Many continuing professional development (CPD) sessions offered by construction product manufacturers carry independent accreditation. Assessment by a third-party is designed to show that the session meets certain expectations – usually, that the content is neutral, educational and covers specific learning points, rather than being a biased sales pitch.

The importance of quality CPD content cannot be overstated. However, the appeal of accredited learning – which often carries an incentive for its contribution to annual CPD accrual – can be at the expense of another quality that is similarly important: relevance.

For time-pressured construction professionals, choosing CPD accredited by the chartered body of which they’re a member might be convenient. But what happens if you engage with a manufacturer? Can they instead provide a tailored session that is ultimately more valuable?

What exactly do we mean by tailored CPD?

The best way to explain what we think tailored CPD is, is to give you an example of a learning session we recently delivered.

A firm of approved inspectors – now known as registered building control approvers (RBCAs), since the introduction of authorisation by the Building Safety Regulator – approached us about the topic of specifying and installing cavity wall insulation below DPC.

The team were obviously aware of the Building Regulations requirement for external walls to resist moisture below DPC. However, they wanted to better understand the available insulation options for that area of the wall, including our view on whether third-party (e.g. BBA) certification is required for a product used only below DPC.

Aware of our comprehensive below DPC insulation white paper, the company asked us to deliver a CPD session. At the time of writing, we don’t currently have a specific CPD session on the subject, but we were happy to visit the company and deliver bespoke training to address the issues that interested them.

Ultimately, this is what we consider to be ‘tailored CPD’. In contrast to a standard ‘fixed’ presentation written for a broad audience, we offered a structured learning session prepared and delivered to meet the learning needs of a specific audience.

Why CPD matters more than ever before

Members of chartered bodies have always had to undertake CPD and record their learning. It ensures members of those bodies are up to date with current regulations and industry developments, specific to their particular expertise.

However, there is a renewed and inescapable focus on competence across the construction industry, as part of building safety reform. Learning and development is therefore an important element of anybody’s work.

For anybody starting out on their journey in the construction industry, CPD takes many forms.

Structured, classroom-style learning is still an essential part of many people’s CPD records. It encompasses anything from formal qualifications to the stereotypical lunchtime presentation by a construction product manufacturer. Some may see the latter as little more than a way to top up their records, regardless of the subject matter. However, many companies and individuals do work hard to make sure they book sessions that deliver information useful for current projects.

Alongside structured CPD is self-directed ‘informal’ learning via books, journals, blogs, podcasts or other media. It can also be knowledge sharing between colleagues – whether receiving that knowledge from someone else, or reinforcing your own learning by passing on the benefit of your own learning.

Even for experienced construction industry professionals, it can be useful to remember how varied CPD can be. As such, it should be a stimulating activity rather than something undertaken out of obligation.

How trust and collaboration can lead to stimulating CPD

When we delivered our training session to the team of RBCAs, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Among their feedback, they said: “We want to work with companies like you.”

For a variety of reasons, it may not be practical for a manufacturer to offer bespoke training sessions to every audience. And, of course, we understand the reason why CPD accreditation exists. After all, our current presentation introducing the benefits of extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation is assessed by the CPD Certification Service.

Many audiences want some reassurance that a presentation will deliver what is promised, and they won’t simply be sold to for an hour. Even with those accreditations, a manufacturer can’t control how an audience will interpret what they present.

All of which makes it even more important that there be space for delivering something genuinely valuable that meets the needs of a specific audience, and something born of two parties trusting one another to collaborate.

When that happens, there is much greater opportunity to create open dialogues where the learning goes both ways, and where genuine connections are forged between different parties with unique perspectives on their shared industry. What could be more stimulating than that?

Contact the team to find out more about their current CPD offering