The Records Management Professional Certificate Program is administered by the Georgia Records Association (GRA). The program consists of multiple training courses designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of those persons responsible for the management and administration of state and local government records in Georgia.
Program Goals
The goals of the GRMP certificate program are to:
- Increase knowledge of the major aspects of public records and information management.
- Develop skills necessary to carry out records and information management functions in Program state and local government.
- Develop and maintain public records and information management standards.
- Increase the professionalism of state and local government public records and information managers in Georgia.
The GRMP program will meet these goals by encouraging GRA members to take a series of GRA training courses that will provide the core of records management knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage Georgia records, and provide a blueprint for these individuals to follow to ensure a high level of professionalism.
Certificate Program
A GRMP certificate is available to GRA members only. Certification of training is based on the successful completion of fifty-four (54) hours of curriculum within the following broad subject areas:
- Properly maintaining agency business records to ensure compliance with State and Federal laws and regulations.
- Effectively administering the agency records management program by developing
policy and procedures, providing employee training and support, and working with the Georgia Archives on records issues. - Identifying agency vital records and creating protection strategies through risk
assessment, storage options, and cost requirements. - Keeping updated on current technologies and records management responsibilities, especially regarding the creation, duplication, and storage of electronic documents and email.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to enroll in the GRMP certificate program, a GRA member:
- Must currently be a state or local government employee in Georgia with records or information management responsibilities.
- Must be a member in good standing with the Georgia Records Association for the entire time enrolled in the Certificate program. The annual membership fee is $45 due by December 31st of each year. To become a member, please complete and submit the online membership application on GRA’ s website.
- Must complete a certificate program application form and pay a one- time
nonrefundable, nontransferable application fee of $100. This fee is due at the time an individual begins the certificate program and is in addition to the registration fee for conferences or workshops. All new and active GRA members enrolling in the certificate program will receive credit toward the certificate program for courses taken within ninety (90) days of the application and payment being received.
Requirements
Requirements to complete the GRMP certificate and receive the designation of a Records Management Professional are:
- Enrollees must complete the total hours required to satisfy each Area of Knowledge for a total of fifty-four (54) hours of course instruction and training.
- All course work must be completed within a five (5) year period from enrolling in the program.
- Upon completion of all course work, the enrollee must submit the Certificate Program Affidavit with a copy of training transcript as proof of completion. If the member entered the program before 2021 use Program Affidavit (AK1-5); after 2021 use Program Affidavit (AK1-6).
Training Transcript
Members are responsible for tracking completion of all courses and workshops
within each area of knowledge (AK) to ensure accuracy. This can be accomplished by monitoring the History area of the member profile (see image). Certificate program participants may attend a particular course (for example a Georgia Open Records Act Overview workshop) as many times as they wish, but the course will only count once toward certificate program credits.
Areas of Knowledge
GRA Areas of Knowledge (AKs) will provide training and information in support of state and local laws and regulations to support records management duties. All training courses provided under each Area of Knowledge (AKs) shall cover all or parts of the learning outcomes listed below.
AK1) Overview of laws and regulations relating to records management
Participants will gain an understanding of:
the Georgia Open Records Act (GORA), its requirements, and implementation, the Georgia Records Act, its requirements, and implementation, Privacy and the protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Redaction of public records, and the legal and regulatory landscape in Georgia.
AK2) Disaster Planning and Preparedness
Participants will gain an understanding of 1) How to include records in your disaster plan. 2) How to identify and manage vital records in all formats, 3) Basic records and document recovery techniques, and 4) How to contract for disaster recovery services.
AK3) Records Management Program Development
Participants will gain an understanding of 1) What is a record, 2) Creating and maintaining a records inventory, 3) Developing and implementing retention schedules utilizing approved State, local and area specific schedules, 4) the disposition of records in all formats, and 5) Developing and maintaining policies and procedures.
AK4) Records Management Program Implementation
Participants will gain an understanding of 1) The storage of records – both temporary and permanent, 2) The construction standards/ best practices of archives and records centers Risk mitigation, 3) The selection and implementation of records management software, 4) The preservation of permanent records, 5) Agency training/ planning: How to grow/ expand the influence of your records management program, 6) How to measure program progress – how to evaluate program success and communicate it to leadership, and 7) Legal holds.
AK5) Electronic Records Management
Participants will gain an understanding of 1) How to make the transition from paper to electronic records management, 2) Change Management, 3) How to develop, update and implement policies and procedures which includes electronic records, 4) Implementation of reformatting technologies – imaging and microfilm, 5) How to manage lifecycle of e- mail, text, voicemail, and other electronic records, 6) How to manage social media records and websites, and 7)Information Governance.
AK6) Professional Development
Participants will gain an understanding of 1) Public Procurement best practices, 2) Management basics, 3) Workplace Safety, 4) Customer Service, 5) Communications, and 6) Other beneficial subjects.
Important
Only GRA courses offered or sponsored will count as credit towards a Records Management Professional Certificate. No course credit will be granted to any inactive GRA member. (Refer to the Georgia Records Association by-laws section 3, article 3 for additional information.)
Certificate program participants may attend a particular course (for example a Georgia Open Records Act Overview workshop) as many times as they wish, but the course will only count one time toward certificate program credits.
The GRA Education Committee reviews, updates, and maintains the GRMP curriculum and areas of knowledge so that members have access to current records management profession trends and learning opportunities.