PAA Member Information for Currency of Education
After extensive research across like industries, the Pilates Association Australia (PAA) has finalised a structure for Pilates professionals to reference currency of education.
Once you have achieved a qualification or certification at an industry entry level training outcome or higher, this training qualification should not expire provided you maintain a currency of the education you have been assessed as having achieved. The term ‘currency of education’ pertains to your education in a particular field being current.
Currency of education
By continuing to access continuing professional development programs
How do I retain currency of education?
In all fields or industries a formal qualification does not expire. What would generally be expected in most industries is that once you have achieved your qualification outcome, you would continue to utilise the content of your training consistently and therefore maintain your application of the education. In addition there is the expectation that you would continue to access professional development programs provided by your industry. The differences from industry-to-industry relates to the length of time allowed to pass before non-currency occurs. That is, how much time is allowed to elapse without using skills and knowledge, before you would be considered ‘non-current’ and require a refresher course. There are further variances from industry-to-industry in relation to professional development requirements. For example, the PAA requires evidence of consistent PDP accrual every two years, whereas other industries may require annual evidence of PDPs.
PAA Stance
A Pilates instructor who has not worked a minimum of 200 hours per year for any two-year period, would be deemed non-current
What is the PAA stance on currency of education?
From our research and discussions with other professional organisations, the PAA has concluded the following position on currency of education:
Should a Pilates instructor or practitioner not work a minimum of 200 hours per year for any two-year period, they would be deemed ‘non-current’ and require refresher education to update and renew their application of skills and knowledge.
In the case of non-currency, the Pilates instructor or practitioner could choose an appropriate training or refresher course to update and renew their skills and knowledge at the required Certificate IV or Diploma level to maintain the knowledge of the original qualification. Ideally this course would be undertaken with the Pilates professional’s initial training provider to ensure consistency.
For a Pilates teacher who has not worked 200 hours or more each year for a two year-period, their qualification will still not expire.
The requirement to obtain professional development points (PDPs) annually and provide evidence each two years is a separate issue from currency of your qualification. Undertaking professional development is considered compulsory by most organisations and is monitored by each particular industry’s regulatory body. Professional development implies that the content of information delivered is above the Level 1 graduate information at certification level.
Be aware that there may be no requirement for your specific training provider to stipulate continuing education programs in order for you to retain your qualification or certification. Each trained professional has the right to retain their training outcome from the RTO and may then choose to select their own course of professional development. The PAA values commonality and diversity amongst all schools of Pilates Method and encourages members to study from a variety of schools that represent various lineages within the Pilates Method.
Professional Development
Achieve consistent professional development points (PDPs)
How to keep your training qualification current
1. Continue to use the skills and knowledge achieved in training and, should you fail to use such skills and knowledge for more than a two-year period, then you would be deemed not current.
If you let your skills and knowledge lapse by not using your training competencies for a two-year period or more, be prepared to regain currency of education by doing a ‘refresher’ course, to update your training.
2. Achieve consistent professional development points (PDPs) annually through courses and education that are specific or related to your profession. Evidence of this must be provided to the association every two years. This training can be undertaken with any training body or organisation that delivers training relevant to your field of expertise, so long as it fulfils the requirement that continuing education be tailored to further develop your skills and knowledge as well as keep you up-to-date with current research and developments relevant to your field of expertise.
It is not a requirement of educational currency that you continue your professional development (PDPs) with the same course provider that you initially undertook training with – in fact it may be advisable to undertake wider industry information education. The educational body that delivers the qualification or educational training does not determine currency.
Currency and continuing education is the domain of regulatory associations such as the PAA who undertake a transparent and non-biased monitoring and implementation.