Why Continuing Professional Development is Crucial for Construction Work

Buried Memories

We all remember our days of training when starting a new career.  Necessary but sometimes too basic or at inconvenient times, training is essential but needs to be delivered in the right way. Investing in ourselves and our careers is one of the most important things we can do to further ourselves, and this is where Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training schemes come in. These allow us to increase our skillsets, gain more qualifications and push to the next level without having to go back to the very beginning.

What are CPD training courses about?

Continuing Professional Development can be defined as the continual process of maintaining, enhancing, and developing the skills and attributes relevant to a profession. The two immediate questions that you may think of regarding CPD are: 

1.    Will this make me more employable? 
2.    How will this benefit me? 

Both questions are perfectly reasonable, and the answer is simply, yes - you will be more qualified, meaning you will be more valuable for your increased skillset.

How are CPD courses delivered?

CPD courses are typically delivered in two ways: structured CPD and informal CPD. Structured courses involve more formal delivery in the form of workshops and seminars, whereas informal CPD is typically achieved through self-study, mentoring, and on-the-job learning. Structured CPD tends to come with accredited certification, whereas informal CPD courses do not, however that doesn’t mean they don’t have a place in the training arena. Informal CPD courses such as basic fire safety training or asbestos awareness training are still essential for those who need to train in these fields.

Looking at the bigger picture, CPD training allows for a reduction of risk and therefore an inherent increase in safety. Delegates will gain exposure to new technologies and new ways of thinking - for example, a self-employed individual may undertake a leadership CPD course in anticipation of taking on some new apprentices, or a labourer may take a CPCS course, allowing them handle new machinery, increasing their chance of a promotion. You could also take a first-aid course, giving you the ability to call upon your learnings, and, if necessary, save a life, on-or-off site.

If you’re looking to progress your career and skills as an individual, or you’re a business owner looking to increase the value of your employees, CPD is a brilliant way to ensure continued growth, no matter the position.