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What does the IET expect for CPD?

The IET’s policy on CPD and what it expects from its members.

The IET strongly encourages all members to undertake planned and structured CPD in order to remain competent throughout their working lives. This is incorporated into our Rules of Professional Conduct, and is underpinned by the wide variety of products and services provided by the IET to support our members’ professional development activities.

Our Policy

In recognition of the widely differing roles, sectors and circumstances of our members, it is our policy not to be prescriptive in what we ask members to do. We believe that our members and, where appropriate, their employers are best placed to decide what CPD is appropriate to maintain the knowledge and skills required for their current role, and for development into future roles. CPD is therefore not mandatory, but should be seen as obligatory, and should become a self-managed lifelong process.

We recommend adopting a structured approach and planning your development to ensure you demonstrate your continuing commitment to your profession, and to develop the good practice of regularly reviewing your needs and selecting relevant learning activities to help you fulfil them. As part of this, an appropriate recording system will help you to track your activities and review progress.

The IET expects its members to be able to demonstrate, if requested, their commitment to CPD. Written evidence will be required at registration for chartered engineer and incorporated engineer. At other times members may be surveyed to establish whether the IET's policies and support services for professional development are useful and effective.

Will I need to submit my CPD?

We do not regularly request evidence of CPD from our members. However, you should be able to demonstrate your commitment to professional development and continuing competence, and written evidence will be required if you apply for one of the EC(UK) professional qualifications, or when upgrading to Fellow. 

We do undertake a regular sample survey of members to track attitudes and behaviours relating to CPD.  You may be approached to participate in this.

What should I do?

Any activity that contributes to your learning, to developing skills or to forming a professional attitude can be considered CPD. You may keep your knowledge up-to-date by reading and researching, keep current with the latest ideas by networking, develop new skills through secondments, going on training courses or even taking on a new activity outside of work, such as volunteering.

Many people use competence frameworks to help them benchmark the skills required for their role and consequently plan activities to fill any skills gaps that they identify. Your job description is another tool for pinpointing your needs, and you may find that mentoring or coaching is useful to help challenge your understanding and set goals.

How much CPD do I need to do?

Enough to meet your needs! For some this will simply mean keeping abreast of current technology in their sector, whilst for the career ambitious there will be much more to do. Our requirement is that you maintain the knowledge and skills to work ‘professionally’ throughout your life. Being professional means ensuring you always have the necessary knowledge to make informed and sound judgements, that you do not undertake tasks for which you are not competent or qualified, and that you always conduct your activities in line with current legal and environmental requirements and recognised good practice.

As a guide, the EC(UK) standards for engineering competence (UK-SPEC) provides an outline of the topics that a professional working in engineering or technology ought to cover when building and maintaining competence. Broadly, these are:

  • General and specialist understanding and knowledge to optimise application of technology.
  • Theoretical and practical skills to contribute to the design development, manufacture, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance of products or services, including methods for analysis and solution of problems.
  • Personal responsibility and, where appropriate, technical and commercial leadership.
  • Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Professional standards, obligations to safety, the profession and the environment.

Ensuring that your CPD plans address skills in these areas will help you to ensure you become, and remain, a well-rounded professional.

The IET does not expect you to undertake any particular activity, but would advise you to use all the opportunities and support available to you to find the most appropriate activities for your personal requirements. There is more information on the possibilities open to you in our guide Professional Development – How To Do It.