CEMEX Manager Completes 500 Hours CPD

When The Institute introduced a CPD registration scheme on 1 January 2003, Council decreed that it should be a voluntary scheme by which the benefits of CPD would be promoted to members without threats of sanctions against those who did not register. At the same time, guidance was published that recommended 30h of CPD activities per year.

After a year or so, to further encourage members to undertake CPD and to recognize the commitment of those who did, a certificate of achievement for 100h was offered. At present, nearly 900 members are registered on the CPD scheme and several dozen ‘100h’ certificates have been awarded (see QM, June 2006). It became clear that a higher achievement award would be necessary and the certificates for 500h of CPD were printed just in time!

In the routine annual process of auditing a sample of CPD records, Keith Wills, aggregates and asphalt regional operations manager (South West Region) with CEMEX, submitted a record of CPD activities since 2003 which exceeded 500h!

How did Mr Wills accumulate such an impressive total?

First, it must be recognized that CEMEX, and the predecessor company RMC, are committed to training and had introduced an internal CPD record scheme at about the same time as The Institute. Thus, from the beginning, the culture existed and the record goes back three years.

Secondly, Mr Wills took care to record his CPD activities as they took place, but in the most part they are no different from those cited in the 100 or so records that have been audited to date. He has benefited from the many internal training course created by RMC dealing with subjects as diverse as: absence management, computerized purchasing systems, silo pressurization, ready-mixed concrete, and marine archaeology, plus a number of Institute of Quarrying technical meetings. Most members would identify these as CPD.

Furthermore, Mr Wills has attended external training courses offered by suppliers such as Metso Minerals as well as meetings of advisory committees arranged by, for example, the HSE. The most significant contribution to his CPD, however, has resulted from the merger of RMC with CEMEX, especially an extensive period of briefing upon the integration of the businesses and a two-week secondment to CEMEX operations in Israel.

So what CPD can you record if you are not able to enjoy the opportunities offered to Mr Wills? While it was possible for him to accumulate 500h without claiming every learning experience, it is likely that many members neglect to record significant learning experiences that are not highly structured. In a training centre or lecture hall, it is obvious that learning is taking place, but what about reading journals, new legislation, revised standards, briefings etc. What about informal meetings and conversations with line managers, specialists, consultants, planners, equipment suppliers? What about demonstrations of new equipment or techniques, visits to manufacturers and other operations?

Any learning experience relevant to your job is CPD.