News

Article 1 CPD – Raising the Bar for Consistency, Transparency and Standards 

By Jobert Fermilan  

Following last year’s annual CPD audit in 2025, we want to thank the members who were randomly selected and engaged with the process. The audit is never designed to catch people out, it exists to confirm that our members are actively maintaining competence, and that there is appropriate evidence to demonstrate it.  

Having sat on the other side of the process as one of the auditors, I’ve seen first-hand where members do this brilliantly and where the current approach makes it harder than it needs to be.  

From 2026 onwards, the IHE is taking practical steps to raise the bar. Not by asking more of members, but by making expectations clearer, submissions easier to prepare, and audit reviews fairer and more consistent. 
 
How we’re making CPD easier for members in 2026  

To take the guesswork out of recording CPD, the IHE offers two formats for members to use both designed to make your record quicker to complete, easier to keep on top of.  

• MyCareerPath (My CPD Online) - For IHE members to plan, log and reflect on your CPD in one place, with everything held securely against your membership. 

• The IHE CPD template - a clean Word or Excel format available via the CPD Hub, ideal if you prefer to keep your record offline or alongside your employer’s appraisal process. 

What about records already held in other formats  

CPD can be submitted in any format, especially if your employer already mandates that it is logged, but steps should be taken to ensure that the record still includes evidence of reflection, evaluation and future planning. The templates provided by the IHE encourage members to log their entries in a way that meets the expectations set out by the Engineering Council in their CPD Code for Registrants.  

Audit selection is randomised across all IHE members. To keep the process fair and transparent: 

• Members selected each year who supply their CPD record for audit receive a three-year grace period and will not be selected again during that time 
• Later this year, a further group of members will be contacted for audit 
• Anyone may be selected in future cycles, which is why it pays to keep records up to date as you go 

Over the coming articles, I’ll share practical guidance on what a strong CPD submission looks like covering reflective writing, evidence, categorisation of activities (technical, professional, ethical), and the common pitfalls I see as an auditor.  

Members are invited to CPD guidance sessions throughout 2026 where we’ll walk through real (anonymised) examples. The first session is scheduled for Thursday 18 June 2026, 12:00–13:00 (online) full details and booking are available here.

A closing thought, a good CPD is the foundation of professional competence. What we’re putting in place this year is about making the process clearer for everyone, removing the guesswork, and giving every member a straightforward way to demonstrate the standards we all sign up to when we become IHE members outlined in the IHE Code of Conduct.  

Thank you again to everyone who contributed to this year’s audit. Keep an eye on the IHE Training Calendar for CPD guidance session for upcoming events. 

More information can be found in the following documents, all available via the CPD Hub: 

• IHE CPD Guide 
• IHE Members Code of Conduct (June 2025) 
• IHE CPD Record Template (January 2026) 
• IHE CPD Forward Plan Template (January 2026) 

Article by Jobert Fermilan IEng FIHE, MCIOB CMgr FCMI 
CPD Auditor, Branch Chair of North Western Branch, and Vice-Chair of Branch Liaison Group, IHE Council Member