Continuous Professional Development

What is Continuous Professional/Personal Development (CPD)?

Whatever your position within the organisation, CPD can make the difference between success and failure for you and your organisation / business. CPD is about planned self-development that includes personal and professional goals.

It should consist of:

• Short-term targets - these could be stepping stones to enable you to achieve your medium term priorities for instance training to update and strengthen your skills. Generally these are things that can be achieved within the next 12 months
• Medium term plans - these should state your personal and business goals for the next 2 to 5 years.
• Long-term plan - this could ultimately be a life-time plan which includes your ultimate goals in both your personal and professional life.

We have included a self-help guide to planning your own development.

• Do you want to stay ahead of your competitors?
• Why should I continue my professional development?
• What development opportunities are available?
• How can I plan my own development?
• External courses and programmes

Do you want to stay ahead of your competitors?

In today's fast paced and competitive environment, all businesses are under constant pressures and resource constraints which are forcing organisations to change and continuously improve the way they operate. To be at the forefront in their particular field, organisations have to hone their route to competitive advantage by developing capabilities, goods and services that overcome these challenges.

Leaders and managers in any organisation are the most significant and expensive element of the business competitive capabilities. Their skills, however effective, constantly need updating and refining to match the external environment. There are many examples within the business world to show how complacency can lead to stagnation, and ultimately business decline!

As a manager, you not only require excellent technical knowledge and skills, but also need advanced core and functional skills in areas such as:

• People management skills
• Leadership skills
• Team working
• Decision-making
• Problem-solving
• Communication
• Financial Management
• Time and stress management                                                                 Back to Top of Page

• To learn in order to take your organisation forward
• To become a more effective manager
• To contribute to your /or your employer's business success
• To learn new skills
• To update existing skills
• To gain a recognised qualification
• To enhance your professional standing
• To improve your employability, to keep up with the external skills demand

This self-development process is essentially a personal process; you may want to enlist help from people either inside or outside your organisation. These people can be your colleagues, line managers or an external coach and mentor. The coach / mentor should be able to help you to reflect and plan, as well as assisting you to evaluate your own strengths and weaknesses.

Back to Top of Page

What development opportunities are available?

There are many opportunites for continuous training and development for yourself and your team. These can be found:-

Details of formal learning opportunites may be found on the course database. You may also find a range of other learning opportunities available by reviewing the dedicated management provider area of the site.

There are many styles of learning available. We have identified the various modes of learning and have explained the benefits so that you can select the most appropriate for your learning and development.

Back to Top of Page

---

How can I plan my own development?

There are 6 stages to planning your own development so that you gain maximum benefits from any activities you undertake.

These stages are

1. Establish the purpose; you need to work out why you need to develop.
2. Identify your development needs; everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, you need to understand your own so you can achieve your goals.
3. Look at your development opportunities; not all development consists as formal training courses there are lots of opportunities for learning and development both inside and outside the workplace.
4. Formulate an action plan; this is essential to keep you on track and to keep a record of your progress.
5. Undertake your development; you actually need to perform the activity or attend training. 
6. Assess the impact; review the development and the value it has provided to you and use it to help you with your future development.

There is more information, guidance and an of a example personal development plan in our guide to planning your own development.

Back to Top of Page

PRINTER FRIENDLY PAGE

Lifetime Training is a service provided by Business Services Lancashire   Terms & Conditions   Privacy Policy