These notes have been produced to accompany a Facebook Live broadcast which Owen Trapnell delivered, Lead commercial trainer at Wiser Academy, on Wednesday 1 April and were written in conjunction with Holly Smalley, Head of apprenticeships, quality and compliance.
The first thing to consider is that due to this pandemic and the isolation, there are loads of opportunities for us to engage in CPD (Continual Professional Development) while at home. If you think this doesn’t apply to you, then have you considered that as members of the CII (Chartered Insurance Institute), you are required to complete a minimum of 35 hours of CPD training each year or if you are currently on an apprenticeship you should be completing a minimum of 20% OTJ training.
Continuous Professional Development and Off the Job training are effectively the same thing. They’re both terms we use within the training profession for the time we take within our working hours to gain new skills and knowledge, which we can then apply to our roles. CPD (Continuous Professional Development) is commonly used by professional bodies such as the CII (Chartered Insurance Institute). OTJ (Off the Job) training is used when the individual is on an apprenticeship.
For both your CPD and OTJ, you will need to track the new skills you have gained; you can do this on a CPD log. We will upload a template for you to view and use if needed. If you’re an apprentice, your tutor will be able to guide you on doing this if you need help.
Many of us may ask, “Why do I need to learn new skills? I can do my job.” There is always something to learn! I could sit here and say I am a complete trainer; I’d be lying. There is always something to improve or learn.
Personal development is a lifelong process; we never actually stop learning. Throughout our careers, we gain new skills to develop us in our roles. This could include learning how to embed technology into a training session. Our personal lives aren’t an exception to that! We will constantly be developing our ability to do something, whether forming relations or communicating with others. As individuals, we should look for a way to assess our skills and qualities while considering our goals to realise and maximise our potential.
So what is different now that we’re in isolation?
Unlike our typical working weeks, the responsibility has shifted, where we had to check our calendar because our managers arranged courses for us to attend or our off-the-job hours would be pre-planned. The current situation has disrupted our working routine, so we have to evolve.
We need to take ownership of the situation, which will allow us to take advantage of the situation. Use your downtime and engage in more CPD (Continuous Professional Development). In doing this, we will be in a better position due to our new skills and qualities when the situation has passed and we’re returning to normality. We need to be proactive and make this period as productive as possible.
So what can we do to improve ourselves professionally while working from home or in quarantine?
- Attend webinars or virtual training sessions: We’re hosting free online bite-sized videos every Monday, Wednesday and Friday over at www.facebook.com/wiseracademy.co.uk; these will include professional tips to help you develop now and for the future. Next week our Wiser Lunch Bites sessions focus on technical aspects of insurance.
- Maintain/increase contact: This is paramount for apprentices; keep in contact with your tutor regularly and use the time to discuss what you are doing at home, how it impacts your work and what you have learnt from it. This links closely to being proactive.
- Check social media platforms regularly: This doesn’t mean scroll through Facebook and not completing any work or outstanding tasks! I’m referring to the fact that more companies are advertising free training via their pages. If you are an apprentice, your tutor should be able to point you in the direction of the courses most relevant to your learning.
- Update your CPD log and reflect: We should always maintain and update our CPD log or OTJ trackers with everything we do to develop. This will motivate you as you can reflect on what you have already achieved. The log is vital to either form part of your apprenticeship or for the professional bodies to review your development.
- Change your mindset: How often did you feel too busy before entering the current situation? Well then, now is your opportunity to complete the tasks you have been putting off for however long it may have been. There is no time like the present.
To summarise, continuing your development is vital, especially throughout this isolation period. It can give us a sense of normality and provide us with a bit of belief that when this all passes, which I’m sure it will, you’ll be in a better position than those who ignore their growth. Complete your CPD, log your OTJ and improve as a person.
We’re opening up some new courses to assist with your CPD. We will update you on these via our social media platforms in due course.