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Physical Activity as CPD

Mark Tickner

One of the objectives set by my leadership this year was to do something to improve our health and wellbeing, whether that be take up a hobby for pleasure, go to the gym or just read a book. One aspect I choose was to do more regular structured exercise, rather then the sporadic exercise I was doing.

Being involved in looking at others CPD and giving some feedback, it strikes me that I should actually be reporting this personal development activity as CPD. CPD is essentially what you make of it, so I see no reason why learning a new exercise routine doesn't count as CPD. I certainly can reflect on that activity. How many of the exercise hours I would claim as CPD, is a different question.

However, a couple of things come to mind. For IET CPD we need to classify the activity into the TWAVES concept. So which does it fall under? The initial learning of how to use the equipment possibly falls under Training. The review sessions with the trainer is receiving coaching, so work experience. Does anyone have any thoughts on that?

To throw a different curve ball, the Engineering Council CPD training I went on earlier this year stated that they would like to see CPD allocated to the UK-SPEC competence categories, even after you have achieved professional registration. This is because they feel a broad range of CPD is covering multiple UK-SPEC competence categories. I'm not sure that physical training fits into any category.

I'd be interested to read others thoughts...

Thanks,

Mark

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  • +1 in reply to Simon Barker
    Simon Barker said:
    I don't claim my music lessons.  I may be learning something, but it's nothing to do with engineering.

    It does depend what you're engineering...part of the reason I was able to spend a very significant part of my engineering career in the music industry was precisely because of my music training and performing experience. I wouldn't have been able to design equalisers and dynamics processors in the way I did without understanding what they were for. Even listening to music at the time added to it - provided (the reflection bit) I was actually thinking about the way it was recorded (or mixed if live) - which sadly in those days I often was. 

    So that's a good point, if, say, your job is designing bicycles then being a cyclist could well be part of your CPD. Or indeed, taking my previous example of running, if I was to now find myself engineering running machines the fact that I use one regularly may be CPD. Perhaps more accurately the act of choosing a new one and getting used to it. I certainly understand the engineering of them a lot more than I did a few years ago.

    So thanks for that, you've made me realise I gave a wrong (or at least incomplete) answer! Grinning

    Hmm...I'm now wondering if I should claim all my train journeys as CPD! They do give me an insight from a user's perspective of the world I now work in. Maybe if I ever get desperate...

    Thanks,

    Andy

  • 0 in reply to Andy Millar

    Yes I am pushing the definition a bit (and why not).

    It was the Engineering Council that stated (in a training course) that CPD should go further then the day job. In fact, the CPD statement talks about enhancing professionalism in a wider context than a specific job role

    Tio be fair, I far exceed the hours of CPD from just one aspect of volunteering that I do, let alone other forms of volunteering I'm involved with and not counting anything actually directly related to my employment.

    I agree with Andy's first point, that many registrants are probably recording a fraction of their actual CPD, in some cases because they don't realise what they are doing is CPD.

    But is the CPD return just a tick box exercise - identify 30 hours and be done with it (I'd argue that some do take that approach). No it isn't. It is meant to have some value to the registrant.

    So yes, going to the gym probably might not be CPD in itself, however, receiving coaching is probably CPD if the purpose is to learn how I might better coach others.

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