Professional development is the acquisition of knowledge and skills and the development of personal qualities. It plays a crucial part in achieving and maintaining your engineering competence, and that of your employees.

Professional development generally takes place in a working environment and draws on knowledge and understanding, training and experience. However, it is not necessarily separate from education and the two processes may be integrated, for example in work-based degrees or apprenticeships.

Professional development in engineering is usually described in relation to achieving and maintaining registered status as set out in the UK Standard for Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) and the ICTTech Standard.

Engineers discussing a model

Initial development

Initial profession development (IPD) involves acquiring the required level of specialist skills and knowledge through work and training. It is essential to achieving professional registration.

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Continuing development

Continuing professional development (CPD) is a key component of professional registration, which involves making an ongoing commitment to maintaining and enhancing competence.

Two engineers at a computer

mycareerpath®

The Engineering Council provides an online system to help engineers and technicians track their professional development activity against the Standards, right from the start