Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Continuing Professional Development is the way in which IFM members maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge and skills, and develop their personal qualities. Such activities demonstrate commitment to professional competence and development, and the maintenance of high standards.

One of the Institute’s main roles, in common with most other professional bodies, is to develop, promote, monitor and control the quality and standards of practice of its membership.

As well as setting educational standards for the relevant professional qualifications, the Institute has an obligation to ensure that its members are up to date and developing on a continuous basis. The Institute believes that it can best satisfy that obligation with a scheme of CPD.

The rules of the Institute contain a general requirement for full professional members (i.e. registered Members and Fellows) to follow a programme of CPD.The Institute of Fisheries Management first introduced a voluntary scheme during 2004.

Yes, most professional bodies have CPD schemes.

CPD is measured by credits. Credits are awarded for activities or attendance at events. For a detailed breakdown of events and number of credits awarded refer to the CPD Credit Table enclosed or on the website. Credits for IFM functions will appear in FISH magazine.

Members who take part in CPD should complete, and record, at least 60 credits of CPD activity over a two-year period.

The Institute believes that the scheme should be as flexible as possible and therefore a wide variety of activities can be included. Research activities, attending seminars, courses or conferences, whether arranged in-house or externally, working on study groups, distance or open learning, structured reading or private study and taking part in training events can all be recorded for CPD purposes. Providing these activities are relevant either directly or indirectly, to fisheries management work, environmental management and sustainable development, or developing personal skills and competencies.

Firstly, the Institute’s own research has shown (Source: – Membership survey April 2001 – Anne Bowden Research Associates) that most of its members agree with the principle of CPD, and the vast majority are also probably achieving significant credits already.

The advantages of undertaking CPD are that it demonstrates the professional commitment of the individual, which is of assistance in career progression, and it strengthens the case for access to training and development on a structured and professional basis.

It should be quite possible to fulfil the CPD recommendation without incurring excessive personal cost, except perhaps for the expense of travelling to branch or national IFM activities. But as there are considerable personal, career and professional benefits to CPD, most members would regard any such costs as incidental.

Employers are encouraged to support CPD activities as it is to their benefit for employee’s skills and knowledge to be continually updated and developed.

However, CPD is not just about attending courses and seminars – the wide range of CPD opportunities should ensure flexibility for the individual who finds access to, or support for, conventional activities restricted.

Whilst this may be true, CPD provides a good argument for such nominations to be more selective and varied. Of course, anyone who has attended such an event should be encouraged to provide a briefing session for colleagues. This would provide CPD time for both the ‘presenter’ and all those attending the briefing session.

Such reading, which is largely unstructured and a normal professional activity, does not count towards CPD, but certain structured reading linked to a specific project could be recorded. For example, if you are researching for a project which involved a structured literature search through journals.

CPD is a voluntary scheme. However the Society for the Environment expects those who qualify for Chartered Environmentalist to undertake CPD as it is available through the IFM. Members who register for CPD but do not achieve the standard required will be asked to provide an explanation. If unresolved, they will be referred to the Committee. Members who do not complete CPD could be transferred to a less senior class of membership with the possible consequential loss of ‘Chartered Environmentalist’ title. A prospective employer is more likely to look favourably on an applicant for a job who has complied with the CPD scheme than one who has not.

Attendance at many of the meetings and events organised by the Institute at both regional and national levels will form part of your CPD. Many of these, particularly local branch meetings only make a charge to cover costs of refreshments.