Programs: Education

 

Register for Records Management Training classes online with the National Archives and Records Administration

http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/training/

 

Course descriptions are below and can also be found on the web site.

 

BRO Basic Records Operations

  • Knowledge Area 1 (KA1) Records Management Overview
  • Knowledge Area 2 (KA2) Creating and Maintaining Agency Business Information
  • Knowledge Area 3 (KA3) Records Scheduling

  • Knowledge Area 4 (KA4) Records Schedule Implementation

  • Knowledge Area 5 (KA5) Asset and Risk Management
  • Knowledge Area 6 (KA6) Records Management Program Development

 

Emergency Planning and Vital Records

  1. Emergency Planning and Response for Vital Records and Essential Information
  2. Records Emergency Planning and Response

  3. Vital Records

 

Professional Courses for Non-Records Managers

  1. Survival Guide for IT Professionals: Information Assurance and Records Management
  2. The Case for Records Management: Issues for Federal Agency Counsel

  3. Record keeping: A Program Manager's Survival Guide

 

Electronic Records Management Courses

  1. Basic Electronic Records Management
  2. Advanced Electronic Records Management

  3. Planning for Digital Imaging Success

 

BRO

Basic Records Operations

This course describes what to file, how to file it, and how to remove files no longer needed for current business. It covers the variety of activities involved in the maintenance and use, as well as the disposition, of Federal records. It presents practical how-to's in handling records of various types.

 

Outcomes:

By the end of the course, participants will be able to

  • Define Federal records and distinguish them from non record materials and personal papers;
  • Reduce unnecessary filing;

  • Know basic files management principles to administer office records;

  • Inventory records;

  • Apply records disposition schedules; your agency's and the General Records Schedules; and

  • Transfer non-current records to records centers

 

Who should attend?

The target audience for this course is records liaisons, secretaries, files custodians, and others who maintain records as part of their jobs. It could be an introduction to records handling or a refresher course. The course is designed for those needing the task-oriented records management basics, but who are not planning to complete the Certificate courses of study or manage a records program.

 

Length - One day Cost: $150

 

Knowledge Area 1 (KA1)

Records Management Overview

What are valuable agency resources and business assets? Records are. This course provides an overview of the purpose, concepts and activities of managing Federal records. A high-level overview appropriate for those in managerial positions, the course focuses on the new, twenty-first century challenges in the Federal records environment and how to address them.

 

Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Demonstrate that effective records management adds value to agency business processes by ensuring that agency information is authentic, reliable, and usable, and has integrity for as long as needed to meet business needs
  • Explain how an organization creates and maintains trustworthy records by establishing processes to support a comprehensive records management program

  • Identify the stakeholders and explain their primary roles and responsibilities for, and interests in, records management within an agency

  • Explain the importance of developing records management strategies that support and complement current technology in agency

  • information systems, business applications, and business processes.

 

Who should attend?

This course will be especially useful for agency managers and employees who can only attend records management training for one day but desire a high-level overview.

Although this course is not part of the Certification of Federal Records Management Training, it is recommended as a foundation for newcomers to the records management field and anyone interested in taking the additional five records management courses that are required for the optional certification program.

 

Length - 1 day Cost: $150

 

Knowledge Area 2 (KA2)

Creating and Maintaining Agency Business Information

What are Federal records management requirements, why are they important, and how are they applied to agency records? This course focuses on the development and implementation of polices and procedures for adequate and proper documentation of agency business. It demonstrates how record- keeping requirements for creating and maintaining records can improve the economy and efficiency of agency operations.

 

Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Identify Federal records and how they are used to document and sup- port the business process;
  • Determine the record keeping requirements-for paper and electronic records-that ensure adequate and proper documentation of agency business operations;

  • Gather information about records as a basis for efficient filing and storage solutions;

  • Maintain the records specific to your agency's program including those created by e-mail, word processing, and imaging systems; and

  • Identify the strategies and challenges for satisfying record keeping requirements in electronic records management systems.

 

Who should attend?

Anyone involved with the development or implementation of a records system, whether using traditional paper filing methods or electronic document/records management applications. The course is recommended as a prerequisite for KA 3 and KA 4.

 

Length - 2 days Cost: $300

his course is required for obtaining NARA's Certification of Federal Records Management Training.

 

Knowledge Area 3 (KA3

Records Scheduling

What do you do with information and records that you no longer need for business purposes? How you schedule your records determines the basis for meeting your agency's operating, fiscal, and legal needs. This course includes the legal requirements and practical advantages in scheduling records as well as the disposition practices necessary to meet an agency's business needs and NARA's record keeping requirements.

 

Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Perform a business and records analysis to determine information needs and identify risks associated with records disposition;
  • Gather information about records as a basis for preparing a records schedule;
  • Apply the General Records Schedule to appropriate administrative records;
  • Develop disposition instructions for records, in all media, based on agency business needs, accountability, legal issues and archival value; and

  • Know the steps in obtaining internal and external approvals of the Standard Form 115 (SF 115), which is used to schedule records.

 

Who should attend?

Anyone responsible for developing or updating agency records schedules or whose work is associated with developing records retention requirements for records and information systems. KA 2 is a recommended prerequisite.

 

Length - 2 days Cost: $300

This course is required for obtaining NARA's Certification of Federal Records Management Training.

 

Knowledge Area 4 (KA4)

Records Schedule Implementation

How do you ensure the proper disposition of your agency's records? This course provides an overview of how to apply the General Records Schedules and other NARA-approved records schedules to Federal records. It covers the key elements of a records disposition program, including the destruction of temporary records, the transfer of records to off-site storage, and the transfer of permanent records to the National Archives.

