'Continuing Professional Development is the systematic maintenance, improvement and broadening of knowledge and skill, and the development of personal qualities necessary for the execution of professional and technical duties throughout one's working life'.
Once trained and qualified in any profession it used to be possible to sit back and just work away at any encountered problem but GI, in particular, is constantly changing. You need to keep abreast of these changes and expand your knowledge to maintain professional status, both in the eyes of the public and your colleagues. Rapid developments in technology, increased competition, and the opening of new markets for GI skills have placed even greater emphasis on the need to be well informed and professionally competent. You must take responsibility for the continuing assessment satisfaction of your own professional needs, making use of available help and resources at your disposal. This must not only address current needs but also look to aid in any future roles you may be asked to undertake.
The information on this page, together with the documents found within CPD Downloads, provide guidelines which will allow you to evaluate your current job role, devise your own development plan, and record all professional development activities undertaken. Recording CPD and submitting the relevant records does not on its own form a certification to practice in the industry. Therefore, we have launched this CPD programme to specifically complement the Chartered Geographer (GIS) scheme, offered in collaboration with the Royal Geographical Society with IBG. Structuring your professional development and recording it in a consistent manner will allow you to work towards and retain Chartered Geographer status. You can combine AGI and RGS-IBG CPD points together to meet the minimum requirements of CGeog. You will need to submit an annual CPD log to RGS-IBG to gain and retain your CGeog qualification. More information is available about the scheme on the Chartered Geographer page.
Of course, as an AGI member you may wish to record CPD for your own personal benefit and to assist in meeting internal assessment procedures without necessarily working towards gaining CGeog status. You can make use of the downloads available for logging CPD but please be aware that no assessments or certificates will be issued by either AGI or RGS-IBG unless CPD is being logged for the purposes of the CGeog scheme.
Why is CPD so important?
the AGI CPD Scheme - Key Features
Validation of External Training for AGI CPD Points
As an additional benefit of joining the AGI, we are now pleased to offer our Corporate and Sponsor members the opportunity to have their own training courses and GI related events validated for AGI CPD points. Not only does this offer those who are working towards CGeog (GIS) a wider variety of CPD opportunities, but will also provide a useful selling tool to market your courses to a wider variety of delegates. All you need to do is fill in the form (below) and submit it to the AGI for validation. Once validated, you will be sent the AGI CPD logo to use on relevant course marketing material and confirmation of how many CPD points we have decided to award your particular event. For further information, please contact susan.walter@agi.org.uk
