Brennan Chui
Professional success is an ongoing journey with no end.
As the world and technology evolves at rocket speed, especially throughout the last decade, Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is how professionals maintain their skills, knowledge, and understanding to remain up-to-date with industry best practices and stay on top of their game.
For those operating in the architectural and design space, CPDs play a pivotal role within each professional’s career path.
.jpg?width=600&height=338&name=business-teamwork-cooperation-conceptual-image%20(1).jpg)
What is CPD?
Within the UK Construction Industry, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is a mandatory requirement for over 500,000 members of approximately 50 construction industry professional bodies and member institutes.
In the field of architecture, RIBA has summarised CPD as “the activity which maintains, enhances or increases the knowledge and skills of the member to the benefit of his or her capabilities as an architect”.
To maintain their RIBA membership, members must demonstrate that they have engaged in a set number of hours for educational activities aimed at improving their knowledge and skill. This requirement is normally around 35 or 40 hours per year, but not always.
For example, members of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) are required to complete at least 20 hours of CPD each year. CPD Certificates or CPD Points equivalent to the number of hours spent learning on a verified course are issued for each activity upon completion as a qualification to enable the individual to continue his or her professional activities.
to architects and other specifiers. The approved CPD material will be listed on the regulators’ appropriate indexes, which are consulted by potential users when seeking CPD-related sources of information.
What it’s not…
A sales pitch.
At its core, a CPD should enable the participants to develop their knowledge in a key area so they could flourish within their professions.
Architects and Engineers do not want to be sold to.
In fact, construction professionals prefer to do independent research as a way of demonstrating professionalism, and the vast majority of today’s specifiers complete product research online before making a specifying decision.
A delighted specifier means a new prospect for your business. What delights specifiers, is an informative CPD with all the resources they need delivered by someone with technical and design knowhow, so they can carry out their research more effectively.
There are a lot of DOs and DON’Ts when it comes to creating a good CPD. The #1 rule is remember the purpose of a CPD is to Educate, Not sell.
What does a CPD look like?
Generally, CPDs can be split into three categories:
#1: Structured – interactive and participation-based study, e.g. training courses, workshops, seminars, conferences, webinars, roadshows and eLearning courses
#2: Reflected – passive learning with structured format, e.g. training videos and tutorials, non-interactive lecture, industry briefings, podcasts, case studies and industry updates
#3: Self-directed – unaccompanied and unstructured learning, e.g. forum discussion and book reading
Traditional CPDs in the construction field are normally face-to-face interactions, led by technical representatives from a building products brand presenting a session.. This may have involved a product demo and maybe even a buffet lunch.
But with the rise of technology, CPD providers now have a variety of resources at their fingertips. And the COVID-19 period has proven CPDs can now be completely digitised by incorporating cutting edge presentation software and high-quality images and videos.
As more and more professionals are adapting to remote/ hybrid working, there is no doubt digital CPD will only get more popular in the future.
Why do you need a CPD?
We know what CPD means to the construction professionals, but what’s in it for you?
- Earn the role as a trusted advisor
A very practical reason would be: There’s a demand amongst architects/specifiersand you have the expertise to give them solutions.
Manufacturers/ suppliers are normally considered experts in their own fields, hence an ideal provider of CPD approved materials.
Offering quality CPD enables you to develop contacts, network with your clients and potential specifiers, and boost conversion. CPDs are also an excellent way to demonstrate thought leadership and authority within your space.
- Higher chance of having your products specified
Approved CPD presentation material will provide you with an effective tool to gain face-to-face introductions to specifiers. According to the RIBA CPD Providers Network,
“60% of architects go on to specify one or more of a manufacturer’s products after having undertaken their CPD”.
How can Insynth help? and why Insynth?
At Insynth, we can help you to create a highly effective, well-structured digitised CPD for your building product business. If you’d like any more information on how we can transform your CPD, allowing you to gain trusting relationships, promote your expertise and ultimately – increase specification, talk to an expert at Insynth today or feel free to check out our CPD creation service.
About Insynth
At Insynth, we deliver a predictable flow of leads, customers, and specifications for building product brands through our inbound marketing approach, proven to reach a technically demanding audience.
We use the latest marketing techniques such as construction inbound marketing, to equip building product companies to grow sustainability in this era of digital transformation.
As the only HubSpot certified agency to major in construction marketing. We have a proven formula of bringing a variety of functionalities together including CRM Implementation, Web Design, Sales Automation, SEO, and Email Marketing to achieve your ultimate aim: Growing your business and gaining new specifiers and customers.