What makes good CPD?

 
1. Make it relevant to your role
Great CPD connects directly to your current work or career aspirations. It addresses the challenges you face and builds the skills you need – whether technical, interpersonal, or strategic.

2. Ensure it's reflective and ongoing
CPD isn’t a one-off event. The best professional development encourages regular reflection and continuous learning. It helps you grow gradually, not just in bursts.

3. Is it interactive and practical?
Lectures and slides have their place, but hands-on, interactive sessions stick. Good CPD involves real-world scenarios, discussion, and practice – so you can apply what you learn straight away. High-quality CPD should be gained through a variety of techniques. A strong CPD record displays a mix of self-guided learning with more collaborative methods to demonstrate knowledge-sharing and experience-building.

4. Measure the impact
You should be able to see the difference. Activities should be targeted to meet specific competence needs. Effective CPD helps you improve your practice, grow your confidence, or even open new career opportunities. If you can’t measure the impact, it might not be working.

5. Learner-led