Are you wanting to become a specialist in your industry? Do you work within an industry that is constantly changing? Do you want to increase your chances of promotion? If so, then studying a Continuing Professional Development Course may be worth considering.

However, those who study on this particular course must be dedicated to their profession and have significant experience within their industry. The course itself will focus on specialised areas of study, so it is important that students already have strong levels of knowledge to build upon.

Similarly, it is also important that students are hard-working and self-motivated. Most students will be expected to study as well as continuing with their professional career.

The career path you choose will very much depend upon the specialised subjects covered on your Continuing Professional Development course. From social and digital media courses to programmes that specialise in Feline Care, a CDP course will have a significant impact upon your career.

If you’re working within industries such as law, business, teaching or medicine, CDP courses may form a crucial part of your career, as a means of keeping you updated on the changes within your vocational industry covering safeguarding issues within the teaching sector to the development of ethical regulation within medicine.

Similarly, many students who study on a professional development programme do so with the intention of boosting their CV and increasing their chances of promotion.

Considering the many different courses available to study, there are several different criteria that applicants may be expected to fulfil before applying to study on a careers development course. However, for all programmes of study, applicants will be expected to have spent a number of years within their industry and have previous qualifications within their field of study.

Those wishing to pursue a careers development course who are non-native speakers of English may do so on the provision that they score a minimum of 6.0 on an IELTS test before the programme commences.

The teaching approach for a careers development course will differ, depending upon the discipline being studied. Many vocational courses for industries such as teaching or beauty will tend to consist of practical workshop-based sessions, with development courses in journalism and law having a more theoretical approach to learning. Different courses will last for different lengths of time, from a weekend to a year – or even longer!

When choosing a CPD course one of the questions you ought to ask is which area of your industry fascinates you the most?  Which academic establishments offer you a course that appeals to your area of interest? Where so you see you career progressing? There are so many different courses available, in the UK and abroad so make sure the course content will be of benefit to you in the future. After all this course is about developing as a professional!

Since the sole intention of a CPD course is to further your career, you should also consider the prestige of your potential course and academic establishment. Many universities specialise in specific subjects and are well-known to recruiters which will instantly boost your levels of employability. Similarly, you should also ensure that you meet the entry level requirements for the course, after all they are there for a reason. Those who apply without meeting the criteria are unlikely to get a place, and would struggle with the course content.

Of course fees and academic grades should also come into consideration when deciding where to study. A teaching course if fiercely competitive, so it is important that you look have the minimum grade required in order to study, as well as the relevant work experience. Similarly, it is also important that you budget how you will pay your way. If you are struggling with fees, or are still applying for funding, there are a number of bursaries and scholarships available for students and some courses may be partially funded by your employer.

Many establishments will cultivate relationships with local authorities that will not only provide students with employment opportunities after graduation, but will also allow potential students to gain hands-on work experience while still a student. When you are applying to study on an anthropology course, you should consider vaguely what you would like to do in the future. Will you be able to gain experience while studying? Does the university offer specialist modules relating to your specific interests? Will this contribute towards your final mark?