Professional Development – Helping you go further
Frequently Asked Questions
Unsure of which category you fall into?
The IMarEST guides to IPD and CPD should provide all the information you need. If you are still
in doubt please contact membership@imarest.org for guidance.
What is IPD?
IPD stands for Initial Professional Development and is the term that describes how a recently
graduated marine engineer, marine scientist or marine technologist gains their professional
competence in the workplace. The aim of IPD is to provide a structured scheme designed to
develop the intellectual and practical skills they will need in order to work safely and effectively
in their intended occupational environment, using the techniques and resources appropriate to
the level and type of occupation and covering its regulatory, business management and social
environment. This professional ‘competence’ is acquired through an agenda of training and
working in a position of responsibility. The graduate trainee will be assisted through this period
by colleagues, peers, mentors and the Institute.
IPD is structured so that the graduate trainee will know where they are within the IPD
programme. As well as undergoing the training and taking on more responsibility, the graduate
trainee will need to plan their IPD and monitor their progress. Achievements will be recorded
and assessed and trainees will be expected to reflect upon the corresponding ‘competencies’
gained. IPD is the ‘vehicle’ to the Professional Review.
The primary outcome of the formation process (IPD) for those seeking registration is the
development of competence, and the commitment to maintain this competence.
The achievement of an academic qualification that satisfies the educational base for registration
on one of the Institute’s registers (Refer to the IMarEST Definitive List of Registers –
www.imarest.org) is but the first step on a career of lifelong development. Just as an
individual’s academic base is developed in a series of stages to expand both breadth and depth
of knowledge and understanding of engineering/scientific/technological principles, so
professional development towards registration is designed to provide a structured and coordinated development programme, integrating this knowledge and understanding with the
practical applications of the chosen discipline.
Initial Professional Development (IPD) includes aspects of engineering, science and technology,
business, management and leadership, and broadly based personal development. Where
appropriate it may also include additional job-related, non-technical requirements, such as
modern foreign languages and training and development skills. It adds to the learning achieved
within the education base, addressing specialist applications, extending breadth and depth of
knowledge and skills and meeting specific employment and business needs. IPD should provide
a balance between preparation for an immediate job-specific role and contribution to breadth of
development for the future.
IPD may cover a range of options from that of a student ‘sandwich’ placement, research
assistant, long or short-term employment or self-employment. The essence of IPD is the
development of competence and commitment.
Building on their initial professional development prior to registration, individual engineers,
scientists, technologists are expected to manage their continuing professional development
(CPD) throughout working life post registration. They take appropriate action to update and
enhance those competencies relevant to their job and career interests and anticipate future
requirements. Evidence of CPD provides a demonstration of continued commitment to
professional competence and is a pre-requisite for transfer to higher categories of IMarEST
membership.
For further information regarding the demonstration of compentence and commitment please
refer to the document “IPD- A Guide for Graduates Seeking Registration”
Members can record their IPD using the mypath professional development tool
Why should I take CPD?
The job market is changing all the time. You may no longer be able to rely on your employer to
identify and satisfy individual development needs. Additionally, you may well move jobs four or
five times during your working life. Therefore you need to take ownership of your career and its
continuing development.
These changes have increased the demands on people in all walks of life to keep documented
evidence of their continued competence; and nowhere is this greater than in engineering,
science or technology which are advancing so swiftly. In your own best interests you should be
developing a personal portfolio of your professional activities and their relevance to your job
competence and your career ambitions.
By undertaking CPD you will be:
a) demonstrating your continuing commitment to your profession;
b) developing the good practice of regularly reviewing your professional needs and selecting
appropriate learning activities.
How much should I do?
There is no simple answer to this. It varies from one person to another. The demands of your
job and the extent of your personal ambition will determine how much you should do.
Always remember that quality is much more important than quantity. The most important
aspect of CPD is the amount of knowledge and skill that you acquire, i.e. the learning outcome,
rather than the number of hours of study which you undertake, i.e. the input.
If you are to maintain sufficiently high standards of professional competence to keep yourself
employable you will need to undertake significant CPD. However, when you consider all the
activities, particularly at work and in the form of private study that add value to your
knowledge, skills and experience, you will realise that quite substantial amounts are readily
achievable.
What should I do?
Again, this will depend upon your job and your personal ambitions, but in simple terms the
answer is anything that adds to your personal store of relevant skills, knowledge and
experience.
Marine engineers, scientists and technologists are employed in a very varied range of jobs and
at all levels of responsibility and it is recognised that this will be reflected in their continuing
learning needs which will be equally varied.
Therefore, there is no limitation to the range of subjects that can be included, although it is
recommended that, in order to develop your expertise on a broad front, you may need to
undertake CPD in the following areas.
a) Developing your technical knowledge and skills in your current field.
b) Broadening your technical knowledge and skills into fields parallel to your own, thus enabling
you to move into another job should the need or opportunity arise.
c) Acquisition of non-technical knowledge and skills, e.g. Management techniques,
Communication and presentational skills, Law (Health & Safety, Environmental, Employment),
Finance, Languages, thus preparing you to assume wider or greater responsibilities when the
opportunities arise.
How do I go about it?
