Continuous Professional Development (CPD) will remain vital to the industry; it’s one of the keys to further growth and higher standards.

As policies, priorities and roles change for those working in the sector, no one can rely on initial training or qualifications to last throughout their employment.

Nor can our employers provide everything needed to develop skills and experience. Everyone in this fast-moving and fast-growing industry needs to take responsibility for their own lifelong, continuing development.

This philosophy is at the heart of all professional development and provides a strong rationale for membership of ISPAL. ISPAL will use a variety of methods – not just traditional education and training courses and conferences – to ensure that it offers a CPD programme relevant to all its members. There will be regular consultation with members.

ISPAL will carry on the traditions and track records of ILAM and NASD in providing comprehensive, high-quality, high value training. ISPAL will also use a variety of innovative approaches to work towards the goal of more and better CPD.

CPD will be based on the utilisation of National Occupational Standards. ISPAL will work with the relevant Sector Skills Councils, principally SkillsActive and Lantra, and to a lesser extent Creative & Cultural Skills and People 1st, to ensure that relevant standards are in place at all levels. ISPAL will also contribute to the development and revision of these standards over time.

ISPAL’s commitment to CPD, and to raising standards across the industry, is such that the kudos its programme will generate will be a key factor in recruiting new members and in affirming ISPAL’s role as the only professional institute for the sector.