CPD Perspectives: Beyond the Training Room – Events, Webinars, and Microlearning

When people think about CPD, they often picture a training room. A trainer at the front, a slide deck, a day’s worth of learning neatly packaged into hours.

But learning no longer fits that mould. Professionals keep up to date in all sorts of ways: a lunchtime webinar, a microlearning module on their phone, a debate at a conference, even a recorded masterclass watched on the train.

The training room hasn’t disappeared. But it is no longer the only place where CPD happens.

The recognition gap

Here’s the challenge: much of this learning goes unrecognised.

• A webinar is treated as “attendance,” not achievement.

• A conference ends with a generic “thank you for coming” certificate.

• A five-minute video that teaches a critical skill leaves no trace at all.

In sectors where knowledge moves fast, this is a serious gap. Hours of genuine learning are taking place, but CVs and LinkedIn profiles stay empty.

Microlearning matters

We know from research that small, regular bursts of learning stick better than long, one-off sessions. Microlearning supports retention. It fits busy schedules. It allows professionals to build knowledge step by step.

But without recognition, it evaporates. It’s invisible to employers, recruiters, and regulators — a private gain, but not a professional one.

Assessed prior learning: a proven model

There is a way to capture this. Universities and professional bodies have long used Assessed Prior Learning (APL) to give credit for knowledge gained outside formal courses.

APL is rigorous. Learners submit portfolios or evidence. Assessors review it against outcomes. Credit is awarded.

It shows that recognition doesn’t have to come only from the training room. Learning from work, projects, or informal study can count — if assessed.

The slippery slope of self-recognition

But here’s the danger: if we let everyone simply declare what they’ve learned, the system collapses.

Saying “I watched a YouTube video, therefore I’ve done my CPD” isn’t enough. Without structure, evidence, or assessment, self-recognised learning risks undermining the whole concept of CPD.

We need a balance: flexible recognition, but with credibility intact.

Could AI be the assessor?

This is where things get interesting.

Imagine if AI could analyse your engagement with a webinar, or review the notes you took, and propose aims, skills, and outcomes. Imagine if it could structure your reflections into a format that could be verified and shared.

It wouldn’t replace assessment altogether, but it could bridge the gap between informal learning and formal recognition — turning personal reflection into structured, auditable evidence.

It’s speculative, but the technology is already moving that way. The question is not if but when.

Beyond the training room

The future of CPD isn’t tied to the training room. It’s in the events we attend, the webinars we log into, the videos we watch, and the micro-modules we complete.

The challenge is making sure those experiences don’t vanish into thin air.

Recognition must evolve: drawing on tested models like APL, guarding against the slippery slope of self-recognition, and exploring new tools like AI to help.

Because in the end, learning is happening everywhere. It’s time recognition caught up.