We often get asked "how long will it take?". The educational answer is, of course, never stop learning. Indeed, the ISM answer is never stop challenging and learning. But seafarers are practical people; practical and busy people, so a practical answer is deserved.

The Nautical Institute's new CPD requirements in Annex K will negate the need for a full revalidation couirse every five years. The NI's standard for the revalidation course states 'not less than 34 hours'. Logic would then suggest that a NI approved CPD programme should not be less that 34 hours spread over five years. This equates to not less than 7 hours a year. In Keelson's DP CPD program two online assessments are taken each lasting an hour. This leaves approximately not less than five hours of study every year.

But what to study in those five hours? Here's the clever bit! Because we start with a base line assessment you only need study the areas you got wrong. We normally set the DP CPD 'window' for eight weeks. You take the base line assessment as soon as you are enrolled. Then you look at your report, see where you need to be reminded of  things, engage with the learning materials and DP app, and then log back in to take another assessment to see how much you have improved. Job done! We use eight weeks as a traditional offshore hitch cycle as we believe this should be done onboard; but we can work with companies and adjust this to suit fleet and project schedules if necessary.

Remember, we should NEVER STOP learning and challenging, but practical solutions must be offered to practical people.