 

Outcomes:

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Interpret disposition instructions from many types of records schedules;
  • Determine when and how to transfer records to off-site storage;

  • Maintain intellectual control over records stored off-site;

  • Ensure the proper disposal of temporary records; and

  • Transfer permanent records to the National Archives.

 

Who should attend?

Anyone responsible for creation, maintenance and use, and disposition of agency business records, particularly staff who transfer records to records centers or the National Archives.

 

Length - 2 days Cost: $300

This course is required for obtaining NARA's Certification of Federal Records Management Training.

 

Knowledge Area 5 (KA5)

Asset and Risk Management

Are records valuable assets to your agency business process? Of course! How you manage your assets by applying appropriate records management procedures is a critical task in any organization. This course covers the fundamentals of risk management and cost benefit analysis and how they relate to maintaining a viable records management program. The course raises awareness of risk situations and provides managers with the decision-making tools they need to address current and future program needs.

 

Outcomes:

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the key concepts of analyzing and managing the risk to agency assets (records);
  • Identify and assess records management risks within your agency's programs;
  • Prioritize risks and develop mitigation strategies; and

  • Identify resources, including the use of NARA services, to develop a risk management program.

 

Who should attend?

Anyone responsible for managing, operating, or evaluating agency programs, particularly agency records management programs, and staff responsible for developing policies that involve these programs.

 

Length - 2 days Cost: $300

This course is required for obtaining NARA's Certification of Federal Records Management Training.

 

Knowledge Area 6 (KA6)

Records Management Program Development

How effective is your agency's Records Management Program? This course covers the concepts and practices involved in developing a successful records management program and subsequent evaluations. You will learn how to market and promote your program, including the development of a training program for all levels of agency staff.

 

Outcomes:

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Evaluate current record keeping practices within your Federal agency;
  • Analyze need for using external resources to assist with your agency;

  • Market and promote an agency's records management program;

  • Establish an effective training program for all levels of personnel; and

  • Protect records from unauthorized destruction and alienation.

 

Who should attend?

Anyone responsible for managing, operating, or evaluating records management programs and those involved in the development of records management training for agency staff.

 

Length - 1 day Cost: $150

This course is required for obtaining NARA's Certification of Federal Records Management Training.

 

Emergency Planning and Response for Vital Records and Essential Information

This course combines and integrates the content found in both the Vital Records course and the Records Emergency Planning and Response course. It provides knowledge and skills required to identify, protect, and make readily available the vital records in the event of a disaster, as well as to incorporate records emergency planning into agency COOP plans. Finally, it includes information and hands-on practice in recovering records damaged in an emergency situation. The course is based on the vital record requirements contained in FEMA's Federal Preparedness Circular 65-Guidance for Continuity of Operations Planning and CFR 36.

 

Outcomes:

At the end of this practical skills-level course, participants will be able to:

  • Plan an emergency response program for records
  • Distinguish between a record and a vital record

  • Identify and assess hazards and risks to vital records

  • Identify protection strategies for vital records

  • Develop procedures to ensure access and security of vital records

  • Write a Records Emergency Action Plan

  • Assess damage to records

  • Decide on recovery techniques for damaged records

 

Who Should Attend?

This course targets Federal employees and/or contractors who are individuals with records responsibilities, COOP managers, line managers and staff, information technology personnel, and employees of state and local government involved with vital records programs or emergency planning.

 

No Pre-requisites

Length: - 2 days Cost: $300

 

Records Emergency Planning and Response

This practical course provides the skills and knowledge needed to protect or mitigate damage to records and to recover essential records in the event of an emergency. The emphasis of this course is on developing a Records Emergency Action Plan and knowing how to activate all aspects of that plan. It includes information and hands-on practice in recovering records damaged in an emergency situation. The course is based on the vital record requirements contained in FEMA's Federal Preparedness Circular 65-Guidance for Continuity of Operations Planning and CFR 36.

 

Outcomes:

At the end of this practical skills-level course, participants will be able to:

  • Distinguish the importance of emergency planning
  • Identify and assign responsibility for the plan

  • Write the plan

  • Analyze and test the plan for completeness

  • Assess the damage to records

  • Determine the response actions

  • Manage the response

  • Distinguish recovery techniques for damaged records

 

Who Should Attend?

This course targets Federal employees and/or contractors who are individuals with records responsibilities, COOP managers, line managers and staff, information technology personnel, and employees of state and local government involved with vital records programs or emergency planning.

 

Pre-requisite: Vital Records

Length: - 1 day Cost: $150

For a two-day course that combines the content of Vital Records and Records Emergency Planning and Response, see the course Emergency Planning and Response for Vital Records and Essential Information

 

Vital Records

This course provides the knowledge and skills required to identify, protect, and make readily available the vital records needed to support the resumption of critical business functions after a disaster, and to establish and administer a vital records program. The course is based on the vital records requirements contained in FEMA's Federal Preparedness Circular 65-Guidance for Continuity of Operations Planning and CFR 36.

 

Outcomes:

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Distinguish between a record and a vital record;
  • Identify an organization's critical business needs and functions;

  • Analyze records in the context of a vital records program;

  • Identify and assess risks to records;

  • Identify protection strategies for vital records;

  • Specify timeframes for vital records availability;

  • Develop procedures to ensure access to and security of vital records;

  • Establish the scope of a vital records program;

  • Identify elements of an effective vital records program; and

  • Identify vital records program implementation strategies.

 

Who should attend?

This course targets Federal employees and/or contractors who are individuals with records responsibilities, COOP managers, line managers and staff, information technology personnel, and employees of state and local government involved with vital records programs or emergency planning.

 

Length - 1 day Cost: $150

 

 

http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/training/

 

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