CPD Support Resource

CPD – Let it Continue

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is a means by which scientists ensure that they are upskilling, improving their professional practice and staying up-to-date with their area of work. This year has highlighted the willingness, readiness and ability of our science workforce to adapt to great change and there is no doubt that prior commitment to CPD has better enabled this to happen.

Keeping up with CPD in the year ahead, and onwards, is a requirement to retain your professional registration. The Science Council is aware that a lot has changed, in life and in work, and we want to provide as much support as we can so that registrants are in the best position possible in 2021.

Changing Your Approach to CPD

You may have found that your approach to CPD has had to change over the past year, and this is likely to continue into 2021. Some small changes to thinking about and planning your CPD may help with the transition. Consider how your role might have changed as a result of the pandemic. Did you undertake additional training or learn new skills? Have you taken on a leadership role, are you collaborating and communicating with new teams? Reflect upon any challenges that you have faced in your role or whilst your role has been changing. What have you done to combat these challenges and to improve your work? You might have been doing CPD without noticing it so make sure that you include all relevant activities in your CPD record.

CPD Away from the Screen

Transitioning from face-to-face to online might have resulted in much of your CPD activities relying on screen-time. Whilst virtual events have provided easier access to a magnitude of CPD resources, the Science Council recognises that it can feel overwhelming to be always on-screen. There are a few things that you can do to look after yourself as you spend more time online.

• Ensure that you have a comfortable work/study space. Check out the Health and Safety Executive’s post here.
• Implement meeting-free days within your team/organisations.
• When networking and collaborating, if it is possible to do so, try a phone call rather than an online meeting.
• Take regular breaks throughout the day, within meetings and between CPD activities.
• Other useful wellbeing tips and resources can be found here:
  • NHS – Every Mind Matters
  • Simple Tips for Working from Home
  • Mind: Coronavirus – Supporting Yourself and Your Team
  • ACAS: Working from Home in the Coronavirus Pandemic
  • Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors: Creating a Safe Workplace During COVID-19

It is good to plan for CPD activities away from the screen. Have you volunteered in your local community? The NCVO have published a guide on how you can help from home. This type of activity can be included in the ‘other’ CPD learning category.

Need some Inspiration?

Our CPD Awards winners have been commended for their outstanding CPD. Meet our winners, hear their CPD stories and check out their top-tips.

Look at your professional body’s website; sign up to online webinars, engage with their work and read their publications. All of these things contribute to CPD.

• IBMS’ The Biomedical Scientist Live event featured a talk on Managing your CPD in the pandemic. This, alongside other recorded content from the event, can be found via IBMS’ e-learning platform from early 2021.
• RSC’s database of accredited peer-reviewed courses. Open to all but RSC members get discounted prices. http://www.rsc.org/cpd/training
• IES’ and journals and webinars (open to members to attend) can be found on their resources page. Webinar recording are open to all on IES’ YouTube page.

Do you have some extra time? Volunteer with us.

Would you like to become an application assessor, CPD assessor or sit on a committee? Check out the Science Council’s or your professional body’s vacancies pages.

Reach out and ask the membership team at your professional body to see what is on offer.

Time to upskill?

Polish your digital skills and learn a new technology. Learn how to better manage your team, look after their wellbeing and motivate them to achieve. Gain knowledge of scientific areas of interest. Online course providers such as FutureLearn, the Open University and Coursera offer free courses that you can enroll on which can count towards CPD.

Remember to reflect upon how these courses are relevant to your role and discuss the specific benefits gained from them.

Here to help

Look for extra support and ask for help. Your professional body and employer will know that it might be difficult to complete CPD at this time, and will be ready to help you along the way.

Professional body membership teams, mentors or line managers will be able to provide advice, so do not be afraid to ask.

Other useful Resources

• STEM Learning deliver CPD to teachers in STEM subjects.
• The Science Council’s Useful Resources blog page.

Glowing CPD Case Studies

Hear from Alison Hanlon and Victoria Moyse, to find out more about how they have updated their CPD practices in the pandemic.