Why CPD is essential to foster public trust in the construction industry

Reflecting on what this means for CIOB, I always start with our role as a public interest body. From our foundations almost 200 years ago, a public interest philosophy has been central to what we do.

The interesting question this raises is: how do we maintain and deliver on our public interest role in an ever-changing industry?

One of the most visible ways in which we do this is by requiring members to undertake continuous professional development (CPD) every year, while also being clear with them that it is a requirement – and a commitment – from the very start of their journey with us.

What is less visible is that we do regularly remove members, after the appropriate governance due process, if they fail to keep up with CPD requirements.

When it comes up in conversation, I quote our director of education and standards, Ros Thorpe, who uses the analogy of the medical profession: if you had an appointment with a doctor who qualified 20 years ago but hadn’t done any training since then, how would you feel? I have always felt that the case for ensuring you are up to date with new legislation and industry innovations is crystal clear.

But this is not just about having a CPD programme in place – it is also about the professions being able to adapt to deliver what is needed in the industry.

With an update to our CPD policy a couple of years ago, CIOB is now able to prioritise certain subjects, something that has also been pursued by other professional bodies. Specifically, as of January this year, all CIOB members are required to undertake CPD focused on the whole life safety of built assets, to remain up to date with the latest developments and regional regulations.

There's no doubt it is in all our interests to ensure the right standards are set and, perhaps just as importantly, that we stay true to our ethos of seeing those standards upheld, across our membership and across the breadth of the professions that make up this incredible industry. This must be at the heart of our mission to ensure that the public can trust implicitly that the highest standards are met in what we create as an industry.

Eddie Tuttle is CIOB’s director of policy, research and public affairs.