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          EXPLOITING ARES 

Some Ideas from the Detailed Report of the Archives and Records  Education Stakeholders Forum (ARES) held in Melbourne in June 2003.

Prepared by the Australian Society of Archivists (ASA) Education Committee

April 2004

Executive Summary 

Background

Themes from the ARES Detailed Report 

A Single professional voice

Marketing and communication 

Basic information about education and available opportunities in the profession 

Relations with educators

Mentoring 

Other

List of issues from the detailed report of ARES

This report should be made available to ASA Council, Records Management Association of Australasia (RMAA) Board, the Council of Federal State and Territory Archives (COFSTA), the ASA RMAA Joint Education Steering Committee and through the Archives and Records Education Stakeholders (ARES) Forum website.

The ASA and the RMAA should in particular consider:

The value of a single voice for the profession

The importance of jointly marketing the profession and communicating with a single voice about it

The value of collecting and making available basic information about the profession and professional education

The importance of relationships with educator

This report can be used to reconsider the work which stakeholders expect to flow from the ARES Forum in June 2003 and to help to ensure that the enthusiasm generated is maintained and converted to lasting outcomes.

In June 2003 the ASA and the RMAA held the ARES Forum. A Facilitator’s Report was prepared and presented to all participants, ASA Council, RMAA Board and COFSTA which supported the Forum. 

A Detailed Report of the discussion which occurred at the Forum was also produced. The main purpose of the Detailed Report was to give those who were not present some sense of the conversations which took place. 

The ASA Education Committee has examined the Detailed Report and the papers presented to the Forum to draw out some of the suggestions that were not included in the Statement of Intent which was part of the Facilitator’s Report and to highlight some of the practical suggestions that were made. 

This report should help the two associations to reflect on the stakeholder feedback provided through ARES and can usefully inform planning and  future development. It can thus be a way of capitalising on the resources which went into the Forum. 

It is recommended that a copy of Exploiting ARES should also be provided to the COFSTA as an acknowledgement of their contribution to ARES and that it should be made available on the ARES website. 

The ideas which come out of an examination of the detailed report are not different from those in the Facilitator’s Report. This paper does, however, provide a slightly different focus. By highlighting these themes the ASA Education Committee hopes to ensure that the voices of stakeholders are heard and the work which the profession clearly expects to flow from ARES is facilitated. 

Distribution of this report should remind us of the energy of ARES and the hope that the profession would build on its work. It should also cause us to revisit the Facilitator’s Report and the Statement of Intent and to take up the work that it implies.

The ARES Facilitator’s Report has an underlying theme of joint action by the ASA and the RMAA and an expectation that the two associations will work together for the benefit of a single profession.

This expectation was clear in a particular comment recorded in the Detailed Report: that having two peak professional bodies communicating with employers did not  provide a clear message.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the ASA and the RMAA is an attempt to improve coordination between the two bodies and the formation of the Joint Education Steering Committee (JESC)  following ARES is a valuable step, but the governing bodies of both associations need to keep this issue under constant review.

The Statement of Intent included in the ARES Facilitator’s Report noted:

The profession needs to develop explicit marketing and communications strategies and develop specific marketing outcomes. It must market to:

employers generally,

specific groups of employers,

schools (especially schools with indigenous students and

school leavers).

JESC which was formed as a result of ARES rightly does not regard this as their responsibility. ASA Council and RMAA Board need to find other ways to implement this aspect of the Statement of Intent.

The Detailed Report contains a number of suggestions for marketing and communications.

That recordkeeping professionals should seek to present papers on the value of recordkeeping at conferences and in journals of other professional groups in order to highlight the recordkeeping profession and the benefits of professionally educated recordkeepers. 

That recordkeepers should be represented at school careers fairs and should be in contact with school counsellors.

That recordkeepers should encourage communication with the IT profession by inviting speakers to their meetings.

That information about salaries for qualified professionals in government should be conveyed to the private sector.

That the ASA and RMAA could lobby for professional qualifications to be included in industrial awards and key selection criteria.

That the ASA and the RMAA should continue to be involved in the development of national training packages and seek to have recordkeeping units included where appropriate.

That the ASA and the RMAA have a role to play in representing the changing nature of education in the profession to employers.

That the ASA and the RMAA should explore the possibility of government support for recordkeeping education.

That the ASA and the RMAA could encourage employers who advertise professional positions without requiring professional qualifications to consider the need for such qualifications by a letter writing campaign in response to advertised positions and that local  branches might take this on.

