Top Tips for Recording Your CPD

Recording your CPD properly is almost as important as the training itself.

In an article published last week, we outlined the requirements of the IDD as a reminder of the 15 hours of CPD that must be recorded each year by anyone involved in insurance distribution. Your CPD record is the evidence that you’ve met this regulatory requirement, so it shouldn’t be overlooked.

What should a CPD record contain?

In general, a good CPD record should contain:

• information about the activity completed
• when it was completed
• how long it took
• which of the eight themes of the IDD (if any) it relates to
• reflection on what has been gained by completing it/how it will influence further work or study

For users of the Aviva Development Zone, the process is made simple by the ‘Record My CPD’ function which is broken up into four straightforward sections:  

• What will your activity be?

This involves briefly describing the activity – for example, “Completed ‘The Insurance Distribution Directive’ module” and identifying the activity type. There are many acceptable types of CPD, such as e-learning courses, exams, on-the-job training, webinars, workshops etc.

• Why will you do this activity?

This focuses on objectives and learning needs. Many brokers will be undertaking a significant proportion of their CPD in order to meet the requirements of the IDD, so an objective might be, for instance, “To demonstrate the minimum necessary knowledge of complaints handling.”

• When will you do this activity?

Simply, the dates the activity took place on and how long was spent on it. This important for calculating how many CPD hours have been completed per year.

• Reflection on the activity

Reflection is a crucial part of the CPD process. A reflective statement does not need to be lengthy or onerous – a sentence or two is usually sufficient. The statement simply needs to explain how an activity has met certain training needs and how it will benefit you in your role. Reflection is useful for understanding what worked and what didn’t and identifying areas for improvement.

By recording your CPD in a thorough and consistent fashion it becomes clearer what has been gained from the experience and where, if any, there are gaps in your knowledge and understanding. It is a personal record of learning and development, that also provides clear evidence that a regulatory requirement has been met.