How do you log your CPD training?

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) includes the process of recording and reflecting on professional learning and experiences. This article provides a simple introduction to keeping a CPD log, including why it is important, what type of training activities to record, and how to best implement one for your professional development. If you are looking for somewhere to log your ongoing Continuing Professional Development training in one simple place, please go to the free myCPD Portal record tool.

What is a CPD log?

As the name implies a CPD log is a written document or formal record of the learning and development training activities which contribute towards a person’s professional knowledge, understanding and skills. A CPD log can be used to evidence both formal and informal learning and acts as a monitoring tool of the experience gained throughout an individual’s career. It can be used to:

• Easily record and reflect on CPD training activities
• Identify strengths and weaknesses
• Plan CPD goals with a straightforward action plan
• Store certificates and records for future use
• Provide evidence of training completed

Importance of keeping a CPD log

Continuing Professional Development is something that most people will do on an ongoing basis and is an integral part of an individual’s professional career. To keep track of this learning, it is important to keep and maintain a record of any learning and development activities in a CPD record or log.

The importance of keeping a CPD log is that it aims to support learning by creating a framework for recording and reflecting on professional development training activities. As such, it enables you to track your progress, make you think about your experiences and can be used to identify any gaps in your skills or knowledge that you may want to fill. Furthermore, a CPD log is sometimes presented as evidence of the amount of Continuing Professional Development undertaken for any relevant body or employer requirements.

In addition, the importance of keeping a CPD log is that it helps to:

• Provide an overview of your professional development to date
• Remind you of your achievements and how far you’ve progressed
• Uncover gaps in your knowledge, skills and capabilities
• Demonstrate your professionalism and commitment
• Tailor your future developments based on you and your organisations goals
• Helps you with career development, or a possible career change

How to manage your Continuing Professional Development effectively

The CPD Cycle is a helpful way to manage your Continuing Professional Development effectively. The CPD Cycle is a process for individuals to reflect, analyse, review and record their learning on a regular basis, and apply this to their career. More information on the CPD Cycle here.

When should I record my CPD training activities?

A CPD log is not just a tick-box document, but an accurate and comprehensive record of the learning that you have completed. You should aim to record your CPD training soon after each session. Be sure to record the number of CPD hours you have earned and the provider of each activity.

Keep a binder or folder including documents – such as certificates and notes – relating to your Continuing Professional Development, or you can store this record electronically using tools such as the free myCPD Portal.

What do you put in a CPD log?

First of all, you need to think about what kind of learning activities to put in a CPD log. We recommend you include a wide range of different types of learning to demonstrate a balanced and rounded approach to your Continuing Professional Development. Generally, it is important to include the following in your CPD log to help you capture and record any learning:

• Date: when the development activity was undertaken. Make sure to enter the date that you completed the CPD activity (not the date you recorded it). If you did a CPD activity that lasted several days, weeks or months, put the last date of the activity.
• CPD Hours: total time spent on the development activity
• Activity/description of learning: a brief description of the training activity including any learning outcomes
• Reflection: captures the ‘take home’ learning from the development activity – what have you learned, and how could you apply it or have you applied it?
• Evidence of participation: - keep a record of any documents or certificates of attendance for any CPD obligations 

Keep a learning log and record your experiences in whatever way suits you best. Be sure to focus on activities that are likely to have the biggest impact on your abilities, for your services, clients, colleagues and your organisation. This will help you prioritise your learning and choose what to put in a CPD log.

Most professional bodies place an emphasis on the learning outcomes of any CPD training activity, rather than solely meeting a specific fixed quota. As a simple guide, you should include a mix of both formal and informal learning activities.

CPD examples to include in your log

Here are some simple CPD examples to include in your log.

• Training courses, workshops and seminars
• Educational conferences and events
• eLearning and webinars you have attended
• Formal development or personal study
• Peer review, mentoring or shadowing
• Reading relevant journal articles or reviewing books
• Engagement in work-related discussion forums and blogs
• On-the-job learning and practical experience

Where can you log your CPD?

Having an effective CPD log will enable you to capture what you have done in an easy and timely format. You can either record your CPD training log as a manual or computer record. Generally it is a lot simpler to record it on a computer, using a spreadsheet or a purpose built CPD recording tool. Most importantly your CPD log needs to be laid out in a simple but professional way.

myCPD Portal

Our myCPD Portal is a free and simple tool used to manage, track and log your CPD in one place. Keep a track of training courses, workshops, seminars, eLearning, conferences and events that you have attended throughout the year. Store CPD certificates, set annual targets, log your learning and analyse your progress.

If you are looking for training, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements, please visit the CPD Industry Hubs for more information.

Become a CPD accredited provider

We hope this article was helpful. Established in 1996, The CPD Certification Service has over 27 years’ experience providing CPD accreditation. With members in over 100 countries, our CPD providers benefit from the ability to promote themselves as part of an international community where quality is both recognised and assured.

If you are interested in offering training courses, seminars, workshops, eLearning, or educational events suitable for Continuing Professional Development, please visit the Become a CPD Provider page or contact our team to discuss in more detail.