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what counts as CPD?

So much of what you do every day counts toward your professional development.

CPD is about maintaining and extending your professional competence.

Our approach to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is focused on learning outcomes. CPD activities will vary depending on where you are in your career and what you are aiming to achieve; they are individual to each engineer and there are currently no quantitative measures required, i.e. hours spent or points-based system.

Activities such as on the job learning, projects, problem solving, research, conferences, mentoring, volunteering, technical learning, management training and so much more – all count as valid CPD.

Formal and informal development activities

Formal CPD is the easiest to identify, whether it be attending a conference, going on a management course or attaining new qualifications. It is commonly misunderstood as the only recognised form of CPD; often overlooked is the value of informal learning.

Research has shown that only 10% of learning comes from formal training. The 70:20:10 model suggests that 20% of learning originates from working with others, e.g. coaching colleagues, collaboration on projects or giving/receiving feedback, and 70% from experience, experiment and reflection (e.g. problem solving, challenging tasks, auditing/reviewing.

A lot of what you do in your day-to-day work can contribute towards your development; this could be increasing your knowledge and understanding of engineering through research for a new project; taking on responsibility for a new budget; and even developing you communication and inter-personal abilities in coaching others.

UK-SPEC as a framework

There is an increased emphasis for ethical principles, sustainability, risk, and where appropriate, security and whistleblowing, to be covered as part of your annual CPD activities. However, anything related to professional development counts and should be measured in terms of how much you, the individual, learn from it. Most importantly, CPD is not just technical development; UK-SPEC mostly covers non-technical competences and anything that increases your skills in management. Communication or your community involvement and commitment to the profession can and should also be recorded as valid CPD, especially if you feel that activity has been beneficial.

Examples of CPD competence

Competence A - examples of development activities

Attending specialist Institution technical events

Being on an Institution Division or Group committee

Organising a seminar or other technical event

Contributing to journals

Reading journals to keep up to date

Editing a journal

Reviewing papers for journals

Any Institution activities increasing your technical knowledge

Attending specialist technical events

 Organising a technical conference

Applying for a patent

Researching a technical subject to increase your knowledge

Writing/publishing technical papers

Undertaking a placement at work in a different technical area to increase the breadth of technical skills

Reviewing papers for technical publications

Any activities increasing your technical knowledge


Competence B - examples of development activities

Attending technical events, evening lectures, seminars etc

Presenting at technical events

Volunteering at Formula Student and other Institution Divisions and Groups activities

Attending a technical specialist course e.g. ‘Railway Fleet Maintenance’

Contributing to Journals

Any IMechE activities increasing your technical knowledge

Writing/publishing technical papers

Attending technical events, evening lectures, seminars etc

Presenting at technical events/conferences

 Attending a technical specialist course

Undertaking a technical qualification

Any activities increasing your technical knowledge

Competence C - examples of development activities

Chairing an Institution Committee

Leading a technical event

Attending a leadership/management course

Any activities within the Institution that give opportunities to develop your commercial and technical leadership

Taking on a leadership role such as being a local councillor or School Governor

Having budget responsibility for a local group, such as Treasurer for Photographic Society

Attending a leadership/management course

Supporting course development for Educational establishments

Any activities giving opportunities to develop your commercial and technical leadership

Competence D - examples of development activities

Presenting at a seminar or evening event

Carrying out Professional Review Interviews

Being an Industrial or Academic Liaison Officer (ILO/ALO)

Any Institution activities where you can develop or demonstrate your interpersonal skills

Public speaking – through political bodies, speaking organisations such as Toastmasters.org etc

Committee roles in your community – church, school, subject groups etc

Organising local events – such as fetes, carnivals, fundraising events etc

Coaching your staff at work

Any activities where you can develop or demonstrate your interpersonal skills

Competence E - examples of development activities

STEM Ambassador activities

Mentoring young engineers

MPDS Mentoring

Volunteering for Professional Review Interviews

Being an Industrial or Academic Liaison Officer (ILO/ALO)

Supporting Imagineering events

Any Institution activities contributing to society

Running an after school club

Discussing ethical issues with colleagues

 Taking on a role as ‘5S Champion’ or implementing environmental awareness schemes at work or in the community

Supporting The Big Bang events

Any community activities contributing to society

CPD Tools

    Part of the Career Developer suite, this is a tool for professionally registered members (EngTech, IEng or CEng) to record their experience and professional activity, providing a strong framework for career progression and professional development.

Log in to CPD tools

D&I Learning Hub

D&I Learning Hub

Enhance your CPD by accessing our D&I Learning Online Programme and many other resources such as Inclusion Moments, Inclusive Communications Guide, Factsheets and much more.

Need some help?

Get in touch if you need help using CPD Tools.

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