Quidos CPD Requirements for DEAs and Course Providers

How many hours of CPD does your accreditation scheme require from members?

Quidos has a recommended figure of 12 hours of CPD annually. This is very much a minimum and we recommend that all DEAs spend as much time as they feel necessary to keep ahead with the new developments in the field.

Given that all first year DEAs will have spent considerable time training, qualifying and learning on-the-job, do they still need to complete their full CPD quota this year?

Yes, as an accreditation scheme we feel very strongly that they do complete the full 12 hours for this year even though they've just qualified. CPD is arguably more important in the very first year of any newly qualified professional, simply because they lack the years of experience and the knowledge base this brings with it.

Furthermore, I cannot stress enough the importance for DEA's to fulfil the 12 hours of CPD for the following reasons:

• They've been trained in a whole new industry, which really did not exist previously
• The amount of work for the majority of DEA's has not been great, hence there's not that much "hands-on" experience.
• The massive difference in quality of training providers, which, unfortunately has resulted in different standards of EPCs.

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Can your members attend courses given by external third-parties, or must they attend your own in-house offerings?

Of course our members can attend external third-party CPD courses. However, we want either the members of our scheme attending the course, or the CPD training provider, to get the course approved by ourselves.

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Do CPD courses need to be pre-approved by your scheme to be recognised?

Yes, the reason we like to approve CPD courses is so we can confirm the validity and quality of the course and make sure that it is industry-related and serves a useful purpose for DEAs. E.g. a course on "How do I create marketing brochures for my business course", is one such course we would not approve. However, a floor plan or DEA refresher course would get the Quidos seal of approval.

What guidance can you give to your members as to whether a course is worth attending, and how can they determine how much CPD credit you will award, before attending?

The main criteria Quidos has for approving CPD courses is by judging whether the course will improve the attendee's professional performance and practice.

Are there any advertising guidelines that course providers should adhere to and DEAs should look out for to ensure the course is legitimate? For instance: should the advertisement quote something like: "This course is approved by Quidos"; "This course awards 3 CPD credits" etc...)?

Yes, once a course is approved we know the likely time required of participants to complete the course. This time will go directly to each DEAs CPD credits. Once a course is approved they can put those credits in their advertisements as 'Quidos-approved CPD course'.

Further guidance for members is through our support hotline. If one of our members would like to know how useful a course is they can simply give us a ring and we will advise accordingly.

Is there a cost for submitting course material for review?

There are no costs associated with submitting a CPD course for approval.

How long does the review take?

The review process roughly takes 24 - Sometimes 48 hours

Do you advise how much CPD credit will be awarded (if you approve the course)?

Once we approve a course we clearly state the CPD credits we entitle for the course.

Who should course providers contact to submit their proposed material?

Applications for approval by QAS should be submitted via the Application Form by emailing QAS@quidos.co.uk

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Are you particularly focused on a particular range of topics DEAs can study, or would you consider periphery subjects like business development, accounting, and internet marketing, for example?

We only allow CPD courses that are industry-related, such as floor plans training; DEA refresher courses; HIPs workshops etc. We do not count internet marketing, business development courses, etc... as CPD simply because we feel that those courses don't necessarily improve a DEA.

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Would you support an open standard amongst accreditation schemes whereby a course acceptable to one, would be acceptable to all?

Definitely, we are heavily in favour of regulating the industry and making it more transparent for everybody involved.

On top of that, I would like to press for a full open standard for all Accreditation Scheme's: not just for CPD courses but also for published figures of Quality Assurance checks carried out; level of insurance for all members etc etc.

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Yes, if you wish to find out if the CPD course you are attending is approved by Quidos, or you wish to have your course approved please give us a ring or email the details of your course to QAS@quidos.co.uk.

If you are an accreditation scheme and wish to promote the open standard for Accreditations Schemes please ring me directly to discuss further.

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