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Professional development: My approach to CPD
24th Jun 2026
Rob Hayes MRINA
Rob Hayes MRINA is based in Auckland, where he runs a consultancy, Maritime Systems Engineers. Rob studied MEng Ship Science at Southampton, graduating in 2014, and his career has taken him from the UK, to Australia, and now to New Zealand. He reflects on the importance of continuing professional development (CPD).
Writing and presenting
CPD is incredibly important, both for personal development and for the general advancement of the industry and profession. We are a small, niche industry, and CPD makes up a vast proportion of how you can widen your experience and knowledge.
While I have approached a diverse range of CPD throughout my career, my go-to method is to write papers and present at conferences. My first opportunity to present was in 2015 at a small conference (Hybrid Marine Power & Propulsion), on optimising vessel design for hybrid propulsion. I refined the topic over the next two to three years and presented at two further conferences, including