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CPD, your career and wellbeing

01/03/2021


We’re celebrating National Careers Week 2021, and we feel it’s more important now than ever to invest in the development of your career. Last week, Boris Johnson detailed our way out of the COVID-19 restrictions we had been facing, ensuring we get closer to normality before the summer season of 2021.

During the pandemic, if you weren’t working from home or furloughed, you were most likely a key worker, and your career development may have taken a step back so you could focus on the challenges COVID-19 brought your way such as; adhering to new guidelines and prioritising the safety of those in your care.

The pressures and challenges of navigating life through a global pandemic was a lot for the average person to handle and the changes to a positive work environment have been a struggle for many, with The Guardian reporting that a lack of support and interpersonal relationships have been a main factor in the decline of workplace wellbeing and motivation at work. This is the same story for employees in many different industries and highlights the importance of getting back to a positive career trajectory.

How can continuing your professional development help improve workplace wellbeing?

Taking a specialized CPD course can “reinvigorate your attitude towards work, improving productivity, and inspiring innovation” Royal College of Nursing, 2018.

Taking the correct CPD course can ensure you have the tools to tackle your role with ease. The NHS state that continuing to learn throughout life can help improve and maintain mental wellbeing and that learning can boost self-confidence and self-esteem, help build a sense of purpose, and help us connect with others. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, training providers/businesses have been able to adapt to a more flexible, home based approach in order to ensure those key workers are able to capitalise on the benefits of CPD courses, whilst continuing to stay safe.

The benefits of committing to CPD is that training and learning increase confidence and overall capability, helping make you become more effective in the workplace.  Undertaking regular and purposeful CPD shows a clear commitment to self-development and professionalism which in turn also compliments career aspirations. This helps increase the chance of career progression, where you can lead, manage and mentor others.

Before taking a CPD course, what should I consider?

Taking these considerations into account can not only prepare you before learning something new but can help you reflect on your time at work, taking this time to evaluate your experiences in the workplace can change your attitude towards work and help you understand what position you are in on your career path.

Managing your time

Do you have time to take on a course to assist your professional development? How many hours are you willing to put in a week/month? Would you take the course on an evening/weekend?

Evaluating your knowledge

What knowledge do you have in your field already? Is there anything you feel you need to brush up on? Or are you thinking of learning something you don’t already know? Complete an analysis of your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats to determine what you could get out of a new training course.

Setting your career goals

Where do you see yourself in 5 years, is it still in the same profession? Do you want to stay in your current role, or progress further? What knowledge do you need in order to progress, how do you see yourself gaining that knowledge?

Asking these questions will help determine your career path, and help you find the courses that are right for your career.

So, what courses can you take?

Here at Busy Bees Education and Training, we’re on a mission to provide key workers with quality, affordable and accessible training. In our CPD courses we share our wealth of knowledge and expertise in the Early Years and Care Sectors, whilst ensuring our courses are informative and entertaining. Our Virtual Learning Academy (VLA) courses cover a wide range of topics, from child and adult care, to safeguarding and food hygiene, with some of our online courses costing as little as £5.

If you work in childcare and are experiencing looking after children with behavioural needs brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, our promoting positive behaviour course will set you up to learn and explore different strategies to support children who are struggling to manage their feelings, emotions, and actions, removing the barriers, and promoting individual needs and support.

If you’ve experienced a change in responsibilities at work and feel you need to channel your management skills, why not have a look at our conflict management or courageous conversations courses.

If you’d like to learn how to recognise the signs of poor mental health in your workforce, you can take our mental health in the workplace course.

For more information on our Virtual Learning Academy, we’ll be going live on Facebook at 7pm on Wednesday 3rd March, demonstrating some of our courses and answering your questions.

To find out more about National Careers Week you can always visit their website.