The RMAA’s new marketing plan includes actions to have the profession represented at careers fairs. Joint work in this area would be beneficial.

The two associations should consider these suggestions as part of their marketing and communication plans. Marketing and communication to improve understanding of the profession and raise its status is a considerable task. Joint action in this area is worth considering as a way of leveraging limited resources.

There was some discussion at ARES about the importance of basic information needed to understand the education environment and to plan for the future. It was considered that developing and maintaining information resources could be a difficult task  particularly where associations were relying on volunteers. Nevertheless, an examination of the Detailed Report reveals a number of calls for information to be made available.

There were requests for:

A register of employers who were willing to provide (preferably paid) work experience for students ( or alternatively some effort by the ASA and RMAA to encourage employers to provide work experience).

Information about employer satisfaction with graduates they employ.

Data about the positions and salaries which graduates obtain.

Information about employers who provide support for the education of their own staff (which might also encourage more employers to provide such support).

Information about available traineeships and apprenticeships.

Information about all available courses. It was suggested that contributing to the International Council on Archives Section on Archival Education website which maintains a course register would be a possible way of doing this.

A list of available training courses  outside the university and government VET sector would be particularly valuable.

Information on salaries available in the profession.

The ASA and the RMAA are really the only bodies likely to take on this information collection and promotion role. The two associations should consider the need for basic information about education in the profession and try to meet these needs gradually and over time. Consolidated information is an essential tool for understanding the state of professional education and for any planning.

At ARES it seemed that Educators were very interested in engaging with the profession through formal and informal mechanisms. The contribution of the profession in course accreditation and in contributing to course reviews was appreciated. The profession was, however, asked to be clear about the role it was seeking and how it intended to perform that role.

There may be value in associations promoting meetings of educators as part of existing conferences. These meetings could be for educators alone or could involve others with an interest in education. 

There was support for mentoring schemes provided by the professional associations. This benefit of association membership could be more widely promoted, including to students. 

Framework for the Profession

Indigenous Issues

Continuing Professional Development

These issues, which are covered in the Statement of Intent,  are also  raised in this examination of the Detailed Report.

This document lists suggestions from the Archives and Records Education Stakeholders (ARES) Forum  which were not picked up in the Facilitator’s Summary. It covers the speakers papers as well as the Detailed Report, although not all speakers papers contained additional suggestions. 

The aim of compiling this list was to be able to refer suggestions to ASA Council, RMAA Board and relevant committees for possible action.

A line numbered version of the Detailed Report was prepared so that users of this summary could easily reference the point in the report which led to a particular suggestion.

The strategic approach for the recordkeeping profession is to explain to employers the links between risk management and recordkeeping to encourage them to see that there is a strategic role for recordkeeping in their organisations.

[Possible approach to explain the value of educated recordkeepers to employers. One means of promoting the recordkeeping profession to employers would be to speak at their conferences and write for their journals.]

An issue related to the professional and para-professional distinction is the existence of two peak professional bodies representing a single industry. What sort of message is this sending to employers?

[ASA and RMAA are currently trying to build bridges.]

Why can’t courses involve more practical experience modules?

[ASA and RMAA could encourage employers to provide work experience, perhaps by setting up a register of those willing to provide placements or just writing to a range of employers pointing out the value.]

The notion of an apprenticeship is good. Cadetships for archivists have been developed by a previous employer and that was very useful. 

[ASA and RMAA could encourage the promotion of existing programmes and the development of additional programmes.] 

Are employers happy with the skill level of people who come out of the courses, and can they get them?

[Suggests there is insufficient knowledge about employer satisfaction with graduates. A survey could be of use. ASA and RMAA may be able to assist in setting something up.]

There is a lack of available data about the fate of graduates from records and archives educational programs.

[Survey over time would assist. ASA and RMAA could facilitate.]

School leavers have no knowledge of recordkeeping / records management as a career.

Not many school leavers are attracted into the recordkeeping courses and professions need to think about attracting young people into them. 

[ASA and RMAA could develop a programme to promote archives and records careers to school leavers. This could be done through providing information for careers counselors or presence at careers fairs.]

Employers in NSW are looking to professional associations to say what a qualified archivist has to have to be employed under the Award. 

[Issue needs to be kept under review by ASA and RMAA.]

Work experience is a good thing but it is difficult to find employers willing to provide it. An Employers Register would be helpful, providing names of employers willing to provide work experience (preferably paid).

