Continuing professional development for employers

As your organisation continues to develop and grow so should your accounting and finance employees. CPA Australia requires its members to undertake 120 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) every three years to ensure they maintain the highest level of professional standards. CPA Australia members must maintain their CPD in order to retain their CPA status. This level of commitment ensures your employees maintain up-to-date knowledge of the accounting and finance profession whilst further developing their skills to ensure they are highly effective in their role.

CPD may be completed through a range of channels, such as; activities offered by professional bodies, workplace training, self-study or courses run by educational institutions. Examples of CPD activities include; congresses, conventions, lectures, seminars, workshops, videoconferences, online learning, in-house company training and other forms of face-to-face and distance learning programs.

CPA Australia offer an extensive range of CPD programs which provide access to high quality professional training and resources. All programs offer recognised and respected presenters, targeted content, flexible registration and value for money.

Benefits of the CPD requirement:

• ensures employees remain knowledgeable in changes which may affect their role or the way they complete work, i.e. ensures they have up-to-date knowledge of accounting/finance legislation and other changes in the industry
• promotes employees' investigation of industry best practices and ways to more efficiently and effectively complete their work
• promotes self-development and improvement which will positively impact the quality of employees work
• assists with recruitment as it helps to benchmark candidates - CPAs must obtain substantial relevant knowledge and skills through the CPA Program and they must maintain and continue to update and build upon this knowledge by completing CPD
• CPD rules are flexible,allowing employees to select specific CPD activities which will assist them in completing their day-to-day work or topping up on knowledge that they may require thus impacting their job performance
• CPD may be used to initiate a discussion between the employer and employee of what additional development may be required for work purposes