Regardless of what your profession is, staying ahead in your field is the ultimate achievement, and that’s where a Continuous Professional Development plan comes into play. Creating a CPD plan might demand some time and effort, but it’s a powerful tool for identifying and improving your skills to reach your career ambitions.
Before writing anything down, take a close look at your current career situation and ask yourself some basic questions like:
Step One: What is your goal?
Pushing your potential in your career involves strategic thinking. Take a moment to summarise your current career path and imagine great milestones for the future. Now, construct a roadmap of achievable small goals and frequent check-ins to attain these milestones. Basically, you have to break things down into much simpler steps so that you can actually achieve your bigger goals.
Once you have a clear picture in your mind about exactly what you are looking forward to, you will set SMART goals, which means the statement you will write to define your goal has to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound, creating checkpoints to review your progress. Be honest about what success means to you and what motivates you to excel, since it is critical for you to make the most of your CPD plan.
Step Two: How will you achieve your goal?
Next, think about how you’ll achieve the goal you have set. You can start by identifying the skills and abilities required to reach this goal and planning relevant learning opportunities accordingly.
At this stage, you have to keep in mind that while describing your planned activities, it is essential to be explicit and thorough. Make sure to specify the particular course, conference, or training session you wish to attend.
Step Three: How will you know if you have succeeded?
Clearly define your success criteria, outlining what achievements signify a successful outcome. For instance, if your goal is to acquire a professional certification, your success criteria could be obtaining a passing score in the certification exam. Or if you aim to secure a specific job position, your success criteria could involve receiving a job offer from the desired employer.
This is an action or an outcome that shows you have successfully achieved the goal you have been aiming for through the CPD activities you planned. You have to make sure that the success criteria align with your objectives.
Step Four: What kind of support and resources will be required?
Considering the resources and support you’ll need is vital for your CPD activities to be enriching. For this, you can seek guidance from peers or experienced colleagues, or you may consult online support materials, textbooks, or videos to complement your learning journey.
Today, millions of resources are available for almost anything you want to do, and the opportunities are limitless; therefore, it is a wise decision to have enough discipline and consistency to use these resources to your advantage.
Did you know?
Just-in-Time Learning: Professionals are increasingly relying on just-in-time learning, where they access information or training exactly when they need it. This approach allows them to address specific challenges or gaps in their knowledge quickly.Step Five: How much time will you take to achieve it?
Incorporating milestone dates with clear start and target dates for reviews and completion is essential for effective CPD planning. These dates provide a structured timeline, ensuring accountability and progress tracking throughout the learning journey. By having specific milestones or checkpoints, professionals can stay focused and motivated and better prioritise their efforts. It allows them to assess their progress regularly, make necessary adjustments, and maintain a sense of direction in achieving their CPD goals.
Although it’s essential to strive for timely achievement of your goals, CPD plans acknowledge the need for flexibility and adaptation, recognising that not all goals may be met within the initially specified timeframe.
You can add a rough timeline to your goal and modify it as time goes on.
By the end of this academic term, I will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding children by thoroughly reviewing the school’s policies, attending school training sessions, dedicating 2 hours weekly to self-study, and confidently implementing appropriate measures to ensure their well-being.
Once you have completed all the sections, your CPD plan will be in the form of a table similar to this format:
| Area of Development | CPD Activity/Action | Resources Required | Planned Completion Date | Progress Review Date | Success Criteria | Date Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sound understanding of safeguarding children and child protection |
Read statutory document Keeping Children Safe in Education: Part One |
CPD resource pack |
25 July
2023
|
20 July
2023
|
Reflection in CPD profile |
25 July
2023
|
|
Attend monthly school training sessions |
Training material |
30 July
2023
|
Once every month |
Completion certificate |
30 December 2023
(End of Academic term)
|
Remember, this is your plan, and your professional development is in your hands. Embrace the process and use your CPD plan as a roadmap to shape a bright future in your career. Be ambitious yet realistic, and don’t hesitate to adjust your plan as needed to ensure continuous growth and success.
