CPD for BPAD Certified Practitioners
Preparing and recording CPD evidence
Continuing professional development (CPD) is the systematic maintenance, improvement and broadening of knowledge and skills for your professional area of practice.
CPD requirements
To maintain your certification you must accrue a minimum of 15 CPD points during each two-year period of certification.
To qualify for CPD points an activity must:
- extend your knowledge or skills in areas that are relevant to your current or future practice needs, or
- contribute to the development of BPAD professional knowledge and practice
- not form part of your normal income generation.
CPD schedule
The CPD schedule below lists some of the CPD activities that you could undertake and their CPD point values.
| CPD activity | CPD points |
|---|---|
| Assist with a BPAD peer review panel interview (may be claimed once) | 4 |
| Participate in an FPA Australia BPAD Special Interest Group meeting | 3 |
| Present a paper relating to BPAD at the Fire Australia conference | 10 |
| *Present a paper relating to BPAD at a non-FPA Australia industry conference or seminar | 7 |
| Write and publish an article on BPAD in Fire Australia | 8 |
| *Write and publish an article on BPAD in another industry publication | 6 |
| *Attend a relevant short course, training session, workshop, seminar or meeting | 4 |
| *Undertake a training course that requires completion of assessment task(s) | 8 |
*Issuing of CPD points is at the discretion of FPA Australia. If you wish to claim CPD points for one of the asterisked activities in the CPD schedule or for an activity that is not listed in the CPD schedule, contact FPA Australia.
Other CPD activities
The activities listed in the CPD schedule are suggestions only. You may undertake a broad range of other activities such as:
- formal or informal training
- seminars, workshops, conferences (including video and Web-streamed conferences and seminars)
- participation in discussion groups
- multimedia and Web-based programs.
Preparing and recording CPD evidence
When applying to renew your Practitioner certification you must include evidence of your CPD.
- Gather evidence of your CPD.
- If you wish to claim CPD points for one of the asterisked activities in the CPD schedule or for an activity that is not listed in the CPD schedule, contact FPA Australia to find out if the activity qualifies for CPD points or to confirm its CPD point value.
- Download a BPAD Practitioner certification renewal form.
- Complete the CPD record sheet in the BPAD Practitioner certification renewal form.
- Make sure that your CPD points total at least 15 points.
- Include evidence of your CPD activities with your renewal application.
Planning CPD
- Review your skills and knowledge
- Set goals
- Research and plan your activities
- Record your activities
- Review your progress
Review your knowledge and skills in relation to current and future professional practice needs and in relation to relevant Australian Standards, the Building Code of Australia, and state or territory legislation and regulations
Also consider industry trends and movements for which you should prepare.
After you have identified knowledge and skills areas which would benefit from further development, set specific short-, medium- and long-term professional development goals. This will help you to identify and determine timelines for CPD activities.
Research activities that will help you to meet your CPD goals. Consider the types and mix of activities and sources of information and assistance e.g. colleagues, journals, training organisations and professional bodies, such as FPA Australia.
Keep a record of each CPD activity and retain documentary evidence of the activity.
Regularly review your CPD plan and goals and adjust them as you achieve goals and develop new priorities.
Examples of CPD evidence
Examples of CPD evidence include copies of:
- conference papers that you have presented and information about the conference e.g. conference name, date, location
- articles that you have written and details of where and when it was published, or a copy of the publication
- minutes from relevant meetings, listing your attendance
- attendance certificates from courses or workshops
- certificates or statements of attainment for formal training that you have undertaken
- notes from presentations that you have given and information on where and when you made the presentation
- materials or personal notes from courses, conferences or seminars that you have attended
- records of mentoring or coaching, including objectives and progress, that you have received or provided
- third party reports of your participation in activities (include the name, relationship to you, and phone number of a third party who can substantiate your completion of an activity).
For further advice on the types of documentary evidence to present contact FPA Australia.
Further information
For further information about CPD or the Certification Program contact FPA Australia.