Continuing professional development offered by CIWEM is a recognised training and assessment programme that enables the consistent growth of professional knowledge and skill, and the development of personal qualities throughout a person's working life.

The CPD programme was originally introduced by CIWEM in January 1996 on a voluntary basis, and became a personal obligation for corporate members, and associates from 1 January 1998. The adoption of CPD by CIWEM will ensure that members' skills and qualifications are in keeping with the requirements and standards of the water and environmental sector.

For example, CIWEM works closely with the Engineering Council, which is a leading advocate of CPD becoming a key element of career development of every discipline within the engineering industry. By implementing CPD, CIWEM will maintain its essential close link with the Engineering Council to enable suitably qualified members to obtain chartered and incorporated registration. CIWEM will not confine its CPD requirements to those members wishing to obtain Engineering Council registration. All practising corporate and associate members are expected to comply.

CPD is attractive for employers, because it creates a workforce that has a thorough awareness and understanding of change within the water and environmental sector. Staff pursuing CPD are well equipped to absorb innovation, and to apply new techniques and skills in the workplace. It is possible to link CPD with in-house training, so that appropriate courses can be used as credits towards CPD. For more information on recording CPD please see below.

As a process of continued development and learning, CPD is in complete accord with CIWEM's existing structured training and professional review. In common with these, CPD makes provision for both practical skill and academic knowledge.

The need for CPD

In order to stay ahead of rapidly changing technology and new legislation, it is imperative that professionals in the water and environmental sector regularly broaden their knowledge and skill base.

Getting the most from CPD

To ensure that the maximum benefit is derived from CPD, each individual should draw up a personal development plan. This is used as a measure of progress and evaluation once the CPD programme is underway. A good starting point for this plan is the annual appraisal and training review which most employers now conduct.

To successfully pursue CPD, corporate and associate members of CIWEM will need to obtain, on average, five days (based on a six hour day) each year (January to December). Time spent on activities taking less than one day each to complete is accrued and added up. CPD credits are assessed over a three year rolling period. A total of 15 days (90 hours) must be achieved during this period.

Hours eligible for CPD credit must be calculated from time actively spent at appropriate events, working on activities, or on study. Genuine personal professional development must also be a factor when allocating time spent to CPD credit. Honest appraisal is left to the integrity of CIWEM members.

CPD is continuing development so a maximum of eight days (48 hours) in one year will count towards the overall assessment. Likewise a minimum of two days (12 hours) in one year will count.

CPD opportunities and evaluation

Conferences, seminars and technical meetings organised by an appropriate institution, university, other professional bodies, course providers and employers

Notes should be made both of the activity itself, and of the time spent in actually receiving professional benefit during the activity. Where a CPD credit is allocated by an organiser, an individual's claim for CPD time must not exceed this allocation.

Conferences, committees and working parties, in a managerial capacity

Details of the nature of involvement in the event and time spent on the event must be recorded by the individual. A maximum of 20% CPD credit can be obtained from such activity in each year.

Private studies that are suitably structured

Before undertaking private study a formal statement of the aims, objectives and source material must be made. Upon completion of the private study the time spent and the benefits gained by the individual can be assessed against the stated aims and objectives.

Correspondence courses, Open University courses, CIWEM Certificate and Diploma modules and other supervised study packages

Records of acceptance on to the course, professional benefits of the course, and the time spent in studying must be kept by the individual.

Research and post-qualification studies

Records of the professional benefit obtained and the time spent must be kept by the individual.

Technical authorship and the preparation of lectures for organised events

The time spent on these activities must be recorded. An honest, objective evaluation of their professional development value must also be made by the individual.
Undertaking a formal role in the running of the Institution at either national, group or branch level

Details of the nature of the involvement in the event and time spent on the event must be recorded by the individual. A maximum of 20% CPD credit can be obtained from such activity in each year.

Undertaking the duties of interviewer at professional reviews and/or mentor for a structured training programme

Details of the nature of the duties and time spent in their execution must be recorded by the individual. A maximum of 20% CPD credit can be obtained from such activity in each year.

Recording CPD

Individual corporate and associate CIWEM members must keep their own record of CPD credit achieved each year. In addition to factual details, such as time spent and content of specific activities, CPD records must also contain objective, constructive assessment of the personal professional development benefits gained from each activity.

The precise format of this record can suit the individual's own preference for example, long hand notebook and/or computerised files.  From January 2005, CIWEM members can record their CPD online in the CIWEM Members Area.

The only stipulation is that a hard copy of up to five years information, as appropriate, is immediately available upon request. Therefore all CPD records must be kept for a minimum of five years.

Although ownership of CPD records remains with the individual member, reasonable requests for access to the material by CIWEM, an employer, or courts of law should be upheld. Failure to provide access to CPD records may be prejudicial to the member concerned.

CIWEM's role

The onus is upon individual members to maintain their own CPD records, honestly and accurately. However CIWEM will require access to these records if a member:

• is proposed to become a professional review interviewer
• is proposed to become a structured training mentor
• applies for a change of membership grade
• seeks a reference from CIWEM or another member
• when circulating a cv
• when appearing at a disciplinary hearing
• on any other occasion when reference to membership is used to promote a member, or their employer.

Members will be asked to acknowledge on their annual subscription renewal forms that they have completed the requisite number of CPD hours. In addition to the eventualities listed above a random audit will be made from a sample of these declarations.