Professional Development
One of the most effective ways to attract and recruit competent staff is to encourage and support professional development.
Commonly known as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) following Initial Professional Development (IPD), the process of maintaining, improving and broadening knowledge and skills has benefits for the employer as well as the individual:
- Employers have a better skilled and more efficient work force
- Informed employers attract high calibre staff and keep them
- Good CPD policies can provide the most cost effective means of providing training, particularly if carried out in partnership with institutions
- Individuals will have the skills to react to a changing profession more readily
- Staff will be more adaptable aiding diversification opportunities
- CPD support from the employer as far as the employee's are concerned improves motivation and retention
A number of professional institutions in the sector have comprehensive information on how to support staff with CPD or to get involved yourself:
- Professional Development - How 2 - a partnership of professional institutions including IET, IMechE, RAeS and IoP
- CIBSE Professional Development Information
