Making CPD Better for Everyone

Introduction

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. It's meant to help professionals keep their skills and knowledge up to date. However, some people have noticed that those who advocate for CPD often don't participate in CPD themselves. Additionally, there's debate about which activities should count towards CPD, especially for those in academia and industry practitioners.

The Problem with CPD Promoters

It's been observed that individuals who encourage others to engage in CPD activities often don't have many CPD activities listed in their own profiles, especially here on LinkedIn. This discrepancy leads to doubts about the effectiveness and sincerity of CPD, making some wonder if it's just a way for certain organizations to profit.

Rethinking CPD

Currently, CPD requires professionals to take time off work, pay fees, and spend time on activities that may not effectively enhance their professional capabilities. The random nature of webinar and seminar topics makes it difficult to ensure these activities are beneficial. There's a clear need for a CPD approach that truly contributes to professional growth.

The Unacknowledged Value of Hands-on Experience in CPD

In every engineering project, engineers face the challenge of adapting to various clients' standards, contracts, cultural expectations, and the laws and regulations of the country where the project is located. This requires learning a lot quickly, developing both technical and people skills by working on real projects, often under constrained resources. This kind of learning, which comes from facing real-world problems, can't be matched by just attending seminars, conferences, or watching videos. The deep understanding and flexibility engineers gain from these experiences make them much more valuable in their jobs than those who haven't had such experiences. However, this important and complex way of learning isn't recognized in the CPD (Continuing Professional Development) points system.

On the other hand, participating in webinars, seminars, and conferences, even though there are doubts about how effective these are for learning, can earn CPD points. Doing 150 or more CPD points every year, which is common among the elders of the academic community, doesn't guarantee an increase in employability. Having to stop doing their core responsibilities to go to these events might even show that their work scope is limited. This big difference shows a major problem with the current CPD system: it doesn't value being directly involved in projects and developing a wide range of technical and interpersonal skills under constrained resources, defeating the true goal of 'Continuous Professional Development'.

Bringing Academia and Industry Closer

CPD for those in academia should focus more on real-world involvement rather than just attending lectures or seminars. Working on actual projects provides valuable experience and facilitates learning by doing, which is more beneficial than theoretical discussions alone.

Revolutionizing Professional Growth: Learning Through Industry Collaboration

A model is proposed where academia pays to learn directly from industry professionals and companies. This setup not only values the practical insights and expertise of industry experts but also emphasizes learning through application rather than theory. This approach is in line with the viewpoints of professionals who argue that CPD should include genuine involvement in industry projects, as hands-on experience is essential for effective learning and far more beneficial than theoretical knowledge alone.

Furthermore, the concept of reciprocity needs to be addressed—industry practitioners are often expected to dedicate their time to academic pursuits for CPD credits, which may not always provide commensurate value. Conversely, academics should concentrate on acquiring hands-on industry experience that is rightly acknowledged as CPD by the companies involved. Routine academic activities such as lecturing, teaching, and conference attendance should not automatically qualify as CPD, as they are standard responsibilities of the academic profession. This ensures a balanced exchange where both academia and industry contribute to and benefit from the professional growth process.

Proposals for CPD Improvement

To enhance Continuing Professional Development (CPD), the following suggestions are offered:

1.???? Transparency and Responsibility: Those promoting CPD should display their CPD achievements, making them more credible.

2.???? Revamping CPD in Academia: For those in academia, it's fair to update the CPD approach to focus on engaging in real projects rather than just participating in lectures, seminars, webinars, and conferences. These traditional activities have been part of academic responsibilities long before CPD was introduced. Shifting the emphasis towards hands-on involvement in industry projects will make CPD more relevant and valuable, ensuring that academic professionals gain practical experience that complements their theoretical knowledge.

3.???? Enhancing CPD with Diverse Experiences: In addition to recognizing project work as a valuable CPD activity, there should be an expansion to include mentorship, involvement in professional societies, and varied project engagement. This broader approach not only validates the significant learning that comes from hands-on project involvement but also opens up numerous pathways for professionals to enhance their skills and knowledge across different dimensions of their field.

Final Thoughts

Adapting CPD to better connect academia and industry can significantly improve professional development. By ensuring CPD activities are relevant and practical, we can enhance their value for everyone involved. This requires openness, the selection of pertinent learning activities, and mutual respect for each other's time and effort, fostering professional growth across the board.