Overview

CPD Seminars

As one of the UK’s leading specialist stonework and restoration contractors, Szerelmey recognise the need to provide ongoing training and a technical service for professional teams involved in the design of stonework and the cleaning and restoration of buildings.

*  Lectures are designed to last for one and a half hours
*  Q&A session
*  Lectures usually take place in your office over the lunch period.
*  All attendee’s receive a certificate.
*  We request a minimum of 12 people attend.

 
What is Continuing Professional Development?

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the requirement, shared by scores of professional institutions, that professionals continue to keep up with their training every year after they qualify. This is a requirement shared by, amongst others, architects, designers, technicians, engineers, surveyors, solicitors, medical professionals, pensions advisors, accountants. . basically, anyone who works in a profession where the well being of other people - physical or financial - is at stake in your work.

Why do CPD?

Aside from being a mandatory obligation for all corporate members of the RIBA - as well as most other professional institutions - there are compelling business reasons for doing CPD:

* Acquiring a competitive edge
* Investigate latest developments in technology & legislation
* Keeping one's business on top
* Protecting oneself, one's practice, the public
* Attracting the best graduates
* Keeping clients happy
* Improving profit


In other words, CPD should be seen as a tool to help you, your ability to practise, and your business. It might help to use the terms "training" or 'learning" instead of CPD, particularly if you do not belong to a profession with mandatory obligations. CPD is really simply learning.

Increasingly, for instance, clients, particularly in the public sector, want to see evidence of training. Prospective employers will also ask for such evidence. Graduates will ask what your training policy is, and the best ones will want to work where they know they will be developed.

What can I study?
As a very general guide, the RIBA recommends that members look at the following areas:
*  Practice activity
*  New technologies
*  The practicalities of running one's business
*  Practical skills
*  Legal responsibilities in your profession
*  Changes in the industry
*  Society's needs


You will also want to look at:
Career development needs
*  Your job description, requirements and workload
*  Long term goals
*  Experience since qualification
*  Degree of specialisation
*  How much time you can devote
*  The most convenient and interesting learning format for you
*  Level of achievement you are aiming for


Without overstretching boundaries, any professional - not just architects - could take these as a general guide. You can then fit in your learning around these areas, taking into account yearly performance reviews and last minute changes. The RIBA - and many other institutions - require that you plan your CPD as well as record it.

When does the RIBA's CPD obligation start?
The obligation to comply with the new rules began on I April 1999. For the RIBA's purposes, the CPD year will normally be from January to December. The first full year will start on 1 January 2000, the 1999 CPD year being partial. In other words, while it ends on 3I December, we do not expect a full year of compliance.

Each professional institution will have its own separate requirements. If unsure, contact the CPD officer at your professional body.

I simply do not have enough time to do CPD.
How can it be fitted in?

The obligation of 35 hours per year equals a mere 45 minutes per week. Most practitioners are doing this anyway, and have done so since they qualified. The only difference is that you are now required to plan and record it.

Doing CPD does not have to mean leaving the office to do time-consuming and expensive seminars. A certain amount is available in house, through the RIBA CPD Providers Network, or at low cost at your regional office. Do remember that spending money on something really worthwhile - such as a CAD course.
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