Professional Development may be achieved in any of the following ways, depending on your
circumstances, learning style and the opportunities open to you.
a) At home – private study, such as distance learning; special projects or structured study,
which may involve reading, watching TV and video tapes and / or listening to radio programmes
and audio tapes; writing papers for presentation or publication.
b) At work – where, simply by day to day activities, relevant knowledge and skills are acquired
by on the job learning and / or company provision.
c) At events – such as presentations, lectures, seminars, conferences and also formal courses of
study, whether or not they lead to an examination.
Remember, the activities that count are those that are relevant to your learning needs.
Why should I keep records?
It is strongly recommended that you maintain a personal portfolio. This will assist you in a
number of key aspects related to your career.
a) You will be able to provide documented evidence of your commitment to your chosen
profession and of your continued competence.
b) It will act as an excellent reference, both in the up-dating of your Curriculum Vitae and in
recalling details of topics you have studied.
c) It will be a most useful aid in your career development, providing a means by which you can
plan, record and review your relevant activities.
How should I keep my records?
There are number of ways in which this may be done but the most usual is, quite simply, an A4
ring binder containing
a) your Professional Development Plan – based on your identified needs;
b) your Professional Development Record – detailing specific activities that have contributed to
your CPD.
c) certificates showing the competencies or qualifications you have gained; examples of work
which demonstrate your competence; of projects / courses etc you have undertaken and your
resultant developing etc.
d) other relevant CPD documentation.
Section 3 of this document explains the CPD process whilst a template Professional
Development Plan and Record Form is provided in Section 4. This will enable you to maintain,
by a series of brief entries, a simple record of your learning activities for each year and plan for
the next.
Maximising the benefits
Like many things in life, CPD can be organised so that it is carried out [almost] automatically.
The Institute can help in advising you how to maintain your CPD effectively. The important thing
to bear in mind is that it is a continual process of planning, completing activities, assessment of
those activities and review/feedback back to the plan.
You will need to set up a system that encompasses these four core stages. Many employers
have a bespoke system in place that performs this function satisfactorily; members can adopt
such a system or use the system provided by the Institute. Members are encouraged to include
their employers in the CPD process, ideally it should be a partnership that will benefit employee,
employer and the company. The annual appraisal interview is the ideal time to plan
development targets and assess progress. Notwithstanding it should always be remembered
that the detail of CPD is very much the individual’s property and one should not rely on the
Company (Personnel) system, it may not be maintained properly and is of no support if you no
longer work for them.
Section 3 explains these four core stages in detail. However, when completing your CPD plan [in
order to achieve the necessary knowledge, skills understanding and attitudes that need to be
acquired or developed] you must take into account:
a) your employer's business objectives
b) your own career intentions, short and long term,
c) your relevant personal interests
d) the requirements of the Institute.
You will also need to consider the actions that need to be taken, with responsibilities and time
scale, to meet the identified needs. The plan should be developed, where possible, in
conjunction with the employer. Account should be taken of the guidance provided by the
Institute for the preparation of CPD plans. Record CPD activities and achievements so that
progress towards implementing the plan and maintaining professional competence can be
demonstrated. The benefits should be evaluated. The plan should be reviewed regularly (at least
annually).
How can a Mentor help?
A mentor is a more experienced and knowledgeable person who gives dispassionate and
objective support and guidance to a learner [or mentee]. To be effective the mentor should not
be in a position of authority over the learner. The most important functions of a mentor are to
provide positive feedback, offer encouragement and adjust expectations.
Contact with a mentor can be useful in that he or she is someone you can turn to who has
knowledge and experience of your situation and no interests to consider other than your own.
Being a mentor can be very rewarding and a valuable CPD activity in that it provides a valued
outlet for all the wealth of knowledge and experience that has built up over a career and
provides an occasion to help others take advantage of some of the opportunities and avoid
some of the pitfalls that you as a mentor may have encountered ‘along the way’.
In terms of Continuing Professional Development, a mentor can be particularly helpful with the
following;
a) Conducting a Skills Audit/Gap Analysis
b) Determining the knowledge and skills required for a particular job or role
c) Setting development objectives
d) Assessing learning experiences
e) Deciding what should be the next steps
f) Offering encouragement and providing motivation to persist with a CPD activity
g) Suggesting alternative CPD activities
h) Identifying CPD providers
Individuals should initially seek access to a mentor within their own workplace. Alternatively,
the Institute may be able to provide a useful contact who can advise you on how to go about
planning and achieving your professional development objectives. Both of these sources of
support have advantages and disadvantages and you should consider carefully what you require
from a mentor. It is expected that mentoring will be particularly useful to those taking
responsibility for their own CPD for the first time, those in the early stages of their careers and
those contemplating a career change.
Who should check IPD and CPD records are updated?
Your IPD/CPD record can be checked at any time by emailing a report either to a mentor, line
manager, membership application referee or another person of your choice. You should not
submit your report to the IMarEST membership department until you are ready to transfer your
membership, apply for registration of revalidate your CSci registration.
What should I do when I believe my record is complete?
If you are a first time applicant or you are wishing to transfer your membership from Member to
Fellow you will still need to complete the relevant application form. You should use the
competency based report from Mypath to complete your application making sure you have
thoroughly read the requirements given in the relevant application guidelines.
Applicants seeking further advice about Professional Development should refer to the
Professional Development How 2 website - http://www.pd-how2.org/. This website is created by
the Professional Development Partnership, which consists of the IMarEST, RAES, IET, IMechE
and IOP and is aimed to give general advice to all applicants seeking Professional Registration.