Appendix F
Glossary
benchmark: an example of good practice that can serve as a basis for comparison.
best practice: the finest examples that can be found of the way to do something.
checklist: a list of things to be included, which can be used to check or record progress , or compliance (e.g. a shopping list).
competence: the ability (including knowledge, skill and understanding) to perform to standards required in employment across a range of circumstances and to meet changing demands.
CPD proformas: the forms on which you record when carrying out a CPD process; they are used as part of the CPD system, to structure and record it.
development plan: the setting down in detail of an individual's firm intentions towards acquiring specific knowledge, skills and understanding.
flexibility: the ability of a resource to be useful in a different context (e.g. an individual to perform a different role).
framework: a generalised model structure for a system.
good practice: an example of a successful way to do something.
individual practitioners: including those working in organisations as employees, the self-employed, and the unemployed.
mandatory: the organisation requires the practitioner to furnish proof of compliance, typically every year.
mentor: a more experienced person who assists and guides the practitioner's development, placing the practitioner's interests before the interests of the organisation.
obligatory: the practitioner undertakes (eg by signing agreement to a code of conduct) to do CPD; the practitioner is expected to fulfil the obligation. Although not being required to furnish evidence every year, the practitioner is expected to have the evidence and produce it if requested.
organisations: including commercial enterprises, public sector employers, professional institutions, trade unions and other organisations with individual practitioners as members or employees.
outcome: the end result achieved; those things which people at work have actually done.
personal development planner/manager: a record book or software package which helps individuals set down their development plan and organise their CPD.
practitioner: a technical or professional person individual who practises in the (construction) industry.
profile of competences: the complete list of competences which an individual has achieved.
profile of needs: the list of those competences which an individual needs to achieve but has not yet.
record book: a book in which to store details of your education, training, qualifications, experience and professional career; it is often called a logbook. The record book may contain CPD proformas which help you to structure the CPD process as you fill them in, and it may contain pockets to store documents like certificates and curriculum vitae.
registration: (for UK engineers) achieving all the requirements for membership, becoming qualified, being added to the Engineering Council's list of qualified engineers.
standards of competence: a specification of expected performance in employment.
SMART: Specific, Measurable/ tangible, Achievable but challenging, Responsibilities & resources defined, Time-bounded.
transferability: the ability to continue performing adequately in a new context (e.g. the same competence being applied in a different industrial sector or country, or a qualification of one country being acceptable in another).
voluntary: the practitioner is free to choose whether or not to do CPD.