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CIOB modernises CPD system to strengthen professionalism and competence
Will Mann Editor
Rosalind Thorpe, CIOB director of education and standards. Image: CIOB
CIOB is introducing a new CPD Policy for members, replacing its points-based system with an hours-based model, designed to meet regulatory expectations and align more closely with other professional bodies.
Under the new system, which was formally announced at CIOB Members’ Forum on 27 January, CIOB will no longer allocate CPD “points” to specific activities. Instead, members will record learning time in hours.
CIOB members will be required to complete a minimum of 25 hours of CPD each year. Twelve of the 25 CPD hours need to focus on four core themes: professionalism, quality, health, safety and wellbeing, and sustainability, with at least three hours of CPD activity recorded for each theme. The remaining 13 hours can be tailored to individual development needs.
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12 hours: 3 hours for each of the four core themes: professionalism, quality, health, safety and wellbeing, and sustainability
A recommended mix of at least 15 hours formal learning and 10 hours informal learning
A reflective account of your CPD for the year that looks backward and forward
Access the CIOB CPD Policy in full and frequently asked questions here.
Rosalind Thorpe, CIOB director of education and standards, said the changes sit within the institute’s corporate plan commitment to “modern professionalism” and reflect wider scrutiny of professional competence across construction.
“There is increasing focus from government and regulators on how professions ensure people remain competent and up to date,” Thorpe said. “We test people once against the charter standards, but we also need to be able to demonstrate that they remain competent years later.”
The move brings CIOB into closer alignment with other professional statutory and regulatory bodies. Thorpe said this would make the CPD process more straightforward for CIOB members holding dual or multiple memberships.
“If you are a member of two or three professional bodies, you don’t want to have different measures for each one; it’s easier for you to report in hours for all of them,” she said.
Of the 25 hours learning each year, CIOB recommends a mix of 15 hours of formal learning – such as courses, webinars or structured training – and 10 hours of informal learning, including reading, research or self-directed study. Thorpe stressed this split is guidance rather than a requirement.
“What matters is the learning itself,” she said. “If someone is undertaking a PhD, it’s entirely reasonable for most or all of their CPD to be informal.”
“There is increasing focus from government and regulators on how professions ensure people remain competent and up to date.”
Rosalind Thorpe, CIOB
Another key change is the introduction of a single reflective statement covering the year’s learning, replacing the previous requirement to reflect on each individual activity. Members will be asked to describe what they have learnt, how it has benefited them professionally, and what development they plan to undertake next.
“The reflective statement is a benchmark of a real profession,” Thorpe said. “It’s about understanding what you can do and what you can’t do, and how you should plan to address gaps in learning and develop your professional career.”
The new CIOB CPD Policy is effective from January 2026 for all CIOB members, except for those in the retired grades.
Thorpe said the overhaul is intended not only to improve compliance but to support wider cultural change in construction.
“This is about raising standards and reinforcing what it means to be a construction professional,” she added.
