EUROPEAN REGISTER OF EXERCISE PROFESSIONALS

BACKGROUND

EREPS and EHFA are strong supporters of the EQF and ECVET which promote the concept of lifelong learning and development. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) should be an important factor in the pursuit of helping to professionalise the fitness industry and in the raising of standards, skills and competencies of exercise professionals. It should also help the fitness industry's ability and resources to meet challenges and opportunities in the future.
EREPS has an operating principle that every member is bound by its Code of Ethical Practice which has a specific reference to maintaining professional standards. The Code says:

'Exercise professionals will seek to adopt the highest level of professional standards in their work and the development of their career'

Compliance with this principle requires exercise professionals to commit to the attainment of appropriate qualifications and ongoing training to responsibly demonstrate:

Engagement in actively seeking to update knowledge and improve their professional skills in order to maintain a quality standard of service, reflecting on their own practice, identifying development needs and undertaking relevant development activities.

CPD will be a new concept to many existing exercise professionals, but most of us already engage in new training activities, reading, and learning, attending seminars and conferences and so on. These are all CPD activities. There is a wide variety of choices and options to help members of EREPS meet the requirements noted below - and over time there will be gradual changes to make implementation and checking more straightforward.

EREPS and EHFA want to make sure that, as far as possible, your valuable time and resources are directed to helping you with your career development as an exercise professional. This will also help employers to offer a wider range of services, and for other professionals and our customers to increasingly respect our industry.

EREPS will arrange with training providers across Europe for all kinds of different programmes to be available that you can choose from - and some of these will be through the internet so you can access quality controlled training at a convenient time to you. The EREPS Journal will also carry technical articles and media links so you can read and learn to suit you - and at no additional cost.

Whatever you are doing to help you as a professional is going to be supporting CPD - our check that at the time you re-register you are still fit to continue to practise and you are keeping your knowledge and skills up to date.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO AS A MEMBER OF EREPS TO MEET CPD REQUIREMENTS (2009-2011)

1. Members of EREPS are responsible for keeping their own records of learning and development. To start with this can be done to suit you, in an informal way.

2. EREPS wants its members to consider carefully what training/development they do, and to be able to identify, reflect on, and analyse your personal professional development needs in relation to current job functions and your career development expectations.

3. EREPS recommendations that you should consider a minimum of 10 hours each year of personal, professional development which is in support of your status of registration. Because some training programmes are big and expensive, you should aim for a target of an average of 20 hours for any two-year period. This will allow for some 'peaks' of learning that can be evened-out over time.

4. EREPS further recommendations that you should complete a minimum of 4 hours a year which are devoted to your additional, personal development - and likely to be complimentary to your work as an exercise professional and to support your level of social responsibility.

6. EREPS will allow for CPD to be undertaken in a number of ways, which may include:

• Formal education and training - this can be through EREPS/EHFA approved and recommended training providers, research, distance learning, etc
• You can do some self-directed learning - such as the reading of technical journals, books and articles, updating knowledge via the www, TV and press
• Many employers provide some work-based learning - which can also include reflective practice, audits of work and systems, and significant event analysis
• As an exercise professional you may have other 'professional' activities - these could include membership of other associations/institutions, teaching, attendance of conferences, conventions, trade shows, and mentoring, etc
• Other activities - which may involve voluntary and public service work, etc and are very much part of your social responsibility contained within the EREPS Code of Ethical Practice

Please note
There will not be any formal auditing of CPD records until 2012. This will allow members time to get used to the principles and for EREPS to develop support systems and a process for on-line record keeping.

There will be not be any mandatory CPD requirements, but members are reminded of their rights and responsibilities under the Code of Ethical Practice.

EHFA - European Health & Fitness Association
EQF - Europäischer Qualifikationsrahmen
ECVET - European Credit System for Vocational Education