Continuing professional development policy
The National ACE Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Policy has been adopted from the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) Continuing Professional Development Policy, in accordance with the CICA Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners.
Introduction
While entry level skills and qualifications are important, in an environment of rapid change it is essential that career development practitioners embrace lifelong learning and regularly update their knowledge and skills across their professional lives in order that they maintain currency in the field and also provide the best service to athletes, coaches and the sporting community.
Effective Career Development Practitioners seek to continually improve their practice through Continuing Professional Development, ensuring they are reflective thinkers who pursue excellence in career development practice through continued learning across their professional lives.
Purpose
To encourage National Athlete Career and Education (ACE) members to:
- reflect upon themselves as individuals in the context of their practice;
- establish professional learning goals which increase knowledge, skills and competencies;
- participate in learning activities appropriate to meet the legal and ethical obligations of the profession; and
- pursue opportunities for individual and collegial professional renewal
An outcome of CPD is the achievement of excellence in career development practice for the benefit of students and the school community.
Framework for Continuing Professional Development:
The competency guidelines outlined in the CICA Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners provide a framework for continuing professional development by identifying the skills, knowledge and attitudes required by all career development practitioners. The core competencies are grouped into seven broad categories. These include:
- Career Development Theory
- Labour Market
- Advanced Communication Skills
- Ethical Practice
- Diversity
- Information and Resource Management
- Professional Practice
In addition, the CICA Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners identify the specialisations of counselling, program delivery, working with people with disabilities, assessment, employer liaison and project management.
These core competencies and specialisations guide National ACE in the provision of its CPD, also career development practitioners in setting their learning goals. All CPD activities required for the purpose of renewal of National ACE membership should have a clear reference to the competency guidelines.
For a further explanation of the seven competencies, please refer to the CICA website: www.cica.org.au
Types of Professional Development:
It is acknowledged that learning may take place in many different ways and in many different settings. The range of acceptable CPD activities is diverse and should consist of a mix of activities.
National ACE members may choose CPD activities that are relevant for their ongoing knowledge and skill development. These include:
1. Participation in conferences
Attending conferences can be claimed as CPD provided the content is relevant and relates to the member’s professional development needs as a career development practitioner. CPD hours are based on hours spent attending formal presentations and exclude social events, travelling etc.
2. Participation in professional/skill development workshops and activities
May include attendance at National ACE (or other CICA associations) professional/skill development workshops, i.e. structured professional development that is not part of a formal qualification, does not involve structured assessment and provides transferable knowledge and skills.
3. Reading professional publications
These may include books, journals, newspapers etc., specific to career development. CPD hours are based on the number of hours of actual involvement.
4. Engaging in professional mentoring and or supervision
Participation in a formal mentoring relationship, with an experienced career development professional or between experienced career development professionals. CPD hours are based on the number of hours of actual involvement or: organised professional supervision with a qualified career development practitioner or other professional. Members providing professional supervision to career development practitioners will also accrue CPD hours, i.e. based on the number of hours of actual involvement.
5. Academic study in the field of career development
This relates to formal education, i.e. learning undertaken in pursuit of career development specific qualifications required to be recognised as a professional career development practitioner. National ACE members undertaking formal education must satisfy assessment requirements to claim CPD hours. It may include formal classroom, and/or distance education. CPD hours can include the actual classes attended. For distance learning, this can be estimated by calculating the equivalent number of hours of formal face to face learning that would have been involved. Members undertaking the ACDS for credit into a Grad Cert (Career Development) can also count this towards academic study.
6. Writing or presenting professional papers
This includes the preparation and presentation at conferences, seminars, workshops. It must be an activity that contributes to the competencies required of career development practitioners. Writing includes, e.g. career development related articles, newspapers, reviewing articles/books for publication etc.
7. Active membership career development advisory bodies and other relevant committees
Active membership to the profession is an appropriate form of CPD particularly where it extends the continuing professional development of the member involved. This may include: career development bodies or other relevant committees or participating in special interest groups etc.
8. Research activities
Undertaking research related to career development using procedures that are consistent with the accepted ethical and social research practices.
9. Study tours and exchange or other relevant programs
A recognised study tour or participation at National/International events (e.g. National selection trials, attendance at World Championships, Olympics, Paralympics) that relate to National ACE member’s professional development needs as a career development practitioner.
Minimum CPD Requirements
It is a requirement of the CICA Professional Standards for Australian Career Development Practitioners that career development practitioners undertake a minimum amount of professional learning relevant to their needs.
In accordance with the CICA CPD Policy, National ACE has determined that professional career development practitioners accumulate a minimum of 15 hours of CPD per year. This minimum applies to both professional and associate members.
Responsibilities of National ACE members
National ACE members have a responsibility to:
- Engage in CPD as outlined in the CPD Policy
- Engage in a variety of CPD, i.e. not all 15 hours can be accrued in one activity
- Record and retain evidence of their CPD confirm that they have complied with the CPD requirements as part of their membership renewal
- Provide evidence of their CPD if required by National ACE
- Determine the professional learning and development activities that are appropriate to their learning goals.
