CPD Accredition

Continuing Professional Development is a commitment to ongoing lifelong learning. CPD encourages looking forward and identifying opportunities to learn something new, refresh existing knowledge, improve skills, or simply keep up-to-date with the latest developments within a particular profession or industry. In practice, CPD can mean everything from taking a training course or attending an educational event, to studying for new qualifications or learning new aspects of a job.
Continuing Professional Development enables learning to become conscious and proactive, rather than passive and reactive. It involves an individual documenting and keeping a record of the increasing skills, knowledge and experience they gain throughout their career. CPD combines different methodologies to learning, which includes training courses, seminars, workshops, conferences and events, webinars and online eLearning programs. CPD can also include sharing best practice techniques, thoughts and ideas, all focused towards an individual improving within the work environment.

Continuing Professional Development exists to ensure that an individual enhances their skills and abilities once they have formally qualified. Typically, academic qualifications may have already been completed at this stage and an individual is now working within their specific industry and job function.
CPD is important as it helps to ensure that further learning is progressed in a structured, practical and relevant way to guarantee that there are applied efficiencies to the learning. CPD allows an individual to focus on what specific skills and knowledge they require over a short-term period, say 12 months, in order to be confident there is recognisable improvement within their proficiency and skill sets.

In an ever-increasing globalised and competitive society, the importance of Continuing Professional Development cannot be overstated. As the world’s industries are forever evolving, this creates exciting new opportunities but also naturally comes with challenges.
CPD enables an individual to regularly apply focus and attention to important areas of their own development and provides the framework for a professional to take appropriate action to reduce any shortfalls in knowledge. Equally, an individual must see Continuing Professional Development as a way to remain competitive with his or her peers, and as an opportunity to differentiate themselves at moments where this may be required, such as in job interviews or in tenders for new work and business acquisition.
As more people become professionally qualified with similar qualifications, CPD becomes more important as a means of separating yourself from the pack.
A planned approach to Continuing Professional Development allows an individual to put themselves in charge of their own career development and work-related ambitions. A personal empowerment of learning brings with it an increase in confidence and resulting abilities, all of which correlate to an improvement of capability for their employment environment.

Expanding employee skillset and knowledge

Through various L&D efforts, employees are able to expand their skills and knowledge which will give them opportunities to take on new challenges and roles within the organisation.

Improved employee performance and confidence

One of the goals and benefits of employee training is to improve employee performance. Undergoing skills training enhances knowledge and skills which positively impacts their performance. An employee confident in their skills and expertise is more likely to perform better at work.

Lower employee turnover

Employees are people too. They have needs and want to be encouraged, seen, and their well-being to be acknowledged and nourished. A 2019 Linkedin Workplace Learning Report found that 94% of employees would stay longer at a company if it invested in their learning and development.

When an organisation takes time to invest in the growth of its employees, it shows support for their professional development which leads to a positive employee experience and retains employees. This investment in skills training and development also places the organisation in a position to attract high-value employees.

Good morale and job satisfaction

Motivation can wane even in the most positive of employees. A positive learning environment and atmosphere will inspire employees to continue learning, which will impact their job satisfaction.

Addresses weaknesses

In the same way, a strong workforce creates a strong organisation, a weak team will hamper the growth of your business. Weaknesses are an indicator of a skills gap. It’s essential for organisations to recognise these weaknesses and gaps present within the company and develop training programmes to fill the gaps. When these are closed, employees become more proficient and productive.

Builds a stronger workforce

The old saying is true: a team is only as strong as its weakest member. A successful workforce is built on a strong workforce. Businesses work daily to be at the top, be reckoned with, and have a competitive edge over their competitors. As such, companies need to invest in their employees and build on their individual strengths to ensure they can compete against other corporations.

Increased capacity to use new methods and technologies

To survive, organisations must be competitive. One of the ways to do this is by upskilling and reskilling their employees. Often, a company needs to adopt new trends, processes, and models to keep up with the changing economic and business landscape. The new systems mean organisations remain innovative and be visionaries in their industries. Thus, employees need to be trained to operate the new tools and ensure the organisation can speed up its operations and stay ahead of the competition.

In South Africa, CPD points are awarded to individuals through membership with a professional body. There are also various CPD accredited courses available in South Africa. These courses are endorsed by the relevant body and on completion of the course, students are awarded CPD points, which can be claimed with the professional body through membership.

Within professional bodies, there are various levels of membership. The level of membership an applicant will qualify for is determined by their work experience in years as well as their highest level and type of qualification. Professional bodies also offer student membership.