests that 20% of learning originates from working with others, e.g. coaching colleagues, collaboration on projects or giving/receiving feedback, and 70% from experience, experiment and reflection (e.g. problem solving, challenging tasks, auditing/reviewing.
A lot of what you do in your day-to-day work can contribute towards your development; this could be increasing your knowledge and understanding of engineering through research for a new project; taking on responsibility for a new budget; and even developing you communication and inter-personal abilities in coaching others.
UK-SPEC as a framework
There is an increased emphasis for ethical principles, sustainability, risk, and where appropriate, security and whistleblowing, to be covered as part of your annual CPD activities. However, anything related to professional development counts and should be measured in terms of how much you, the individual, learn from it. Most importantly, CPD is not just technical development; UK-SPECmostly covers non-technical competences and anything that increases your skills in management.Communication or your community involvement and commitment to the profession can and should also be recorded as valid CPD, especially if you feel that activity has been beneficial.
Examples of CPD competence
Competence A - examples of development activities
Attending specialist Institution technical events | Being on an Institution Division or Group committee |
Organising a seminar or other technical event | Contributing to journals |
Reading journals to keep up to date | Editing a journal |
Reviewing papers for journals | Any Institution activities increasing your technical knowledge |
Attending specialist technical events | Organising a technical conference |
Applying for a patent | Researching a technical subject to increase your knowledge |
Writing/publishing technical papers | Undertaking a placement at work in a different technical area to increase the breadth of technical skills |
Reviewing papers for technical publications | Any activities increasing your technical knowledge |
Competence B - examples of development activities
Attending technical events, evening lectures, seminars etc | Presenting at technical events |
Volunteering at Formula Student and other Institution Divisions and Groups activities | Attending a technical specialist course e.g. ‘Railway Fleet Maintenance’ |
Contributing to Journals | Any IMechE activities increasing your technical knowledge |
Writing/publishing technical papers | Attending technical events, evening lectures, seminars etc |
Presenting at technical events/conferences | Attending a technical specialist course |
Undertaking a technical qualification | Any activities increasing your technical knowledge |
Competence C - examples of development activities
Chairing an Institution Committee | Leading a technical event |
Attending a leadership/management course | Any activities within the Institution that give opportunities to develop your commercial and technical leadership |
Taking on a leadership role such as being a local councillor or School Governor | Having budget responsibility for a local group, such as Treasurer for Photographic Society |
Attending a leadership/management course | Supporting course development for Educational establishments |
Any activities giving opportunities to develop your commercial and technical leadership |
Competence D - examples of development activities
Presenting at a seminar or evening event | Carrying out Professional Review Interviews |
Being an Industrial or Academic Liaison Officer (ILO/ALO) | Any Institution activities where you can develop or demonstrate your interpersonal skills |
Public speaking – through political bodies, speaking organisations such as Toastmasters.org etc | Committee roles in your community – church, school, subject groups etc |
Organising local events – such as fetes, carnivals, fundraising events etc | Coaching your staff at work |
Any activities where you can develop or demonstrate your interpersonal skills |
Competence E - examples of development activities
STEM Ambassador activities | Mentoring young engineers |
MPDS Mentoring | Volunteering for Professional Review Interviews |
Being an Industrial or Academic Liaison Officer (ILO/ALO) | Supporting Imagineering events |
Any Institution activities contributing to society | Running an after school club |
Discussing ethical issues with colleagues | Taking on a role as ‘5S Champion’ or implementing environmental awareness schemes at work or in the community |
Supporting The Big Bang events | Any community activities contributing to society |
CPD Tools
- Part of the Career Developer suite, this is a tool for professionally registered members (EngTech, IEng or CEng) to record their experience and professional activity, providing a strong framework for career progression and professional development.
D&I Learning Hub
Enhance your CPD by accessing our D&I Learning Online Programme and many other resources such as Inclusion Moments, Inclusive Communications Guide, Factsheets and much more.