27th October 2008, 12:10 PM
Ok... I'll join in.
For me CPD is a laudable ideal (as it should be). But in archaeology (instigated by the organisations that run archaeology, and those organisations that put in place) it appears to be yet another "adopt-a-buzz-word" thing... whereby archaeology adopts the latest trend floating around in the business / commercial / governmental world and tries to put it into practice without necessarily understanding what it is all about, what it's for and why it is necessary. Sometimes, it appears to be a "we [u]must be seen</u> to be doing it" dictum ... sometimes for the right reasons (actual staff development) and sometimes for the wrong (just to ensure RAO status and stay fluffy with the IfA). Sometimes, CPD is geared for what a unit wants (there is a gap in the office / market), rather what the employee would like ot actually needs.
In the past, I wanted CPD in a particular field... something that was of interest to me and (from the way I looked at it) useful for my career development. Instead, I got a "sorry that can't be done because it will cost too much, take you away from the field (ie the job [u]we</u> want you to do) and... anyway... **** (insert name) is already proficient, qualified and employed to do that". Instead, I got to do something much less interesting to me, but much more beneficial to them (ie it allowed them to put in some document somewhere that I was their 'in-house' specialist on said object!). I also know of someone in another unit who really wanted to be a specialist in a particular field (as they actually did it for their BA and Masters). The place was available, the tutors / mentors wanted that particular person... everything seemed right. That is until the employers said... "sorry, we can't let you do it because you'll be away from your actual post for too long and we will loose money".
And no... I'm not going to say who they were.
One question I've asked myself is... just how many units / organisations actually want an fully-empowered, fully-trained, fully-geared up workforce? If you give someone too much information (education), they'll start to ask questions.
To have any clout, CPD has to be part of the curriculum, instigated by the IfA and run by the IfA. Not at the whim of any unit who thinks it is doing the 'right' thing.
This from RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects)...
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) obligations exist to help ensure that qualified professionals maintain their competence to practise. This is true in countless professional sectors in the UK.
At its very basic level, CPD is for consumer protection. It is also a way of ensuring that architects keep up-to-date within a rapidly changing profession. CPD should also enhance an architect's current and future development (professionally, personally and for staff within a business.)
All chartered members of the RIBA are obliged to do CPD every year. This is true no matter where in the world the member lives or what sort of work is undertaken. Only fully retired members are exempt from this obligation.
Chartered members of the RIBA are required to do the following each year:
At least 19.5 hours per year from the RIBA's prescribed core curriculum for CPD
At least 15.5 hours of professional development in other subjects relevant to your own CPD needs
Record activity via the RIBA's CPD record sheet (preferably online)
Plan CPD via the RIBA's professional development plan (preferably online)
The RIBA will, at the end of every year, monitor a random sample of chartered members' CPD. We will ask to see CPD record sheets. It would be helpful to see professional development plans as well.
For me CPD is a laudable ideal (as it should be). But in archaeology (instigated by the organisations that run archaeology, and those organisations that put in place) it appears to be yet another "adopt-a-buzz-word" thing... whereby archaeology adopts the latest trend floating around in the business / commercial / governmental world and tries to put it into practice without necessarily understanding what it is all about, what it's for and why it is necessary. Sometimes, it appears to be a "we [u]must be seen</u> to be doing it" dictum ... sometimes for the right reasons (actual staff development) and sometimes for the wrong (just to ensure RAO status and stay fluffy with the IfA). Sometimes, CPD is geared for what a unit wants (there is a gap in the office / market), rather what the employee would like ot actually needs.
In the past, I wanted CPD in a particular field... something that was of interest to me and (from the way I looked at it) useful for my career development. Instead, I got a "sorry that can't be done because it will cost too much, take you away from the field (ie the job [u]we</u> want you to do) and... anyway... **** (insert name) is already proficient, qualified and employed to do that". Instead, I got to do something much less interesting to me, but much more beneficial to them (ie it allowed them to put in some document somewhere that I was their 'in-house' specialist on said object!). I also know of someone in another unit who really wanted to be a specialist in a particular field (as they actually did it for their BA and Masters). The place was available, the tutors / mentors wanted that particular person... everything seemed right. That is until the employers said... "sorry, we can't let you do it because you'll be away from your actual post for too long and we will loose money".
And no... I'm not going to say who they were.
One question I've asked myself is... just how many units / organisations actually want an fully-empowered, fully-trained, fully-geared up workforce? If you give someone too much information (education), they'll start to ask questions.
To have any clout, CPD has to be part of the curriculum, instigated by the IfA and run by the IfA. Not at the whim of any unit who thinks it is doing the 'right' thing.
This from RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects)...
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) obligations exist to help ensure that qualified professionals maintain their competence to practise. This is true in countless professional sectors in the UK.
At its very basic level, CPD is for consumer protection. It is also a way of ensuring that architects keep up-to-date within a rapidly changing profession. CPD should also enhance an architect's current and future development (professionally, personally and for staff within a business.)
All chartered members of the RIBA are obliged to do CPD every year. This is true no matter where in the world the member lives or what sort of work is undertaken. Only fully retired members are exempt from this obligation.
Chartered members of the RIBA are required to do the following each year:
At least 19.5 hours per year from the RIBA's prescribed core curriculum for CPD
At least 15.5 hours of professional development in other subjects relevant to your own CPD needs
Record activity via the RIBA's CPD record sheet (preferably online)
Plan CPD via the RIBA's professional development plan (preferably online)
The RIBA will, at the end of every year, monitor a random sample of chartered members' CPD. We will ask to see CPD record sheets. It would be helpful to see professional development plans as well.