Development
Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) plays a critical role in ensuring high standards of professional practice in the Public Relations and Communications industry in Australia.
PRIA encourages all professional members of the PRIA, (Associates, Members and Fellows) to undertake a minimum of 20 hours of appropriate study or related activity per year. All Professional members of the PRIA are required annually to confirm they have met the minimum 20 hours when renewing their membership.
PRIA recommends at least 10 of the 20 hours take place in a structured learning environment - formal courses, lectures, seminars, classes, etc. The remaining 10 hours can be in appropriate unstructured self-development areas, such as readings and discussion. Many professional members, particularly those active within PRIA, will already meet most or all of the requirements of CPD throughout the course of the year.
| Time spent | >2 days | 2 days | 1 day | 1/2 day | 3 hours | 2 hours | 1 hour |
| CPD hours | 20 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Typical activity | Board member | National conference | Formal training | Industry forum | Evening reception | Breakfast briefing | Webinar |
Focusing on CPD activity helps to ensure that all practitioners remain informed of current issues and developments in the profession, and the skills and techniques required to maintain a high level of competency throughout their career.
CPD Program
In building CPD, PRIA recommends the following as 'appropriate' activity:
- extended learning in the public relations field itself, and
- extended learning in the practitioner’s current field of specialisation or employment.
Seven Main Categories of CPD Activities
- Formal Courses (minimum of 1 hour) - Lectures & seminars conducted by the PRIA including conventions; in-house training sessions by employers; and courses provided by other recognised educational, professional or industrial bodies.
- Formal Individual Study - includes correspondence and off-campus courses, programmed learning courses and audio-courses.
- Formal Discussions - includes committees, providing and receiving mentoring, discussion groups and meetings organised by the PRIA as well as professional, educational or industrial bodies involved in the preparation and review of professional material.
- Preparation of Lectures - of a relevant nature for presentation at PRIA or other professional, education or industrial functions, including academic materials leading to new lecture topics.
- Written Materials - preparation of articles or papers on public relations, professional research study projects or case study work for publication.
- Board and Institute - active involvement with either the National Board or State and Territory Institutes by serving on committees or sub-committees, including judging the Golden Target Awards, secondments, and the National Emergency Communication Reserve.
- Unstructured CPD - reading of relevant books, periodicals, journals, technical bulletins, and research reports, as well as discussions with specialists on relevant matters.
If you need further information about CPD, please contact your local Institute, or the National Secretariat: national@pria.com.au or phone (02) 9331 3346.
Please download the CPD Form here.
Last Updated: April 27, 2009