CPD is an abbreviation for Continuing Professional Development. CPD in general terms explains the method of understanding and recording the knowledge, experience, and professional skills one would gain, both informally and formally, during his or her work after the initial training period.

It is just the process of recording your own experience, learning, and practical application of learned knowledge. In other words, CPD can also be called one’s professional folder or portfolio which has complete details of the worker’s professional development.

The learning process never ceases for a worker after his mandatory training period. Every day is the learning and development process as employees face new challenging environments which they can document for their professional enhancement.

How it can help you?

Continuing professional development provides the right stage to manage your professional development at frequent intervals. This is a kind of record that projects your learning process and helps you to review for the betterment of your professional career.

If you think that CPD is just another tick-box document for recording your training and development process, then you are wrong. It is much broader than that.

While recording your CPD, it is imperative to maintain a record such as types or nature of training on yearly basis, what are the learning objectives have been met, new skills gained and put into practice during the year, and how it helped to improve the efficiency in terms of productivity.

As all these are credited with CPD points or units, you or your employer can track at any time. This kind of professional training record maintained by an individual can also be referred to as a CPD portfolio.

For all health and safety (HSE) professionals, continuing professional development (CPD) plays important role in shaping their professional development.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points

The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) benefits Workplace Safety and Health managers and experts to stay updated with the latest knowledge and working skills. If you are employed as a safety professional, you must take active initiatives in the CPD program.

What is the CPD program?

Having both structured and unstructured recording activities, the CPD program drives safety professionals to remain competent and environment-friendly when they function.

Some of the structured activities that are approved by the CPD board are:

• Formal study courses (e.g., diploma or post-graduate courses).
• Workshops and Lectures (e.g., sessions on regulatory compliances by the government agencies).
• Recognized in-house training involving health, safety, and environment management.
• Though helps to improve your competency levels, most of the unstructured activities are not approved by the CPD board. Some of them include:
• Interactive and participatory sessions.
• Gaining memberships in some of the leading professional organizations
• Involving site visits and attending exhibitions.