PrintInitial Professional Development Scheme (IPDS) Guide
Welcome to the CIPFA Initial Professional Development Scheme, designed to help you take the knowledge you are developing through the education scheme, and apply it in your work place, to meet your skills development needs and those of your employer.
Successful completion of the Initial Professional Development Scheme demonstrates that
- You have made workplace experience an integral part of your learning.
- That you can continue with your professional learning and development through the practice of reflection.
At first appearances, the IPDS might seem quite daunting, but once you have read through the guidance and started compiling your portfolio, you should find this a very manageable and useful experience.
You will only be eligible to apply for membership to the Institute once you have completed an IPDS portfolio of learning and it has been assessed as ‘ready to submit’. When your application for membership is approved you will be entitled to use the designatory letters ‘CPFA’ after your name as you progress in your career as a chartered public finance accountant.
These pages provide all the information you need to fulfil the requirements of CIPFA’s Initial Professional Development Scheme (IPDS).
You can also download a PDF version of the IPDS Guide (PDF, 675kb), and the Example Portfolio (PDF, 205kb) for further help.