What is CPD?

Continual Professional Development is a way of using different ideas and techniques to help you manage your own learning and growth.

If you want to ‘be the best you can’ then there is a need to continuously learn and develop. CPD helps you, in a structured way, work towards that goal.

“CPD is about capturing useful experiences and assessing the practical benefits of what you have learned.” (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development)

We can think of knowledge as an iceberg, with our current understanding and abilities being shown above the waterline. However, lying beneath the surface is a vast and untapped reservoir of unknown knowledge, as well as future developments; all of which can be learnt to help us become the best.

How do I start?

By becoming a member of the GMA you can join our programme which currently requires a total of 35 hours of learning to be undertaken during a 12-month period.

You don't register to start your CPD but only when you want to claim.

Our programme requires you to capture useful experiences and reflect on the practical benefits of what you have learned. This professional reflective approach distinguishes it from some other programmes.

How do I reflect on the learning that has taken place?

You will need to keep a simple diary or journal, which may be a collection of sheets of paper, or electronic pages, nothing complicated, and think about your learning activity and how it has benefited you, and maybe your employer.

What is a typical record of reflection?

There are many ways of recording your reflections. The following approach might be appropriate:

1. Describe the experience, i.e. what happened: Focus on the key area/s of the learning; e.g. if it was a course you went on then describe what it was about.

2. Think about and interpret the experience: Explore and explain it. What did you think about it? What benefits have been gained?  

3. Learn from the experience: What other information might you need to help improve your understanding even further? Consider how it might affect future action or activities, what might you do differently next time?

How is my CPD learning recognised?

At the end of a 12-month period you submit your claim for recognition on our Claim Form, in which you will confirm the learning you have done and will provide us with access to your reflective journal, and / or other evidence, (if it hasn't been kept in digital format then you may need to post it to us at your own expense) so it can be sampled for verification purposes.

Download the Claim Form now: a pdf and Word version is available on this page in the 'Downloads' section..

Upon successful acceptance of the application form and sampling of your evidence  then you will be issued with an GMA ‘Certificate of CPD achievement’ as formal recognition for the learning you have completed.

Review of current CPD programme

We are currently reviewing our CPD programme to make it more accessible for those interested in wanting to continuously learn and develop to gain recognition by the Professional Body for the Groundscare industry.