Continuing Professional Development is now here to stay and The Welding Institute and the Welding and Joining Society are making every effort to assist and encourage its members to maintain a committed approach to CPD.
TWI's Education and Training Committee has already issued a list of people with the right to authenticate CPD entries on Personal Record Cards, information from which is mandatory for the Welding Register and may eventually become compulsory for Professional Membership.
Branch events are an integral part of the Society's activities and these, together with the activities of other learned society meetings, form an important basis for CPD.
CPD not only constitutes daily 'on the job' learning but any other activity which enhances professional development whether technical or otherwise. Examples of acceptable CPD are:
- Involvement in further/post education study or short courses/seminars
- Technical lectures/presentations, such as WJS Branch Meetings
- Preparation of articles/papers/ reviews
- Attendance at demonstrations/works visits, such as WJS Branch visits
- Attendance at workshops/training events
- Attendance at seminars/conferences/symposia, such as WJS Technical Groups
- Development of computer literacy/foreign language skills
- Involvement in professional review interviews, mentoring etc
- Committee work
Branch events, which would not normally qualify for CPD, include social events and works visits of a non-technical nature.
As the Institution of Mechanical Engineers has stated, 'Continuing Professional Development is not compulsory and nor is survival!' You are therefore strongly encouraged to maintain best practice, and if you haven't already done so, start to plan, implement and record your CPD now!
