Continuing professional development: definition and guidelines

Continuing professional development is a training strategy that allows professionals to update their skills according to the needs and innovations of their sector.

One of the great advantages of this type of methodology is its versatility and flexibility. In changing and highly competitive sectors, it becomes a strategic tool for the professional development of people and the evaluation of talent.

This has led us to prepare this article, in which we will address the ongoing professional development meaning and share with you some guidelines that you can adopt to develop it in your organization.

Definition of continuous professional development

Continuous professional development (CPD) is a programmed and directed learning process that enables professionals to reflect on their performance and the skills they need to advance in their career. In this way, the learner consciously participates in his or her training.

Thanks to this strategy, employees keep their skills up to date with the latest developments in their sector and the latest technological and regulatory advances in their activity. In fact, in some fields, participation in CPD programs is a mandatory requirement to perform their duties.

This explains why it is a type of training required in medicine, education, law or construction, as these are activities that must comply with certifications and licensing requirements.

In fact, CPD accreditation is recognized in the United States in some professional sectors. Such programs are often aligned with international institutions such as the Continuing Professional Development Standards Office (CPDSO), or respond to the requirements of specific U.S. bodies, such as the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).

Thus, CPD offers a flexible approach that can combine multiple learning formats, both formal and informal, such as seminars, workshops, mentoring or self-study.

This type of training provides advantages for the individual, who improves his or her employability and focuses on professional success, and for companies, which can count on qualified profiles and more satisfied and committed teams.

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Types of continuing professional development

To go further into the definition of continuous professional development, it is necessary to detail some of the methods that allow you to develop this type of training and that, for a better result, you can combine.

Structured CPD

It is a structured and proactive learning system based on the active participation of students through courses, certified events, workshops or seminars.

Reflective CPD

This is usually structured but passive and unidirectional learning, i.e. the learner is only involved as a recipient of information.

This type of continuing professional development includes activities such as watching videos, listening to podcasts or receiving training tutorials and lectures on current events in an industry.

Informal CPD

This is self-directed learning that is unstructured and not conducted by a trainer or speaker. Informal CPD can take place in all kinds of settings such as forums, reading books, articles or publications, or in conversations with industry professionals.

Continuing professional development guidelines

As we have just seen, there is no single approach to enjoying the benefits of continuing professional development. Its flexibility allows you to adapt it to the needs of your teams to increase the chances of knowledge retention and engagement.

However, professionals who develop this type of program do seem to agree on the importance of 3 pillars: strategy selection, systematic evaluation and structure.

Methodology

The selection of methodologies and tools influences the efficiency of learning, and in societies as changing as today’s, these must be inserted in a framework of adaptation and continuous improvement.

These resources must be aligned with the type of audience and with the established learning objectives.

To increase the degree of learner engagement and satisfaction, it is advisable to combine different structured activities, such as workshops or training cycles, with more informal dynamic and collaborative environments.

It goes without saying that online contents are as attractive as they are effective in this type of methodology, increasing the degree of participation and fostering learner autonomy and ubiquitous learning.

Evaluation

In order to obtain maximum impact, it is essential to implement a systematic, objective, transparent and responsible evaluation.

In this sense, rather than talking about a control mechanism, evaluation should become a comprehensive process that takes into consideration the satisfaction of individuals, competencies acquired and measurable results.

Clear, fair and inclusive supervision is seen by learners as a possibility to improve their learning and help them become aware of their strengths and weaknesses.

If you are wondering how to carry out an online or remote supervision that meets these characteristics, you can use proctoring technology systems that respect academic and professional integrity, such as the ones we propose at Smowltech.

Structure and organization

Finally, CPD planning allows you to set clear educational goals and objectives based on specific needs, select adapted resources and tools, and detect which type of assessment will offer the best results in each case.

Interactive e-learning methodologies facilitate the systematization of some aspects of training programs and produce performance reports that are very useful in continuous professional development.

In addition, they encourage interest in learning among the new generations by making it more attractive, meaningful and relevant to the learner.

Importance of creating a continuing professional development program

The importance of creating a continuing professional development program lies in the benefits it provides to teachers, students and companies.

The teacher can improve his or her reputation and career prospects, in addition to joining a process of continuous improvement that facilitates the acquisition of new skills and methods of transmitting them.

The student, in turn, receives quality information that is adapted to their needs and those of the sector in which they work. This, on the other hand, increases their confidence in learning, something very positive in the development of their career plan.

Finally, organizations will have more qualified and more committed profiles, but it also allows them to ensure that the standards that apply in their sector are met.

The result, in any case, is positive for all parties and, as far as the business environment is concerned, all actors participate in a motivating and collaborative organizational climate in continuous evolution.

At Smowltech, we have years of experience in accompanying our clients in their evolution by offering them flexible and adaptive proctoring plans to improve their online assessments and remote supervisions while respecting current legislation.

We invite you to discover all the innovative solutions we can offer you by requesting a free demo.

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