CPD

abbr. HR

continuing professional development: ongoing training and education throughout a career to improve the skills and knowledge used to perform a job or succession of jobs. CPD should be a planned, structured process, involving the assessment of development needs and the tailoring of training to meet those needs. CPD is founded on the belief that the development of professionals should not finish after initial qualification, especially in a fast changing business environment in which skills are likely to obsolesce quickly. CPD requires commitment and resources from the employee, the employer, and supportive agencies such as professional bodies. Advocates of CPD argue that it can enhance employability and career development by keeping skills up to date and broadening a person’s skill base. Dominic Cadbury has said that CPD should be centered on the individual, who must take responsibility for the continuing assessment and satisfaction of his or her own development needs. Much can be found in support of the principle of CPD in the concepts of David Kolb’s experiential learning cycle, Peter Honey and Alan Mumford’s learning types, the personal development cycle, and lifelong learning.