IFA’s mission is to raise standards, support, promote, and represent the interior fitout industry in pursuit of recognition as a truly professional industry sector.
CPD for IFA members
Throughout your working life, undertaking CPD (Continuing Professional Development) is an important way to expand your knowledge, maintain up-to-date skills, and progress your career in the interior fitout industry.
One of the pillars of the IFA strategic plan aims to make IFA the go-to provider of industry education and support products for the interior fitout industry sector, and we support our members by encouraging them to achieve the highest standards of workmanship.
At IFA, we recommend all members undertake CPD. We suggest 75 hours over 3 years (25 hours a year) is a good estimate to ensure you are up to date with your industry knowledge build.
Types of activities that you can record as CPD:
- conventions and conferences
- webinars, seminars, and workshops
- discussion group meetings
- in-house learning
- tertiary and professional body courses
- researched/technical publications
- online learning
- reading the IFA magazine, listening to or watching media (maximum 10 hours each year)
- mentoring (maximum 10 hours each year)
IFA recognises the importance of members not only developing their industry knowledge but also advancing their skills in other critical knowledge areas. CPD activities are designed to extend or update your knowledge and skills.
CPD activities:
IFA recognises seven major types of CPD activities:
Formal post-graduate education (at a higher learning institution), aligned to your current role and responsibilities or related to the fitout industry. This may include individual units of post-graduate study that involve some form of assessment, such as lectures, tutorials, lab work, and research.
Formal training programs offered by RTOs and other education providers, including IFA/TAFE Online courses and private study can be used to claim CPD if they are aligned to your current role and responsibilities or are related to the fitout industry.
Attendance or participation at conferences, site visits, and technical meetings. These must be linked to your work, profession, current role, and responsibilities, or they must be related to the Interior Fitout Industry.
Active participation on an IFA or allied organisation committee (Board, NAC, division). You must be able to demonstrate how the leadership position or your involvement in professional activities enhances your knowledge and support of the industry. Activities such as mentoring are also included.
Presentation at an IFA or allied organisation conference, forum, or event. These engagements should fall outside your normal employment but be aligned to your current role and responsibilities; or be related to the Fitout Industry. Please note that repeat presentations of the same content should not be included.
Technical material published by IFA or an allied organisation in a print or electronic medium, including contributions to technical manuals, publications, technical blogs, and conferences. If the published paper or works is co-authored, you can claim a pro-rata split of the time spent on writing the paper.
Activities claimed must contribute to expanding your existing knowledge and skills. They can include extending your knowledge of legislation, regulations, codes, standards, and specifications through work or private study. Sources may include reading technical or industry publications; digital information sources; online technical forums; technical manuals; and learning to use industry-specific computer software. You will need to cite sources (title of publication, date published, author, etc.) and provide sufficient evidence to support how these activities enhanced your knowledge.
If you believe you are undertaking other types of CPD not covered by the above categories, please make a written submission to the IFA office for consideration via email.
Key features:
- Continuous – CPD operates throughout the practitioner’s working life.
- Focused – CPD is necessary for the execution of specialised technical duties related to maintaining the quality and relevancy of expert services.
- Broad-based – CPD develops knowledge, skills, and personal qualities.
- Structured – CPD offers systematic maintenance, improvement, and broadening of a person’s skill base.
Recording CPD activities:
IFA does not run CPD accreditation programs, but we assist our members to accumulate their CPD points for like-minded associations that run a CPD accreditation program.
We recommend our members record learning and development activities undertaken. You should provide the type of learning, learning provider, number of hours, and date of activity.
Contact:
For more information about IFA CPD, please email the national office or call us on (02) 4369 0055.