1. Continuing Professional Development and the ARA
Jane Brown
IRMS Scotland, CPD in Information and Records Management
Friday 28th October 2016

2. The new ARA CPD offer Foundation level Qualification Registration
Re-validation
and ongoing CPD
Fellowship
The CPD offer which I’m going to outline is available to all members of the Archives and Records Association (ARA)
The new CPD offer is intended to begin pre qualification, including those who work as archive assistants or volunteers, or those on the course (FT or DL). Competency based instead of activity based – designed to be more flexible over a longer career and more in line with current job market eg competency based recruitment and selection processes
Registration is now designed for 5-10 years post qualification, and leads into middle and later career CPD with the opportunity to apply for Fellowship level for senior level professionals after a further years.
There will be compulsory re-validation of registered status within a 5 year cycle for all Registered members of ARA.

3. What? Competency based 3 work areas in 39+ competencies
A framework of competencies to outline the broad spectrum of skills and knowledge required by anyone working in the sector at any stage of their career:
Competency based
3 work areas in 39+ competencies
5 levels of criteria (‘novice’ to ‘expert’)
3 types of CPD achievement:
Foundation
Registration
Fellowship
So what will the CPD offer look like in detail?
It will be based around a framework of competencies (currently c39) grouped into three areas: organisation, process, user.
Each competency will have 5 levels within it representing the career development path from Foundation to Fellowship
At each of the three points of external validation, candidates will have to demonstrate that they have achieved a set number of competencies at the appropriate level. So for Registration for example, candidates will have to submit evidence of completion and a description of the learning outcomes of 12 competencies (at least 8 at level 3, no more than 4 at level 2)

4. Competencies Competency Framework
A. Organisational: governance and planning; monitoring and evaluation; personal development
B. Process: processing/managing current and semi-current records; processing/managing archival records; conserving archives
C. User/stakeholder: understanding users and stakeholders; delivering a service to users; engaging users
Designed to cover all aspects of archive work, and allied professions (eg libraries, museums). Flexible, currently being piloted with new competencies added where necessary.
See competency framework handout v.7 (also available on ARA website, CPD page under Training) – has 39 competencies

5. Levels
1. NOVICE: routine, supervised, short-term view, little initiative, follows instructions
2. BEGINNER: routine, mid-term goals, some independent tasks, some initiative
3. COMPETENT: supervises, manages, analyses, mid-long term goals, contributes to profession
4. PROFICIENT: long-term goals, major professional contribution, expert knowledge, initiates and manages, policy development
5. EXPERT/AUTHORITATIVE: horizon-scanning, (inter)national professional impact, leading, mission/goal-focus, advocates, benchmarks
See handout of Description of Levels version 7

6. Foundation Starts October 2018 Levels 1 & 2 8 competencies in total
4 competencies at level 2
No more than 4 competencies at level 1
Two competencies in each of 3 areas
Assessment by Foundation Level assessor
Evidence; CV; mentor reference
Re-validation every 5 years
Competencies valid for 5 years
Optional Learning Log
Must have one year of professional or work experience prior to starting programme
Mentor as for Registration Scheme
Assessor – must be Registered or have 5 years’ post-qualification experience

7. Registration Last submission old Scheme Oct 2017
Starts October 2018 for new candidates
Levels 2 & 3
5 years after qualification (min 3 yrs FTE)
Experience route also possible
12 competencies at minimum levels 2 & 3
8 competencies at minimum level 3
No more than 4 competencies at level 2
Two competencies in each of 3 areas
Evidence; CV; mentor reference
Re-validation every 5 years
Registration – first round of new assessment will start Oct Old scheme final round will be Oct 2017, with scope for possible re-submission of failed portfolios during 2018 (approx 70 portfolios to go through in Oct 2017, Apr 2018 and Oct 2018 assessment rounds). 5 years of professional experience. Mentor needed as for current scheme (registered member)
Shape of portfolio depends on type of membership being applied for ie number of competencies across how many work areas at what level. This criteria is still being finalised with the CPD Pilot Group. This has a wide membership, which helps to ensure that as many career paths and types of experience at different stages are incorporated into the Framework and the Programme requirements
Number of competencies under review – may change to 8 instead
Candidates who have been on the current Scheme for more than 10 years will need to re-enrol. Those who have enrolled within 10 years will be automatically transferred to the new Programme.
Competencies and evidence are valid for 5 years (may change > 10 years?)
Assessment fee payable on application, with 6 months’ notice to Programme Manager

8. Fellowship
Starts 2019
Min. 10 years’ registered status + 1 round of registration re-validation
8 competency write-ups, min. levels 4 & 5
Minimum 4 competencies at level 5
Competencies across all 3 areas
Proof of 3+ years’ contribution to profession
Evidence; CV
Statement from third party professional
One hour viva/Panel Review
Re-validation required every 5 years
Fellowship Sub-Group
First assessments New programme timescale means that applicants will need to revalidate their registered status first during Possible fast track in order to get numbers up (for assessment purposes) – can apply within 1 year of revalidating registered status, instead of waiting 5 year cycle. Failure = registration revalidation instead. A substantial level of Contribution to the Profession (CtP) is required over at least a 3 year period – can be quantified in competency write-ups or in separate statement. Probable buddying/peer-to-peer mentoring arrangements (TBC)
Life-span of a competency likely to be 10 years in length
Assessment fee paid when applying; 6 months’ notice needed to Programme Manager
Fellowship Sub-Group being established Oct/Nov 2016 in order to review criteria – probable that current draft requirements will be changed. The number of competency write-ups may well be reduced, and additional more qualitative types of assessment may be introduced which are more reflective of a longer career path where new learning does not necessarily occur as intensively as earlier on eg foundation/registration

9. Re-validation Pilot Group trial during summer 2017
Starts autumn 2018 for existing Registered members
Summary of CPD in 12 or 8 (TBC) competencies over last 5 years
3 full competency write-ups
Two competencies in each of 3 areas
Evidence; CV; CPD statement
Statement from third party professional
Loss of status if not re-validated
Revalidation – for all existing registered members, regardless of route to registration (experience route prior to 1996; current scheme post 1996). 5 year cycle. Pilot group to trial re-validation during summer Mentor will be assigned if portfolio fails to help with re-submission.
Shape of portfolio depends on type of membership being applied for ie number of competencies across how many work areas at what level (ie 12 for Registration may change to lower figure). Re-validation also at Foundation level. This criteria is still being finalised with the CPD Pilot Group. This has a wide membership, which helps to ensure that as many career paths and types of experience at different stages are incorporated into the Framework and the Programme requirements
Assessment fee payable on application. Random sample of those up for re-validation will talk through full competency write-ups at a teleconference
12 months for first and second re-submissions each; 3rd failure results in loss of status (failure of Fellowship re-validation counts as Registration re-validation)

10. Further information ARA website > Training > CPD page:
Overall competency framework (ie list of competencies)
Description of 5 levels
Function and competency requirements
FAQs
ARC
ARA Today
ARA Comms’ Strategy 2017
Registration Scheme Committee e-zine
ARA
CPD webpages to be developed during autumn/winter 2016/17 as Programme is firmed up and templates etc become finalised by the Steering and Pilot Groups

11. Any questions?