IPEM’s 2017 Membership Survey asked members if they would use an electronic/online CPD record, in preference to current forms of record-keeping, if one was available. Over 1000 members answered this question with a resounding 58.51% saying yes and a further 23.66% saying ‘maybe’.
Since those results, IPEM national office staff and members of the CPD Audit Panel have been working together to identify an appropriate piece of software to deliver this function.
We are delighted to inform members that we have chosen the mycareerpath® online professional development system, designed and managed by the Engineering Council, to plan, evidence and record professional development. The tool, which is compatible with smart phones, tablets, PCs and Macs, is accessed by logging on to the IPEM website, navigating to MyIPEM and selecting mycareerpath®.
The first time you access mycareerpath® from the IPEM website you will be asked to create an account which is primarily for the purpose of agreeing to GDPR. This only happens once and all subsequent times you click on mycareerpath® you will go straight into the system. When you logout of mycareerpath® you will be directed back to the IPEM website.
mycareerpath® can be used to plan, evidence and record CPD and can also be used to plan, evidence and record progress towards defined competency standards such as the requirements needed to meet the professional registrations of the Engineering Council (EngTech, IEng and CEng) and the Science Council (CSci, RSci and RSciTech).
mycareerpath® system allows you to:
- Add profiles
- CPD is the default profile, but if you want to evidence and track progress towards a competency standard you can add these profiles. There is no restriction on the number of profiles used. The three Engineering Council registrations and the three Science Council registrations IPEM is currently licensed to award are already installed in the system and so if you are working towards one of these you can simply select it and start to populate the profile with your information. For CPD you begin to record your CPD by uploading information to the ‘Evidence’ tab. You can also use the ‘Plan’ tab to set out your CPD aspirations at the beginning of a year.
- Self-assess progress
- mycareerpath® enables you to self-assess your progress against the individual competencies within a chosen profile.
- Create an action plan
- mycareerpath® enables you create an action plan.
- Record evidence
- You can add evidence, including any supporting documentation like certificates, videos and testimonies, to demonstrate that you have developed or increased competence. You can add web links or upload supporting documents. These will remain attached as evidence and reviewers will be able to examine them
- Generate reports
- You can generate reports for each profile over a specified period of time. A CPD report assembles a chronological list of all plans and evidence started during the period specified. The competence report assembles a list of plans and evidence from the profile selected that started during the period specified.
- Send work for review
- Plans, evidence, reports and competence profiles can all be sent for review to any email address. This allows you to demonstrate progress to colleagues, employers, mentors etc. Reviewers will receive an email inviting him/her to view the page in question and add comments. Once a comment is added, the link expires.
- Export data to PDF
- Plans, evidence and reports in mycareerpath® can be exported and saved in PDF format.
- CPD audit
- mycareerpath® will be used for the IPEM and RCT annual audit from 2019. If you are selected for audit in March, we will ask you to upload your CPD summary to mycareerpath®. Paper submissions are no longer accepted.
Summary of CPD Activity form
Even members who don’t use mycareerpath® for planning and recording CPD can upload an external CPD record into the system and submit it. It’s quicker and easier than attaching the record to an email. You can also upload using this form.
Other CPD Resources
CPD Audit
The HCPC audits a sample of CPD records on their register every two years whilst the other bodies carry out an annual audit. The IPEM CPD Scheme has been designed to fulfil the requirements of these regulatory and registration bodies.