Contninuing Professional Development Log

[Wax]

As one of my many New Year resolutions I am aiming to get a proper CPD log up and running. I do a lot of things that might be considered as part of this but I am never sure what to include and how to record it. Keeping a general diary is about as far as I go currently. What do you guys do and what should I include?

[kevin wooldridge]

I struggled with this for a number of years, not sure what to add in and leave out, but eventually gave in and used the IfA template with a few modifications.

It strikes me there are two elements. There is the expanded 'CV' side of things which is sort of a personal history. In this I include all orojects I have worked on and what I did there, whether it resulted in an output i.e publication, credit in a report etc. To this I have added all training I have received (formal and informal), conferences attended, papers presented. To a certain extent this is relative i.e do you have to include every site induction as training?, but essentially the aim of IfA members is to demonstrate 50 hours of CPD over a set period, so some thing in some things out. Also I have recently been taking a MA course so that gets included as well.....

Second element is in essence 'the future'. This is more in the form of a diary, up and coming training, conferences, publications in progress. It enables me to keep aware of the need for the 'CONTINUING' part of CPD and to address the issue if I don't have an adequate amount scheduled for the coming year. This hasn't been a problem for a while but once I finish the MA this month, I will have to be a bit more active about filling in the hours in future. In future I suspect I will include my input to the local community group and the training work I undertake with undergraduates as in many ways this does expand my capabilities as well as theirs (I hope).... I can send you a copy of the CPD IfA forms if it will help. Send me a private message and I will forward them by e-mail....

[Dinosaur]

As one of my many New Year resolutions I am aiming to get a proper CPD log up and running. I do a lot of things that might be considered as part of this but I am never sure what to include and how to record it. Keeping a general diary is about as far as I go currently. What do you guys do and what should I include?

You can have mine if you like, never seen the point and never remember to fill it in anyway - actually I can't even remember where its hidden on the office server :face-crying:

[Wax]

Thanks Kevin I did have a copy of the IFA template along with one that was more specific to a past employer. Both were a bit clunky and not particularly easy to complete. I suppose my question is what should I include (and exclude)

Talks to local amatuer groups
Setting up and running YAC and National Archaeology Week sessions
Attendance at Conferences
Working on site as a volunteer with local amateur group
Publications contributed to (have not published independently yet)
Grey literature reports produced
Personal research
Developing and delivering training packages
Background reading
On line training courses in non archaeological skills like working with volunteers (part of internal training provided by employer)
Refresher training for skills learnt long ago
That evening class in digital photography
Two days spent surfing the net looking at British folklore (just for the fun of it)
That night spent down the pub picking the brains of someone who has worked in a totally different branch of archaeology
Two months on a very specific and unusual site type which I am very unlikely to ever come across again.
First aid at work course

What is part of the normal day job and what is continuing professional development or do they overlap?

As I have listed these things it has struck me that In all my time as an archaeologist the commercial units have only provided basics like first aid and health and safety training but never specific professional training beyond working with an "old lag" (not to be underestimated as away of picking up skills). The non commercial set ups provided much better training oportunities but the bulk of my training has been gained by actively seeking it out and paying for it myself. Do employers have any statutory requirement to provide CPD?

PS If like Dinosaur I had a permenant job I probably would forget about it but recent job applications I have looked at are asking for CPD logs going back 3 years or more

[kevin wooldridge]

....recent job applications I have looked at are asking for CPD logs going back 3 years or more

That is very interesting. I haven't come across that before in an application, but I can see some logic to it. Perhaps it would offer more scope than a traditional CV and covering letter...

[Dinosaur]

Was out on site for a week during December, during which I was subjected to no less than 3 inductions and a Tool Box Talk which consisted of the H&S guy showing us some slides of his favourite accidents (none of which had much to do with the job at hand), and have yet another induction on Tuesday (we've had a Xmas break, so obviously it's a whole new world on the same site!), plus one for a different job the following day - on that basis, 3 years-worth of CPD log isn't something the average employer is going to be spending a lot of time reading through? :face-thinks:

[Wax]

I would argue that most of Dinosaur's induction courses are not appropriate for inclusion on a CPD log. Though some more specialist inductions might be relevant along with things like confined spaces or working at height training. What do the rest of you think should be included?

My feeling is that what is needed from a CPD log is clear evidence of the individual maintaining and improving their skills and experience. Mostly through their own initiative (where is the employer provided professional training, is there any?)

[Martin Locock]

The IfA template palces the focus on your development (as in D) - this would tehrefore exclude top up/ routine stuff like inductions. The key steps are: to review what you currently do/ know, then decide what you should know in orderr to do your current job better or your nect job, then identify some way to gain that knowldge (reading / courses / conferences / mentoring / research). The log itself is a record of your activities, importatnly including some reflection on what you learnt.

[monty]

Does anyone really fill these in !

[Martin Locock]

I had to send mine to the ifA for checking as part of their monitoring, so I did then. probably best to see it as an annual chore rather than doing it as you go along.