Continuous Professional Development

"I want to ask you about continuous professional development. Do you have any additional information about CPD, please? Because in my organization mentoring is one Component of CPD. Thank you."

I'm not an expert in this, however, almost all professional associations (for example the Institution of Engineers, Chartered Practicing Accountants, Human Resources Institute etc.)  develop a program that requires people to obtain a certain number of CPD "points" each year to maintain their professional status. They run educational events and conferences that are worth a number of "points" each. So people attend some of these during the year to accrue their points. 


Usually, mentoring is a part of such a program and well qualified, experienced professionals, trained as mentors are nominated and available as part of the CPD program. A structured conversation with a designated mentor might count for 1 CPD point per hour.

Obviously a system for recording and monitoring each participant's CPD points is necessary if this is to accurately reflect continuous professional development.

Are you involved in a CPD program that has mentoring as a component? What can you add?