Yesterday I took part in the ICE South West Team Challenge 2006 at Mill on the Brue. It was a day of fun outdoor activities pitting our wits and skills (and at one point fitness) against the other teams. The twelve teams of seven were composed of graduate engineers from a particular firm with a few undergraduates.

Kash, Dave, James and I (The University of Bath) joined Marina (The University of Plymouth) and Pete and Jack (Dorset County Council) to form a formidable team with a sound mix of tricks.

As unsuspecting as we appeared we earnt a respectable fifth place at the end of play.

For us the order of activities were: -

• Toxic Waste - using ropes to carefully swap the contents of two tins. We did it with poise.
• Jugganought - the classic challenge of getting team and kit between two points without touching the ground other than our crates yackedy smack. Sadly my bossy self asserted a safe and simple way but, consequently, a slow way.
• Rocket - firing an air pressurised rocket across a field at targets. Dave surprised everyone with his delicate and gentle technique to consistently hit the 150 and 50 markers making us the clear winners for this activity.
• River Crossing - get team to other side of the river by erecting a rope over two A frames and then score points for number of crossings. An exhausting, rope burn endurance feat in my opinion.
• (Lunch and a change of cloths for me)
• Raft Rescue - build a raft to transport a dummy to the medi vac (and change of cloths for me)
• Archery - a nice calm way to end the day and we scored well.

It was a most enjoyable day, one I hope to repeat next year, and at no cost to the students. Amazing. Thanks to all the firms for paying ‘eh.

This event constituted for one day of ICE CPD (continuing professional development) which only reinforces my views on CPD. Continuing to develop skills and maintain a level of competence with current professional practice is clearly important in a profession like civil engineering. Formerly recognising this, such as CPD, is therefore a good thing. In my opinion CPD misses the essence of what is needed and is actually a box ticking, point collecting, bureaucratic form filling pain the arse exercise. Yesterday proved to be a big earner for CPD hours (sixty are required with an average of at least five a year for chartership with ICE or whatever it is). Oh yes, I walked away with my Certificate of Continuing Professional Development feeling as if I had just completed my 50m front crawl. Talking to people, yesterday and on previous occasions, I sense that CPD is just game to be played to make someone else happy so as to progress. It should be taken seriously and is an opportunity for perpetual learning (what else is engineering?). I sound so cynical. I think CPD should be not be regulated but merely encouraged with just as many CPD events, if not more. I think it should be up to the individual to choose what things to do to maintain and develop their profession competence and to qualitively demonstrate this as they please (be it a detailed list or written reports or set of minutes from regular staff reviews). The monetary or compliance incentive comes from career progression and winning jobs (you look more attractive for promotion if you have an outstanding track record of self improvement). I can see reasons why this would not work. “It needs regulating…” I hear you cry. “It needs to be fair…” Which I think is to do with accountability. Anyway, the following years will see me collect CPD points and nurture a well labelled CPD file, perhaps starting with yesterday’s certificate.