Is the 1 hour CPD course out the window?
Many site the SRA’s decision to cease accrediting CPD courses as confirmation that the concept of the CPD course is ‘out the window’, however we at Datalaw do not believe this to be the case.
In its simplest form, the reference CPD hours or CPD points is an easy way for training providers to describe and quantify the amount of training which has been delivered in a single course. Similarly, under the SRA’s new scheme practitioners will still require a tangible way in which to document and report the training they have completed and the concept of CPD hours or points provides this.
There is no doubt that CPD has changed a lot in recent years and one of the driving factors for this change has been the influence of technology on the way people learn. The increased popularity and greater availability of online CPD has revolutionised the legal training market; long gone are the days when practitioners needed to attend a full 6 hour course or even a 3 hour half day session in order to meet their 16 hour CPD quota.
One of the main criticisms of the current CPD scheme is that its focus is on how many CPD hours solicitors spend in formal training courses as opposed to what solicitors have learnt as a result of the training which they have undertaken. However that is not to say that the 1 hour CPD course will no longer be necessary. The SRA have simply removed the stipulation that an arbitrary number of CPD hours must be completed within a 12 month time period.
Datalaw have always strived to be at the forefront of on-line CPD provision, offering customers high quality recorded and live webinars at the best prices on the training market. The way we have managed to achieve this is by catering to the individual or firm’s complete training needs. Rather than offering practitioners an hour here or an hour there in order to top up what training they may have completed elsewhere, Datalaw has sought to become a ‘one stop shop’ for practitioners training needs. Regardless of the area(s) of law, practice level or firm size, Datalaw will always work with the customer to ensure that they receive the training which they require at the best possible price.
Datalaw’s CPD bundles offer the best value of any CPD provider on the market. The discounts are even greater when purchasing a firm CPD or 9 areas of law CPD bundle.
We also offer an Access all Areas CPD bundle which is by far the most comprehensive and cost effective training package currently available. Datalaw’s Access all Areas CPD bundle includes on demand access to general practice areas, management and regulatory courses, ensuring that whatever your training requirements this CPD bundle will have it covered. So, as opposed to adopting a piece-meal approach to training and development, it has never been more convenient or cost effective to tackle your learning needs as a whole.