Continuing professional development (CPD) can be defined as the continuous involvement in planned activities aimed at the maintenance, improvement and broadening of a member’s knowledge and skill in carrying out his or her lighting employment.
The Society believes that most members carry out CPD as a natural extension of their working life with the recognition that in today’s world it is necessary to keep up to date with changing techniques and technology. However if we wish to be taken seriously as professionals in the lighting industry, we need to demonstrate not only a credible process of compliance, but also a proper formal structure for keeping our qualifications up to date. Therefore the Society has formulated a simple but effective CPD system, which we believe requires only a small amount of record keeping to satisfy the necessary requirements.
We in the Society, unlike other professions, do not enjoy the advantage of government legislation to support our activities. One of the aims of the Society’s Board is to increase the credibility of the MIES and FIES qualification, with the long-term intention of obtaining some form of legislative support. An essential element of any qualification in today’s world is some formal method of updating one’s knowledge and expertise, which is the purpose of CPD.
There was considerable sentiment in some Chapters that CPD should be compulsory for all FIES and MIES Members, (other than retired Members). This would have meant that the undertaking of CPD would have been a pre-requisite for retaining the grade of FIES or MIES. Ultimately it was decided that compulsory CPD would be too radical a step to take initially. However, there is some prospect that CPD may become compulsory at some time in the future.
The way in which the CPD process works is relatively simple. There are 6 (six) categories of activity, which qualify for CPD. (refer the CPD Activities Guide). Each category has a “Weighting Factor” applied to it, and the requirement is that a Member should complete 60 weighted hours of activity over a three-year period. Members will be asked to keep yearly records of their CPD activities on the form provided and to return it to the Chapter Secretary by 31st July each year. A certificate of compliance will be issued at the end of successful completion of the three-year period of activities. (Note: It is not necessary to complete exactly 20 hours of activity each year, but the total of the three-year period must add up to 60).
We strongly urge all members, particularly MIES and FIES members, (other than retired members), to undertake CPD. The necessary forms are available in PDF for members to download and complete as required.