At a time of crisis, learning new and valuable skill could be the distraction needed to get you through this difficult time. There has never been a more opportune time to undertake Continuous Professional Development (CPD); where you can develop your knowledge and skillsets, proactively learn about industry trends, and keep your professional qualifications and education up to date.
The online learning market is currently booming, with all sorts of learning opportunities and experts sharing their knowledge. As long as you source your learning from an approved provider, you will discover and enjoy positive benefits whilst educating yourself.
Who Are We?
The Professional Development Consortium is home to the Training Excellence and CPD Standards Office accreditations. We are the UK’s leading authority for the training and coaching industries, and our accreditation awards recognise learning across all topics, and on a pan-industry basis.
Over the past decade, we have worked with a range of organisations to verify and approve their learning provision. With technology enabling learning to be delivered over various mediums, the ability to upskill yourself has never been easier.
Proudly Promoting CPD Providers
Within the CPD Standards & Training Excellence membership community, we have accredited thousands of learning activities working with hundreds of training, coaching and educational organisations.
We are proud to have awarded our prestigious accreditations to our global community, who are all committed to providing reliable outstanding learning experiences.
On achieving accredited status, our providers are awarded with an accredited mark to use in their marketing communications and training materials. These serve as digital trust marks, reassuring you, as the buyer, that the learning activity has received a third-party assessment, and successfully met set criteria.
Sharpening Your Professional Skill Set
As the corona-virus crisis unfolds, and the illness tightens its grip, the UK public is in lockdown and confined to home. With the Government enforcing social distancing and remote working, ‘normal’ routines for commuting, office working and socialising have been shut down. As a result, everyone has a more flexible day, with time available to focus on learning.
On the CPD Directory– you will find a plethora of providers who deliver outstanding online learning across a range of subjects. From soft skills, to business knowledge, to looking after your mental health, the CPD Standards member community can assist.
Enjoying Positive Benefits from Learning
The long days spent in self-isolation, and the constant worrying national news, can lead us all to be uneasy, anxious and concerned about what may lie ahead. However, it has been widely documented that engaging in learning develops positive emotional benefits and wellbeing For example, the European Agenda for Adult Learning, documented in a 2017 paper (Reference 1) outlined that learning can result in a greater sense of self, and optimistic perceptions of work:
Sense of self
Feelings of self-worth, self-confidence and self-esteem, satisfaction and happiness with life, aspirations and expectations from life and a sense of control.
Work
Higher aspirations to get back to work or get on at work, increased expectations from work, improved skills for work.
Learning & Protecting Your Mental Health
Learning has also been found to be beneficial to mental health, and it is critical to nurture your mind during times of crisis: A report from the Government Office of Science (Reference 2) gave a comprehensive review of the benefits of learning with regards to positive mental health. In particular, they demonstrated that adult learning fosters:
- A sense of identity
- An ability to cope
- A feeling of purpose in life
- A greater level of wellbeing, especially in older adults
- An increase in life satisfaction
- Positive changes in mental wellbeing
No Excuses for Lockdown Learning
With copious providers within our accredited CPD Standards and Training Excellence community, and an abundance of learning opportunities available, there really is no excuse for setting aside dedicated time during lockdown, and undertaking some educational learning. By hunkering down and focusing, you will not only develop your skill and knowledge sets, but also enjoy the wellbeing and work benefits going forwards.
Let us know how you get on!
Amanda Rosewarne
CEO & Co-Founder of the Professional Development Consortium @cpdstandards @potexcellence