Overview of CPD in The Construction Industry
Over the years, continuing professional development has become an integral part of the career progression of professionals in the construction industry. Regulatory changes, technological advancements, the evolution of procurement practices, and increased emphasis on specialization have ensured that professionals take steps to upgrade their skills and focus on ongoing learning. It is impossible to have a successful career by merely attaining the necessary qualification when your career starts and then abstaining from CPD learning activities.
Employers and organizations in the construction industry also gain a lot from CPD. They get skilled and empowered employees who can help employers achieve their business goals and objectives. Through well-crafted CPD activities and training programs, businesses can make sure that the standards in all departments of the company are at par with expectations. The overall productivity of organizations gets a boost by optimum utilization of CPD.
The construction industry in the UK has more than 500,000 professionals who are members of nearly 50 professional bodies managing professional standards and benchmarks. Unsurprisingly, most of these professional bodies require measuring of the CPD learning activities undertaken by their members and mandate them to complete the specified number of hours on CPD training programs annually.
CPD guidelines for members provided by three of the most prominent professional bodies in the UK construction industry have been discussed below:
- The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)- RIBA requires its members to complete 35 hours of CPD learning annually and keep track of CPD training using a CPD recorder provided online. Barring exceptional circumstances, half of the total CPD learning must be structured.The guidelines of RIBA also mandate that 20 out of the 35 CPD hours must be spent on activities related to the ten topics under RIBA’s core curriculum. Also, all members must attain 100 CPD points annually.
- The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)- As per CIOB guidelines, it is the responsibility of all members to focus on CPD learning activities in order to facilitate their professional development, update knowledge levels and enhance their skillsets.The CIOB has not provided a specific number for mandatory CPD hours. They place the impetus on members to assess their developmental requirements and take up necessary CPD learning activities to fill the skill gaps from time to time and provide evidence for the same.
- The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)- All members of the RICS should complete at least 20 hours of CPD learning annually under the condition that a minimum of 10 hours is spent on formal CPD.RICS members are also expected to have an in-depth understanding of professional benchmarks and ethical standards over the course of three-year annualized average periods. RICS has set 31st January of every year as the deadline for online uploading of records of all CPD learning activities undertaken the previous year.
Employers in the construction industry should encourage employees to participate in the most relevant CPD learning activities. Short-term training programs, online learning activities, conferences & seminars that have clear learning objectives suitable for requirements of specific disciplines in the construction industry will always be ideal for optimized professional development.
Author
Contact
