What is IOSH CPD?
IOSH Continuing Professional Development (IOSH CPD) is mandatory for Chartered Fellows, Chartered Members, Graduate and Technical Members IOSH members, your professional status rests upon it. It’s not essential for Affiliate and Associate Members though, unless you intend to develop H&S as your career direction.
The online CPD programme at IOSH is really comprehensive allowing you to create a career framework and identify skills gaps that you want to fill. Log in to MyIOSH and create a MyCPD page. It really is a great resource to reflect on your learning, and your work, and invigorate your thinking to plan your professional growth and get your career in focus.
What is IOSH IPD?
IOSH Initial Professional Development (IOSH IPD) is all about your journey from Graduate to Chartered Membership. It’s an assessment process of your skills, knowledge and experience. It’s a thorough and structured progression that helps you demonstrate your practical and academic skills with projects, an exam and an interview with a presentation to your peers.
As a Graduate – You can enrol on the IPD Scheme. Log into MyIOSH and then My IPD. You’ll have 2 years to complete the first stage of the IPD assessment which is to develop and complete projects for your Skills Development Portfolio (SDP), and take the exam in the Electronic Open Assessment (EOA) – IOSH says the average time taken for these 2 stages is 6-9 months. You’ll then be asked to book a Peer Review Interview (PRI) which involves a presentation and Q and A session.
Here’s a little more detail;
SDP – Coursework produced electronically online. Select seven pieces of criteria from five different elements. Work through the criteria in any order that suits you and your learning style. Submit each one individually for assessment. Assessment takes about two to three weeks. If you need to make changes, you’ll get feedback on what needs to be addressed, there’s no limit on how many times you can re-submit work. It’s a guided learning process that ensures you earn the knowledge and demonstrate how you’d apply it.
EOA – There are some that love an exam, others… not so much. But just like F4S – IOSH isn’t trying to trip you up. It’s about making sure you know what good looks like, ensuring you have the strategies in your toolkit as well as the knowledge of how to apply them. It’s an exam made up of two parts. Part A is 48 multiple-choice questions – with 3 hours to complete. Once you’ve passed you can move on to Part B. This is made up of two scenario-based questions and you’ll have 7 days to research and complete them. About 700 wise, well-researched, well-placed words should do it – and secure your pass, a qualified examiner will be your judge – You’ll have your results in roughly 3 weeks.
This takes you to the last leg – The PRI – The Peer Review Interview is a ten-minute presentation to a panel of volunteers of Chartered Members and Chartered Fellows. You should base the presentation on your health and safety learning, and showcase your knowledge and skills as well as future goals. In particular – you’ll want to show them your IPD Journey, your core skills as a safety practitioner and your knowledge of the IOSH Code of Conduct. Enjoy it if you can – It’s a great opportunity to show others what you can do after all that studying.
After a successful PRI – You’ll be awarded with the Internationally recognised status of Chartered Membership.
Just as an FYI – It’s useful to acknowledge there are 3 potential routes to Chartered Membership – They depend on your experience, skills and knowledge to date:
Route 1 – You’ll have demonstrated your academic ability – Now demonstrate your practical health and safety skills – with an SDP – Skills Development Portfolio (SDP).
Route 2 – You’ve demonstrated your practical skills – now demonstrate your academic ability with an Electronic Open Assessment (EOA).
Route 3 – You’ve got a cognate degree (a degree not linked to your chosen H&S career path) – Now demonstrate your practical skills and academic ability.
The Best of Luck from F4S
