Continuing Professional Development

1. Explain the methods of professional development below

Professional
Development
Method
Induction training

Performance
appraisal

On the job/ off

the job training

Coaching and
mentoring

Graduate training
programme

Description
Induction training is the process in which normally a
new candidate or whoever starts working at a
organisation new to them and are new to the job
and environment. During induction training, they are
given time to ease with the atmosphere of the
organisation as well as given the important training
into carrying out their required job. It can take from
1 week to as far as 6 weeks depending on the
candidate and the magnitude of the job.
A performance appraisal is normally done every 6
months or can be done once a year or even 3 to 4
times a year, is when a particular individual meets
up with their line manager and review their
performance against a particular target. Also if you
are do not doing as well in a particular part of the
job, they will normally be given tips on how to
improve those particular gaps.
On the job training is training that happens in the
workplace. This means that the trainee is gaining
new skills whilst working and carrying out the job.
This will normally be done by the supervisor or
manager. Off the job training is training that
happens away from the workplace. This is normally
done by the businesses training department or
external training providers.
Coaching and mentoring are development
techniques used to improve the skills of a worker in
order to carry out a job more effectively. Coaching
focuses on specific skills and goals and lasts for a
short period of time. Whereas mentoring is more of
a relationship between experienced staff members
and less experienced staff members that lasts for a
long period of time.
Graduate training programmes are for those
graduates who have just come out of university and
are looking for a job to help them gain experience as
well as money. This helps them to receive training
and support and provides a stepping stone for a
chosen career. It also gives the opportunity to study
for a professional qualification that could be funded

by your employer.
Management
training

Secondments

Shadowing

E-Learning

Vocational &
professional
courses

Job rotation

Management training is when a particular individual

has been promoted or inducted to that particular
role. Naturally since it as role of a big responsibility
and a very difficult job, separate training will have to
be done to bring that candidate to the right level to
be able to carry out the management job in a
effective manner so it is vitally important for a new
manager candidate to be trained.
Secondments are the transfers of employees to
another job. This is usually for a limited time only
and can be filled by an internal or external
employee. This can be due to the other employee
leaving their role or the previous employee was
dismissed. It could also be that a particular
employee is on temporary leave due to whatsoever.
Shadowing is a form of work experience where you
get the opportunity to observe an experienced
worker in order to gain an insight as to the life of a
worker. This is temporary and normally unpaid. It
helps to increase career awareness and determine a
career path to follow. This is useful for those want
more information about the intended career and can
last from one day up until a couple of weeks.
E-learning or in other words electronic learning is
when you learn through the means of any
technological software like a computer, an IPad or
even your Smartphone. Although it is costly to
design all the software, it is beneficial for the long
run as it is readily available as well as it is easily
accessible.
Vocational and professional courses is a kind of off
the job training which is simply further learning and
progression in a particular subject field. For example
if you are willing to become can engineer, you can
do further vocational and professional courses to
help you become a engineer. As well as this, some of
these vocational and professional may be important
for you to progress in your given job role.
Job rotation is when certain employees will be asked
to different tasks and roles in their jobs. It can be
for a number of reasons due to short number of
staff or due to the organisation will to make the
employee more versatile. For example as a pilot, if
you are asked to fly to Mallorca, the organization
could ask you to fly to Ibiza or Belfast due to various

Lifelong learning

Retraining

reasons so job rotation is a normal phenomena in

any organisation.
Every job you do no matter how experienced you
are, you will always keep on learning. This is what
lifelong learning is. Lifelong learning adds up to the
experience of an individual. For example if you are a
pilot, you will keep on learning along the way how to
fly different aircraft, different functions of an
aircraft, learning how to fly in an emergency or bad
weather so along the way of any career albeit a
pilot, you will always constantly learn something
new.
Due to workplaces and organisations always
upgrading due to many factors like enhancement of
technology and more effectiveness, retraining
programs are essential to have so that the
workforce at organisations can always adapt
according to the required requirements. For example
for selected job which is a pilot, due to the planes
becoming more advanced, the controls on the plane
are changing so it is important for the workforce to
be trained to the new planes so that they can
upgrade their skills according to what is new.

2. Explain which of these methods you may need to achieve your

career aim and why
From the above, I will need to complete an induction in the first day or
week of my job. This is important because it will help me get use to
the organisations policies and practices. This will normally include an
introduction to the organisation, an outline of my job role, an
introduction to my team members and a guided tour of the premises.
This will make the transition as smooth as possible for me and make
me comfortable in my new role.
I will also need to complete performance appraisals once or twice a
year at least. This is important because it will give me an opportunity
to improve on my existing skills and learn new skills. It will also allow
me to reflect on my progress so I am able to know how to better
myself and what I need to do in order to progress further. This is
crucial in order for me to succeed because if I do not know what to
improve upon, I can never build on my strengths and change my
weaknesses into strengths.
I will also aim for job rotation within my selected organisation. This is
because it will allow me to work in various departments in a number of
positions within one organisation. This is important because it will give
me ability to work with a range of people and I will learn a number of

skills which will widen my range of experience, as well as reducing lack

of activity. This will also enhance my opportunity for promotion as I will
have experience in different fields and departments, which is a
common requirement, for leading a team.
Finally, I will also need retraining so that I am able to do my job
effectively. This is important because new technologies and planes are
invented with different features and I need to be trained in ordered to
fly them planes. Also I need retraining because yearly, commercial
pilots are required to take an exam to prove that they have the ability
to fly and a plane safely and deal with pressure situations are they
responsible for a lot of lives and multimillion equipment.