We received quite a few questions since announcing the changes that we are making to the Records Management Training Program. Some of the changes will not occur until Fiscal Year 2020; however, there are some changes are just around the corner. In this post, we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions about changes occurring in October.
If I plan to attend training during FY2018, do any of the program changes affect me?
We recently published a memo indicating that we need to receive all FY2018 training payments by August 31, 2018. That is the only change that affects people completing training in FY2018.
What if I already paid for for a class and need a refund?
Contact the Records Management Training Program (rmt1@nara.gov) as soon as possible. All requests for refunds must be processed by August 31, 2018.
What is changing in FY2019?
NARA is eliminating the tuition for training. FY2019 courses will be free and filled on a first enrolled, first served basis. We will offer fewer courses than we have in past years. Here is an abbreviated course schedule:
| Location | Courses | Month |
| College Park, MD | Knowledge Areas 2-6, Electronic Records Management | October, January, March, May, July, September |
| Seattle, WA | Knowledge Areas 2-6 | November |
| Atlanta, GA | Knowledge Areas 2-6 | February |
| Kansas City, MO | Knowledge Areas 2-6 | April |
| Boston, MA | Knowledge Areas 2-6 | June |
| Denver, CO | Knowledge Areas 2-6 | August |
| Chicago, IL | Knowledge Areas 2-6 | September |
What training is available online for FY2019?
We will continue to offer the Basic Records Operations, Vital Business Information, and Sustainable Formats and Permanent Electronic Records courses. An abbreviated course schedule is shown below.
| Courses | Month |
| Basic Records Operations | November, February, April, June, August, September |
| Vital Business Information | February, June, September |
| Sustainable Formats and Permanent Electronic Records | October, January, March, May, July, September |
How do I see course descriptions, dates, locations and enroll in courses?
- Visit the NARA Learning Center at https://nara.csod.com
- If you already have an account, then log in and view the catalog or you can use the search box to find a specific course.
- If you do not have an account, select the RM Training: Register box on the right side of the screen.
On the next screen, you can view the course catalog or create an account.
Select the Course Catalog button to view the course descriptions. Select a course to see the scheduled classes for that course. Select the Create Account button to create a new account and log in to the NARA Learning Center.
If you need assistance with selecting and enrolling in courses, please use the link for live help or email RMT1@nara.gov.
Will NARA deliver training at my location?
Five, two-week periods in our training calendar are reserved to deliver onsite training at agency locations. These training periods will be filled in the order that we receive requests from agencies.
To request onsite training, please email RMT1@nara.gov. The dates are:
- October 29 – November 9, 2018
- February 4 – 15, 2019
- April 15 – 26, 2019
- June 3 – 14, 2019
- August 12 – 23, 2019
Training at agencies will not be available after September 30, 2019.
If my Senior Agency Official for Records Management (SAORM) has not designated me as an Agency Records Officer (ARO), can I still get the Certificate of Federal Records Management Training?
Yes, however, FY2019 is the last year that NARA will offer this training for personnel that are not designated AROs. Beginning in FY2020, the Certificate of Federal Records Management Training will only be available for SAORM-designated AROs.
After FY2019, what records management training will be available?
NARA will provide training courses only to designated AROs but will make its training materials available to AROs for use in their agencies. AROs will be responsible for providing training to their agency staff.
Who do I contact if I have other questions about changes in the training program?
Please contact the Records Management Training Program (rmt1@nara.gov) if you need more information or contact Gary Rauchfuss, Director, Records Management Training, at (301) 837-1710, or by email to gary.rauchfuss@nara.gov.
Hi Arian, does this mean that this training will no longer be available to non-Federal employees? Or could someone unconnected with Federal government be able to complete it as long as they (I) complete it during FY 2019? Thanks!
Essentially, I believe that is correct. I’ll double-check with the training team to ensure I’m accurate and will let you know. We are evolving the delivery of training to put more of responsibility for delivery with individual agencies and NARA will provide the content and some resources.
Hi Jesse,
For FY2019, our priority will be on training Federal employees and contractors that are working for Federal agencies. I do not anticipate that there will space for others.