Arguably, part of the goals of just about every individual in the universe is to land a decent job. Or better yet, have a career in the field that they’re really passionate about. Of course, all of these start with education. So, maybe you have acquired the necessary skills and knowledge you need for your chosen field and are already practicing. But, what now?
Learning and enhancing your skills must not stop after your graduation day. It must be a continuous process, an ongoing development for your part as a professional. This is what continuing professional development (CPD) is for. With its wide range of applications, CPD gives so many benefits for all types of professions and industries.
But most of all, it is a necessary tool for those who are in the field of law. It allows them to develop, improve, and even increase competence in their professional practice. But what exactly is CPD, and why should one opt for it? Below are things you should know about it and some reasons why CPD is important.
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Introducing CPD
Continuing Professional Development ensures you that you constantly grow in your line of work. Basically, it refers to engaging activities that will help you track the skills, knowledge, as well as experience you’ve gained. This can be through participation-based seminars, interactive workshops, or self-directed learning.
In most cases, lawyers are required by the governing bodies to fulfill a certain number of hours of CPD annually. This is so that they could keep up with the ever-changing industry standards. However, many barriers exist that contribute to the reason why undertaking CPD is a difficult task for most.
The lack of time, budget constraints, and most especially, access to a good CPD program are most likely why. Fortunately, there are now numerous reputable online platforms that could help bridge the gap of these barriers. Hearsay, an Australian podcast for Lawyers, can help you comply with the CPD requirements expected of you.
What is the purpose of CPD?
In essence, CPD helps you review, reflect, and keep your legal skills and knowledge up-to-date for you to deliver your services well and in high quality. At its core, it allows you to enhance your abilities, capabilities, and proficiency in a proactive manner. Ultimately, the purpose of CPD is to help direct your career and secure you, your employer, and the public.
This is not just another checkbox in your to-do list, though. Beyond being a requirement, it should also be more personal responsibility for your part as a qualified lawyer.
Benefits of CPD
Engaging in CPD means setting short- and long-term objectives centered on your development and coupled with a well-structured and goal-oriented plan. As you go about fulfilling these objectives step by step, you would realize that CPD brings a lot more advantages than what you have pictured out. Below are just a fraction of these benefits.
Be up-to-date
With the never-ending changes in the legal industry, you must also be able to keep up with its current standards. Even among lawyers, the saying “what applies now may not apply later” is also true. Thanks to technological advancements, what you may have previously learned can quickly become irrelevant to the needs of the present-day generation.
On the one hand, CPD provides you an opportunity to stay relevant with your experiences, update your skills and knowledge, and helps you avoid the risk of career stagnation.
Getting and staying ahead
It is no secret that your career pathway promotes a modern kind of “natural selection” where only the fittest are able to pull through. Therefore, getting and staying ahead in the industry could serve as your first line of defense to ensure better job security. With CPD, it introduces you to potential skill areas that increase your competency as a lawyer.
Not only that, but it also opens a door for new knowledge and even newer possibilities.
Self-improvement
CPD activities are related to professional ethics and lawyer responsibilities. The training, workshops, and any self-learning methods you’ve employed will all boil down and reflect your dedication towards making yourself better. By continuously improving, you refine technical, substantive, and intellectual content, which are necessary for the legal field.
Self-improvement helps you maintain your practical and academic qualifications not just for prospective clients but also for employers. Most of all, it allows you to contribute meaningfully to the community.
Build confidence and credibility
Aside from your skillset, CPD also helps you increase public confidence, which likewise enables you to better communicate and relate to your clients. This helps you establish a more trusting relationship with them, leading to an improved record of your credibility as a lawyer.
Connect to your team
In addition to the gains mentioned above, you can also become more effective in your workplace. In other words, you can be a more valuable member, contributing to discussions and decision-making in your team. Besides that, it also encourages a healthy learning environment, enhanced work output, efficiency, and productivity.
You can gain all of these benefits as a result of your continued determination to expand your knowledge in the field.
Takeaway
CPD is an essential tool that everyone in every industry must consider. Unlike before, online innovations are created to aid you with your CPD requirements and apply what you’ve learned immediately in the process. As a lawyer, it is vital that you engage with such activities to help you gain personal, technical, and practical benefits.