Continuing Personal Development (CPD) – Am I Bovvered?

From John Woodward, IDE First Vice President

Now that you have achieved membership of your desired institution you may feel that CPD is something that you are not bothered about. However I would say that, to be not bothered is a major mistake as more and more clients are now seeking proof of, not only membership of institutes such as The Institute of Demolition Engineers, but proof of CPD within the institute and in your working life.

As you will be asked for proof of CPD throughout 2010 and beyond why not decide now to make CPD one of your goals for this year. Attend as many seminars or training days that you can, record your attendance and use those records to prove your CPD.

The CPD record will allow you to demonstrate to potential clients that you take institute membership seriously, that your industry knowledge is up to date and that you are dedicated to your status as an institute member.

With two major seminars a year and numerous regional meetings the opportunity to obtain IDE CPD points has never been better so make a decision to attend as many as possible and keep recording those points as “Points make competence”.

Emma is Temp of the Month

We hear today that Emma Piotrowski, who is our part-time Events Secretary, through the Jobshop@Kent university agency, has been selected as their Temp of the Month for January.  They applaud her "dedication, commitment and reliability to the assignment" and regard her as an excellent ambassador for their service.

Valerie Stroud, IDE National Secretary, said, "We congratulate Emma and hope she will continue to work for us while she is at the University of Kent studying Spanish and Business Studies.  She is gathering a portfolio of valuable experience as well as contributing ideas to help the efficiency of the IDE office."

Becky Kellaway, Jobshop Sales Coordinator, explains the purpose of the agency:
"jobshop@kent is here to help students at the University of Kent find paid employment during their studies; the aim is to help alleviate financial hardship, whilst offering the opportunity to gain valuable work experience. With the introduction of tuition fees and the abolition of grants, students have come under growing pressure to meet at least some of the costs of their education.
An increasingly competitive graduate employment market has also made it essential for students to gain practical experience and work-related skills while studying. jobshop@kent provides students with a one-stop service for part-time and temporary vacancies; it also addresses the recruitment needs of local business. The service is extended to students at the University of Kent at Medway and higher education students at associated colleges throughout the county.
From a student's perspective, jobshop@kent looks very similar to a job centre; the boards in its dedicated office are adorned with cards detailing current vacancies and a team of staff is available to provide application details and other advice when necessary. jobshop@kent also maintains a bank of information on issues such as taxation, National Insurance and writing a CV."