GFP Policy Statement on CPD – March 2007
INTRODUCTION BY THE HEAD OF THE GFP
It’s a Learning Process…
You are a qualified finance professional, and will need to take stock on how best to apply yourself, bearing in mind your next move and your longer-term aspirations. Do you need new skills? Perhaps more importantly, what are your personal development challenges?
The simple answer to this is: You must find the time to invest in yourself!
The environment in which we work is changing rapidly. It is imperative for us to stay one step ahead, keeping our knowledge, skills and values to a high standard.
We should all think of CPD as a means to an end, a learning process. I encourage you to take the initiative, striving to reach and become ‘that individual, who truly adds value and inspires others to do the same’.
Mary Keegan
Background
In May 2004, the International Ferderation of Accountants (IFAC) issued the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Standard of IES7, making CPD a mandatory requirement for all members from January 2006. To which the CCABs are a member.
Policy Statement: The Requirements of the GFP
All Finance Professionals within the Government Finance Profession (GFP) are required to undertake CPD. The GFP CPD policy statement is a follows:
"Finance Professionals shall maintain and develop their personal, professional and technical competence on an ongoing basis, complying with the requirements of their institute”.
Types of CPD Activity
The following types of CPD activity could count towards that which Finance Professionals are obliged to undertake. The list given below is not exhaustive and Finance Professionals may choose other activities to meet their needs where consistent with the above.
- Structured CPD Activities
- Post-qualification face to face training courses
- Presentation or attendance at conferences or seminars
- Research
- Networking and learning skills and information from others
- Preparation for new/updated material for teaching, training or publication
- Coaching and mentoring
- Peer group discussion
- Professional committee work
- Self Directed Activities
- Reading
- Personal counselling for professional purposes
- Systematic reflection on practice
CCAB Requirements
For details of institute requirements and record keeping / completion of CPD Plan (except ICAS members which must use their institute’s CPD Record), please click on the appropriate link:
Recording your achievements
A properly maintained record of achievements has benefits that go beyond knowing and applying what you have learned. It becomes a valuable and objective measure of your professional competence, and as a rule of thumb you will be required to keep a copy of your CPD Record for 3 years. This could prove to be immensely useful when preparing for staff appraisals or tailoring CVs for a specific promotion or career move.
Support for CPD
We feel confident that many of our members are undertaking CPD without realising, and that the missing element is recording actions and outcomes.
The FP team holds information about providers and resources for acquiring relevant skills both technical and non-technical. In addition we are in regular contact with the CCAB institutes, especially their CPD managers and are seeking to set up closer relationships with them. The GFP website (http://thegfp.treasury.gov.uk) will be continually developed to include not only the GFP CPD forms but CPD material, tips and information about useful sources and events being organised for its members.
Monitoring
The Head of the Government Finance Profession has no plans to monitor an individual’s compliance with this policy but reserves the right to do so. Departmental Heads of Finance Professionalism (HOFPs) are responsible for implementing the controls necessary to assure themselves of compliance with this policy. GFP members selected for monitoring by their institute will be expected to comply the request in a professional and timely manner. The responsibility for demonstrating compliance lies with individual concerned.
GFP members who do not comply with this policy may be subject to disciplinary proceedings.
Your CPD Contacts