Continuing professional development or CPD is a concept that describes the advancement of professional careers and in turn, companies. Considering that the world of work changes at such a rapid rate, this CPD certification is necessary to stay relevant and employable.

Undergoing CPD is also useful for separating yourself from the average applicant at job hiring opportunities. The process upgrades professional skills and expertise through engaging learning programs. With CPD, learners can improve their knowledge independently through proven methods.

The certification requires an aim with a structured plan to achieve that goal within both short and long periods. The program should focus on imparting both non-technical and technical skills that will serve you in the ever-evolving field. Like with most programs for career development, you will need to record new information for future study or proof of your undergoing continuing professional development.

What are the Kinds of CPD?

Continuing professional development can be set up in two major ways: structured or self-directed learning.

1. Structured or Formal CPD: is the type where a third-party provides engaging training. It may involve multiple learners or set up to be between an individual student and a tutor. Formal CPD usually tracks the learner’s advancement with tests, attendance, and other written materials. Some common examples are workshops, seminars or lectures, and online classes.

2. Self-directed or Informal CPD: is the kind where the learner decides their schedule and takes up training without adhering to any strict curriculum. Although it sounds less organised than structured CPD, informal CPD requires some form of planning to determine the level of knowledge you want to acquire. Some examples of this type of learning include reading online publications on selected topics, digesting content relevant to your professional development, and creating some useful content yourself.

You can get optimal benefits from setting up your program to integrate both kinds of CPD.

What makes CPD Certification Relevant to Professionals?

While it is mandatory for some fields, the certification for continued professional development is recognised in most industries as a standard for expertise. Asides, acting as a test for professionalism, CPD provides individuals with the training necessary for maintaining a high level of skills throughout their career. It also allows the learners to implement their knowledge for better retention of the newly acquired information.

For learners, CPD helps them to sharpen their personal skills with training to make up for their knowledge deficit. It will also improve the confidence of starters in fields where the in-demand skills are always evolving, hence the need for continuous development to stay relevant. CPD also opens up the path to career advancement or switch, depending on how you can apply the certification for your benefits. The process will improve the professional’s ability to learn independently and quickly.

The CPD certification demonstrates your ambition and dedication to personal development to your employers, and those are usually rewarded with bonuses or other favourable conditions. In the event of a job application, it gives your recruiter an overview of the growth through your career. Besides, the certification is proof of a professional achievement that will increase your value as perceived by your managers.

Furthermore, by having CPD accreditation on a job candidate’s CV, it will help that candidate differentiate from the crowd, particularly in today’s tough competitive job market. While it is not fully dismissed, just simply having a university degree is not enough these days and prospective job candidates need to find ways on how they can enhance their CV to be more appealing, and one of the best ways is through additional learning and proactive work experience.

With CPD, people can comfortably make career choices in line with their long term plans since it eliminates the feeling of uncertainty about the future of your industry, especially the skills that would be considered relevant as time passes.

How HR Management is Made Easier Through CPD Certification

Companies looking to develop their staff of working professionals depend heavily on the efficiency of their HR department. Besides, it is the duty of the human resources department to preserve the level of expertise hired by the company. Regardless of the company’s size, it will inevitably require the services of HR specialists to confidentially and speedily resolve employee disputes.

These professionals have the duty of enforcing the business policy in all the offices. To prevent a decline in productivity or expiration of the organisation’s expertise, it is up to the company to ensure that it has a competent HR team. CPD can improve the creativity of the professionals in tackling concerns that may arise. It also enhances their flexibility, diversity, and confidence to take major steps in their career.

With CPD certification, HR teams can better ensure consistently high standards for all the offices of the organisation. It also makes it easier to keep employees motivated since they are willing to undergo further study for improving their careers. Since this will create a healthy learning culture for employees, then the company is likely to experience high retention of highly skilled workers.

Research?shows that majority of companies are recognising employee retention to be a growing concern. When HR departments are plotting out their annual appraisals, CPD certification can serve as the yardstick for measuring professional progression. Besides, it helps the business to adapt to the evolving nature of the world of work.