Table Of ContentCPD in the Built Environment
The aim of this book is to provide a single source of information to support con-
tinuing professional development (CPD) in the built environment sector.
The book offers a comprehensive introduction to the concept of CPD and
provides robust guidance on the methods and benefts of identifying, planning,
monitoring, actioning, and recording CPD activities. It brings together theories,
standards, professional and industry requirements, and contemporary arguments
around individual personal and professional development. Practical techniques
and real-life best practice examples outlined from within and outside of the in-
dustry empower the reader to take control of their own built environment-related
development, whilst also providing information on how to develop fellow staff
members. The contents covered in this book align with the requirements of nu-
merous professional bodies, such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors,
the Institution of Civil Engineers, and the Chartered Institute of Builders.
The chapters are supported by case studies, templates, practical advice, and
guidance. The book is designed to help all current and future built environment
professionals manage their own CPD as well as managing the CPD of others.
This includes helping undergraduate and postgraduate students complete CPD
requirements for modules as part of a wide range of built environment univer-
sity degree courses and current built environment professionals of all levels and
disciplines who wish to enhance their careers through personal and professional
development, whether due to professional body requirements or by taking control
of identifying and achieving their own educational needs.
Greg Watts is the Director of Quantity Surveying at the University of Salford and
an RICS Chartered Quantity Surveyor with 15 years’ experience in the construc-
tion industry and has published numerous conference and journal papers to date.
Norman Watts is a Senior Lecturer at Sheffeld Hallam University and the
Course Leader for MSc Construction Project Management. Norman has over 20
years’ experience in teaching in Further and Higher Education and has publica-
tions in project management and quality systems.
CPD in the Built Environment
Greg Watts and Norman Watts
First published 2021
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2021 Greg Watts and Norman Watts
The right of Greg Watts and Norman Watts to be identifed as authors of
this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and
78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means,
now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording,
or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identifcation and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Watts, Greg (Gregory N.), author. | Watts, Norman, author.
Title: CPD in the built environment / Greg Watts and Norman Watts.
Description: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge/ Taylor & Francis
Group, 2021. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifers: LCCN 2020048259 (print) | LCCN 2020048260 (ebook) |
ISBN 9780367372149 (hardback) | ISBN 9780367372156 (paperback) |
ISBN 9780429353062 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Building—Study and teaching. | Building—Vocational
guidance. | Continuing education.
Classifcation: LCC TH165 .W37 2021 (print) |
LCC TH165 (ebook) | DDC 624.071/5—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020048259
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020048260
ISBN: 978-0-367-37214-9 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-37215-6 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-429-35306-2 (ebk)
Typeset in Goudy
by codeMantra
Contents
Foreword vii
Preface ix
Acknowledgements xi
1 What is continuing professional development? 1
2 The construction industry and CPD 12
3 Professional bodies in the construction industry 27
4 Goal setting 50
5 Goal planning 68
6 Refecting on CPD 86
7 Organisations and CPD 103
8 Managing the CPD of others 121
9 CPD examples from other industries 139
10 Why construction professionals need to take responsibility
for their own career development 154
11 Final comments and recommendations for future research 162
Index 165
Foreword
The construction industry is tasked with the development and maintenance of the
built and natural environments. It covers areas of building, civil engineering, mate-
rials manufacture, and consultancy services contributing to and impacting upon the
very fabric of our society. The industry contributes 6% of the total UK economic out-
put and employs more than 2.4 million workers from over 340,000 businesses. How-
ever, the construction industry faces a serious predicament and is in need of change.
This change is driven by a shrinking traditional workforce, technology ad-
vancements, and the increasing imperative for sustainable solutions. For some, this
change is not fast enough. Many professional and industry leading bodies, as well
as signifcant industry reports, have called for change across many fronts. Such
changes have included the need to adopt modern construction methods, embrace
innovative and disruptive technologies, collaborate across supply chain disciplines,
implement sustainability strategies, overcome adversarial attitudes, and improve the
industry’s core productivity problem. Arguably underpinning all of these challenges
is the need for the construction industry to develop its workforce.
The development of technical and professional skill sets and competencies ulti-
mately takes the form of continuing professional development (CPD). Simply put,
CPD refers to the identifcation of required skills, competencies and experience,
identifcation of gaps in the current knowledge, setting goals to address these gaps,
and the undertaking of planned activities required to achieve those goals before f-
nally refecting upon the process. It is only through effective individual and industry-
wide CPD that professionals can understand the current and future needs of the
built environment and help drive the changes the construction industry requires.
With their combination of construction industry and academic experience, the
authors are well placed to address the gap in CPD guidance that currently exists
in the industry, with CPD in the Built Environment serving to offer a comprehen-
sive introduction to, and application of, CPD. This textbook provides guidance
to all professionals operating within the built environment on how effective CPD
can be undertaken and managed.
Mark Farmer
CEO Cast Consultancy & UK Government MMC
Champion for Homebuilding
Preface
The construction industry is changing. For some, this change is not happening
fast enough nor going far enough. There have been an increasing number of in-
dustry leading reports published with each calling for change in the construction
industry. This change ranges from the adoption of innovative practices to the
modernisation of construction methods and from the need for increased collab-
oration across all stakeholders to a desire to focus on more value-led approaches.
Underlining all these calls for change and the actions required to enact such
changes is the need for the continuing professional development (CPD) of all
construction industry professionals.
The aim of this book is to provide CPD guidance for all professionals operating
at every level of the built environment and for those wanting to work in the built
environment and studying on related courses. When enacted correctly, CPD plays
a pivotal role in the development of skills and progression of careers. This book
emphasises the increasing importance of CPD and attempts to equip readers with
the skills and knowledge to create effective CPD plans and the methods of effec-
tively managing the CPD plans of others. Hopefully this book serves this purpose
and is enjoyable and informative to read.
Greg Watts
Norman Watts
