Joining the Right Network
Why develop professionally?
Describes the value of and opportunities for continuing professional development.
Continuing professional development (CPD) can help you plan and develop the required personal competencies for particular environmental professional roles. The learning should never cease, regardless of age or seniority. It can improve personal performance and career progression. To many professionals it is just part of how you plan and manage your whole working life.
Most environmental professions have adopted or are developing specific requirements for CPD. Most professional bodies offer a range of opportunities for CPD.
CPD involves a minimum number of hours doing approved professional development such as training courses, conferences, distance learning, seminars, teaching, supervised research, technical authorship, job exchanges, specialist working groups, work for voluntary organisations, project experience and practice. It is often based on a personal plan to improve your environmental competence, with records of your development. Many good employers will cover the costs of CPD. So it is worth asking them at interview.
For example The Institution of Environmental Sciences has developed a project called Professional Practice for Sustainable Development (PP4SD), The Energy Institute has developed National Standards and publishes guides, and The Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management issues detailed guidance to members.
Benefits of continuing professional development
- shows employers your commitment to lifelong learning
- keeps up to date with professional developments
- gets new or improved skills for your job or the future
Planned continuing professional development can be good for you , the employer and the professional body.
