Remaining effective in the workplace is a crucial requirement in any industry in order to build an efficient and productive workforce.

Continuing to enhance and develop your own skills, or that of your staff, through training and development, is an invaluable tool to assist in both motivation and profitability for individuals across all industry sectors. The emphasis and commitment to lifelong learning is known as Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and is a practical way for individuals to enhance their skillset and ensure they continue to remain effective, capable and knowledgeable in their field. 

Why is CPD important?

CPD is now a fundamental element for professionals and employers alike. It encourages a structured and methodical route to learning, which enables key staff to be retained, and ensures they have the knowledge and capability to remain effective and competent in their role. By developing and enhancing skills, the productivity and efficiency of a business, organisation or industry is also enhanced, and as a result, both employers and individuals benefit from CPD.

With this in mind, the importance and relevance of CPD should never be underestimated. Whereas previously, training and development was unintentional and simply reactive to workplace scenarios or situations, CPD encourages a considered and proactive outlook, where training and development is viewed as conscious and empowering. CPD is the investment in positive change for individuals in their careers and in turn the businesses or industries they work for.

How to gain CPD points

No matter how established you are in your career, we’re sure you’ll agree there’s always room for continuing professional development (CPD). Our training courses, seminars and diplomas are accredited by The CPD Standards Office, which means training with us, will not only help your personal and career progression, but we can also ensure that your CPD requirements are fulfilled and proven with a certified track record of all training that you undertake with us.

You can find a comprehensive list of the training options available for you, here.

As well as receiving a Pitman Training certificate upon completion of a course, which confirms you have been trained to the highest standard and have the work ready skills to be efficient, knowledgeable and productive in your place of work, you’ll also receive confirmation of the CPD points gained training with us, which can be submitted as part of your CPD records.

Also, all of our local Pitman Training Centres are CPD accredited, so you can rest assured, wherever you are based, one of our friendly course advisors is on hand to assist you with your CPD requirements. Contact your local course advisor today or click here to find your nearest centre.

How to approach your employer for CPD training

Approaching your employer and talking to them about CPD training could be one of the best moves you make in your career.  

Start by contacting your HR department and seeing if there are any formal CPD requirements in place for your company or your role, or any procedures which encourage you to undertake CPD.  If there are, find out how many CPD points or hours you are required to fulfil and the budget allocation for this. You can then start to plan how to carry out and undertake your CPD activity, either with the HR department or your manager.

If there are no formal CPD requirements or policies in place, think about and research how you would like to enhance your skillset in your current role, to become more of an asset to your employer. Gather information on the training which you feel will enhance your skills, efficiency and the knowledge you have in your role. You can download one of our course fact sheets or course outlines online, which provide comprehensive information of what each course entails, learning outcomes and the number of CPD points you will gain. You can also contact one of our friendly local course advisors who will be more than happy to talk to you about our courses, provide a comprehensive overview and tailored letters to help support you in your approach. Once you have gathered the relevant information, present it to your manager and talk to them about investment/funding; outlining the advantages of undertaking CPD training, and how this benefits you and in turn the overall success and productivity of the company.

We will work with you and your employer to support you throughout your training, and ensure you work towards fulfilling your CPD aims and objectives, and gain the relevant certification and proof to confirm the skills and CPD points you have acquired. 

Our friendly Course Advisors have a wealth of experience in helping individuals and employers pick a tailored solution for CPD requirements. To find out what’s right for you or your employees continuing professional development, visit our locations page to contact your local Pitman Training centre.