CPD is here!

Citation

Emery, J. (2002), "CPD is here!", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 32 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2002.01732bae.002

CPD is here!

The Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) launched its Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme in March 2001. This scheme was specifically prepared for professional food scientists and’technologists, and was issued as a CD-ROM.

The scheme aims to encourage participants to systematically update and extend the professional knowledge and skills needed to ensure their continuing professional competence.

For a fee, the IFST will review registrants' records annually and will issue a certificate of compliance if the Institute's standards for CPD are met.

What is CPD?

A formal CPD scheme is a systematic updating and extension of the personal knowledge and skills needed to ensure continuing professional competence. It encourages participants to be structured and comprehensive in the ways they update and expand their knowledge and as a result they are able to respond positively to a rapidly changing technical environment. Participants further benefit by taking responsibility for their personal development, improving their job satisfaction and performance, and enhancing their career prospects by being better prepared for promotion opportunities or job changes. The experience of a number of organisations that have operated similar schemes indicates that a minimum of 35 hours' intensive work is required each year.

A number of professional bodies regard CPD as an important feature of their profession and have or will shortly make it an integral part of the professional standards required for "Chartered" status. The Science Council (of which IFST is a member) is currently developing the qualification of "Chartered Scientist" which will require a minimum of three years CPD.

CPD can benefit companies by optimising the performance of their staff and achieving greater staff commitment and professionalism. Also, well established CPD schemes can provide assurance about organisational competence to the public, to customers and to enforcement authorities.

CPD is not just about attending formal training courses, although these may be necessary to develop certain skills and increase knowledge on specific issues. Opportunities for personal development arise throughout an individual's career and through a wide variety of activities that may vary from formal training to working with fellow industry professionals e.g. customers, suppliers and enforcement personnel. It is important that the acquisition of knowledge and skill and its application to benefit the work situation is recognised and, where applicable, validated.

The IFST scheme

The IFST is committed to raising the professional standards of all those working in food science and technology.

The IFST CPD scheme is designed to be simple to follow and introduces an element of formality, review and transparency into the lifetime learning activities which responsible professionals have always practised.

The IFST CPD scheme requires participants either to undertake a minimum of 35 hours' activities within the "core" categories in any year; or to undertake a mixture of "core" and "supplementary" activities such that the sum of the hours of core activities plus half the hours of supplementary activities is at least 35 hours in any year. Definitions of "core" and "supplementary" activities are given.

The professional skills and knowledge required by participants will vary considerably depending on their professional role and discipline. Therefore each CPD programme will reflect the needs and aspirations of the individual. There can be no question of the IFST trying to prescribe the CPD programme. It is for the participant to specify’the areas of skill and knowledge which’is relevant to the role and against which’their CPD programme should be designed and verified. As careers of participants evolve it is expected that the relevant areas of skill and knowledge will change. The role of IFST CPD scheme is to provide guidance on the main issues and to act as an independent external verifier of the appropriateness/relevance/standard of the contents of participants' CPD programmes.

Fundamental to a CPD scheme is the need for individuals to take ownership of their career progression, while accepting employers may have a significant role to play. Indeed some employers operate excellent personal development schemes for employees, but individuals should learn to steer and manage their own routes into the future so they can more readily adapt to changing circumstances.

Because the needs of each individual will vary and there can be no prescriptive programme, this CD-ROM provides examples of activities that count towards CPD. It is for the participant to recognise needs and opportunities inside and outside the workplace and to take advantage of these learning experiences in enhancing their own continuing professional development.

For most participants the more successful CPD programmes are those that are designed to be mutually beneficial to them and their employer, and ones that are themselves reviewed and updated regularly to take account of changes in participants' plans and changes in the business environment. Guidance on a means of designing a CPD programme is given.

New members joining the Institute of Food Science and Technology will receive a copy of the CD-ROM, plus one year's registration free of charge.

In addition, the IFST CPD CD-ROM may be purchased at £20 per copy. Annual Registration and Certification costs £65. This also includes an introductory offer of 1 year's free membership of IFST. (Applicants for membership are required to pay a non-refundable application fee of £15.)

If you are interested in joining the scheme, please contact Jill Bolton on 020 7603 6316 or team@ifst.org, for further details.

Jane EmeryDeputy Chief Executive, Institute of Food Science and Technology, London, UK

© Institute of Food Science and Technology, 2001.