Effective date: 1 June 2026 — Applies to all BSAPE-accredited professionals.
1. Purpose
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the systematic maintenance and advancement of professional knowledge and skills throughout a career. BSAPE requires all accredited professionals to engage in regular CPD as a condition of maintaining their accreditation. This policy sets out the annual requirement, acceptable CPD activities, the recording process, and the audit framework.
2. Annual CPD Requirement
All BSAPE-accredited professionals holding every certificate type — Certificate of Completion, Certificate of Skill, and Certificate of Achievement — are required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of CPD per calendar year. Of these:
- At least 15 hours must be structured CPD (see Section 4)
- Up to 15 hours may be unstructured CPD
- At least 5 hours should be directly relevant to the individual's current or intended engineering specialism
Holders of a Certificate of Achievement are encouraged to complete an additional 5 hours of professional leadership or mentoring activity annually, reflecting their seniority and responsibility to the profession.
3. CPD Year
The BSAPE CPD year runs from 1 January to 31 December. Newly accredited professionals who receive their certificate between 1 October and 31 December are exempt from the full 30-hour requirement in their first CPD year and must instead complete a minimum of 8 hours before the year end.
4. Types of Acceptable CPD
Structured CPD
Formal, planned learning with defined objectives and a measurable outcome.
- Attending engineering conferences, seminars, or technical workshops
- Completing accredited training courses or professional development programmes
- Participating in BSAPE-accredited or institution-approved CPD events
- Obtaining additional qualifications or academic awards relevant to engineering
- Delivering lectures, training sessions, or presentations at professional events
Unstructured CPD
Self-directed learning and professional activities that develop competence without a formal structure.
- Reading technical journals, industry publications, and standards
- Studying engineering guidance documents, codes of practice, or regulatory updates
- Mentoring junior engineers or apprentices
- Participating in BSAPE working groups, committees, or standards bodies
- Undertaking relevant site visits, factory tours, or technical inspections
CPD that is entirely unrelated to engineering — for example, personal interest courses, general business skills unconnected to professional engineering practice, or leisure activities — does not count towards the annual requirement.
5. Recording CPD
Accredited professionals must maintain a personal CPD log. Each entry should record:
- Date and duration of the activity
- Type of CPD (structured or unstructured)
- Title or description of the activity
- Provider or source
- Key learning outcomes and how they apply to your engineering practice
- Any supporting evidence (certificate of attendance, notes, or reading list)
CPD records should be kept for a minimum of five years and must be made available to BSAPE upon request, particularly in the event of a CPD audit. CPD may be recorded using the online portal at app.bomeqp.com.
6. Annual Declaration
By 31 January each year, all accredited professionals must submit an annual CPD declaration through the BSAPE portal confirming that they have met the previous year's requirement and providing a brief summary of their CPD activities.
7. CPD Audit
BSAPE conducts annual CPD audits on a random sample of accredited professionals. Selected individuals will be notified by email and required to submit their full CPD log and supporting evidence within 28 days. Audits may also be triggered by specific concerns or as part of an accreditation renewal review.
Failure to provide satisfactory evidence of CPD completion may result in:
- A formal requirement to complete a remedial CPD plan within 6 months
- Suspension of the right to use BSAPE credential marks pending resolution
- In cases of persistent or deliberate non-compliance, withdrawal of accreditation
8. Exemptions and Special Circumstances
BSAPE acknowledges that exceptional circumstances — serious illness, bereavement, or extended parental leave — may make it impossible to complete the full CPD requirement in a given year. Accredited professionals in such circumstances are encouraged to contact BSAPE at the earliest opportunity to discuss a temporary CPD exemption or reduced-hours arrangement. Applications should be submitted to cpd@bsape.com.
9. Appeals
Any accredited professional who wishes to appeal a CPD-related decision — including an audit finding or a proposed sanction — may do so in writing within 21 days of receiving the decision. Appeals should be submitted to the BSAPE Standards Committee via standards@bsape.com and must set out the grounds for appeal with supporting evidence.