Engineering CPD Record Template (With Free Layout)

An engineering CPD record template is a simple log, in a spreadsheet or document, where you note each development activity, what you learned and how it relates to your goals. The Engineering Council, which sets the CPD Code for registered engineers and technicians in the UK, says recording CPD is mandatory but does not prescribe a form. So the best template is one that captures what the Code asks for: a plan, the activities, your reflections, your evaluation against objectives, and a regular review. Below is a ready-to-copy layout, clearly labelled as Learnsignal's own illustration and not a form approved by any professional body.

This post is for engineers registered as CEng, IEng, EngTech or ICTTech, and for those working towards registration. It covers UK practice. If your institution is ICE, see our separate guide on ICE CPD for civil engineers, which covers the ICE specifics.

What the Engineering Council actually requires

The Engineering Council says that registered engineers and technicians make a commitment to maintain and enhance their competence, and that this requirement is set out in UK-SPEC. Its statement on recording is direct: "Recording of CPD undertaken is mandatory for registered engineers and technicians."

The CPD Code for Registrants says CEng, IEng, EngTech and ICTTech registrants should take all necessary steps to maintain and enhance their competence through CPD. In summary, it says they should:

• take ownership of their learning and development needs and develop a plan, in discussion with their employer as appropriate;
• undertake a variety of development activities, both in line with the plan and in response to other opportunities;
• record their CPD activities;
• reflect on what they have learned or achieved and record those reflections;
• evaluate their activities against any objectives they have set and record that evaluation;
• review their learning and development plan regularly; and
• support the learning and development of others, for example through mentoring.

The Engineering Council also states that the Code does not specify a minimum amount of time to be spent on CPD each year. Its CPD Policy Statement (Issue 2, dated 2017) favours an outcome-based approach over relying solely on quantitative measures such as hours or points. That is why the template below treats hours as optional.

Mandatory, recommended or just good practice?

Learnsignal's illustrative template

Important: this is an illustration created by Learnsignal to help you structure your own record. It is not a form issued or approved by the Engineering Council or by any engineering institution. Your institution may ask for specific content, so check its requirements first.

Part 1: development plan

Part 2: activity log

Part 3: annual review

How the columns map to the CPD Code

Each column in the template links back to an item in the Engineering Council's CPD Code:

• Objective and planned activities cover taking ownership and developing a plan.
• Planned or opportunistic? shows you have done a variety of activities, both in line with your plan and in response to other opportunities.
• Activity log and evidence cover recording your CPD.
• Reflection covers reflecting on what you have learned or achieved.
• Evaluation against objective covers evaluating against your objectives.
• Review dates and the annual review cover reviewing your plan regularly.
• Mentoring row in the annual review covers supporting the development of others.

Check what your own institution asks for

The Engineering Council licenses professional engineering institutions to run registration, and institutions sample records. The Engineering Council's policy statement says institutions undertake annual random samples of professionally active registrants' CPD records. What a sample looks at varies, so look at your own body's guidance. Examples we have verified:

• IET: its guidance says professionally active members should aim for a minimum of 30 CPD hours per calendar year, and says you can record in its Career Manager system or by your preferred method. When a record is sampled, it considers whether there was a plan, the 30-hour aim, a range of activity categories, a mix of soft and technical skills, links to UK-SPEC competences and a brief reflection. If you are an IET member, add a column for the UK-SPEC competence each activity relates to.
• IMechE: it has no hours or points system. If you are selected for audit, it asks for goals, activities and reflective documents from the previous 12 months, uploaded to its CPD Tools Activity Log or Document Vault. It also says a spreadsheet or Word document is a valid way to record CPD.
• ICE: covered in the ICE guide linked at the top of this post.

Tips for a record that stands up to a sample

• Record soon after the activity, while the detail is fresh.
• Write the reflection in your own words. One or two specific sentences are better than a generic line.
• Say what you will do differently as a result.
• Keep evidence you can upload quickly, such as certificates, notes, project summaries or feedback.
• Include informal learning. On-the-job work, mentoring and reading all count where they develop your competence.
• Back up the file. A lost spreadsheet is a lost record.

If your employer wants to track team training alongside individual CPD, our training matrix template for compliance training covers the organisation-level view. You can also find further guides on Learnsignal's CPD hub.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an official Engineering Council CPD form?

The Engineering Council page we reviewed does not set out a required form. It says recording is mandatory and lists the activities the CPD Code expects. Check with your institution in case it provides its own tool.

How many hours should my template show?

The Engineering Council sets no minimum number of hours. Some institutions give an aim, such as the IET's 30 hours a year for professionally active members, but IMechE has no hours system. Follow your institution's guidance.

Can I use a spreadsheet?

Yes, in most cases. IMechE says a spreadsheet or Word document works, and the IET says you can record by your preferred method. Check with your own institution if unsure.

Do I need to record informal learning?

The Engineering Council CPD Code asks registrants to undertake a variety of development activities and record them. IMechE and the IET both list informal learning, such as on-the-job work, mentoring and self-study, among valid activities.

What if I am not professionally registered yet?

The mandatory recording requirement applies to registrants. If you are working towards registration, keeping a record in this format builds good habits and gives you evidence for your application. Your institution can confirm what it needs.

Closing thoughts

A good CPD record is short, honest and kept up to date. Copy the layout above, adapt the columns to your institution's guidance, and spend a few minutes after each activity writing what you learned. That small habit covers the core of what the Engineering Council's CPD Code asks of registrants.

This article is general information, not regulatory, legal or compliance advice. The template is an illustration by Learnsignal and is not approved by the Engineering Council or any professional body. Check current requirements with your institution.