[ASA Council and RMAA Board could develop a register.]

Summary of COFSTA institution views of education

Of government institutions about half have recruitment policies requiring records and archives  qualifications, the rest list qualifications as desirable 

All but one COFSTA institutions advise agencies about desirable qualifications and educational standards

[In 2002 the ASA asked COFSTA to nominate education representatives from each institution and to consider Education issues. This provided a useful access point for ARES. Given the size of COFSTA institutions and their potential influence in the professional education market, it would be useful for the ASA and the RMAA to continue to encourage COFSTA to consider the contribution they might make to the support of professional education.]

Preference is to hire people with qualifications (less resource intensive for employer) and then provide continuing professional development

On the job training (after external conferences) is used extensively but there is difficulty for some institutions finding qualified staff with other desired attributes

Type of education/training needed – although a range of training was mentioned, most COFSTA institutions focussed on vocational level certificates (competency standards were referred to as benchmarks) as relevant qualifications

[Models of education in the profession are changing. ASA and RMAA might play a role in representing this to employers.]

Michael Piggott - University of Melbourne 

…too many examples of people who are proof that you do not need a professional qualification or affiliation with ASA or RMAA to gain employment and advance in the archives and records profession

[ASA and RMAA could research the education profile of the profession and  how professional identity is developed and seek to encourage a sense of professionalism.]

Gail Murphy Information Enterprises Australia.

Suggestions of apprenticeship, internship and traineeship programs which would include a wide range of disciplines including business, RM, KM, librarianship, IT, law, management and HR

[ASA and RMAA could promote the possibility of education whilst working to employers. 

Need to explain what beginning archives and records management professionals can realistically bring to an organisation.] 

There is a need to look at what skill needs there are in CPD and how they can be aligned with vocational programs which are available. 

[ASA and RMAA could investigate how existing educational programmes could be promoted for CPD purposes.]

There is need for support via a mentoring system. There is a need for mentoring to be considered as part of the educational framework. There was overwhelming support for the vital role of mentoring which includes formal mentoring schemes, particularly for those involved in distance education, group mentoring programmes and informal advice provision and self-help arrangements

[ASA Mentor Scheme Committee and RMAA Board could promote existing mentoring schemes to courses.]

The notion of traineeships and apprenticeships could be viewed as similar to mentoring and I wonder how a formal structure could be set up like that.  

[Indicates support for traineeships and apprenticeships and for a register of these.] 

Do members of COFSTA have a responsibility to provide financial assistance to improve the state of archives keeping?  There could be joint initiatives between the National Library and National Archives to set up an office and one role could be training in education.

[Request for national government support for education and training.]

Employees seek recognition in the qualification framework for CPD.  Employees want formal CPD to result in credit towards qualifications.

[Indicates support for a formal CPD scheme.]

Barbara Van Bronswijk - Archivist, Wesley College, Perth - Concluding Remarks

The need for affordable professional education for practitioners in small archives is clearly established

[ASA and RMAA to continue efforts to provide continuing professional development programmes.]

The appropriateness of the present courses should be evaluated against the evolving role of small archives

[ASA and RMAA to consider the needs of small archives when developing course recognition criteria.]

Kirsten Thorpe – Indigenous Issues

The lack of programs, including cadetships, traineeships and scholarships inhibit the possibility for Indigenous people to be employed in record holding agencies. New strategies need to be developed which are based on Indigenous needs and lead to successful long term employment and career paths …..need to be supported with mentor and support programmes to ensure successful outcomes.

[ASA and RMAA could develop cadetship, traineeship or scholarship programmes for Indigenous people or encourage educational institutions and government to do so.]

Kirsten Thorpe – Indigenous Issues

The ASA and RMAA should actively seek to promote careers in archives and records management to Aboriginal communities

[ASA Indigenous Issues Special Interest Group has commenced a project to do this.]

Successful employment of Indigenous people as professionals in archives and records management relies heavily on organisational commitment ….including ….cross-cultural awareness training … designing roles for indigenous staff  …. Supporting indigenous staff into management roles.

[ASA and RMAA could encourage employing institutions to consider programmes for Indigenous employees.]

A national support of mentor programme could be established to support Indigenous people interested in working as an archivist or records manager. These programmes could possibly be coordinated nationally by the ASA SIG or a committee of representatives from record holding agencies. Opportunity should be given for trainees to meet annually for training, seminars and workshops

[ASA and RMAA could consider Indigenous people in their mentoring schemes and could also encourage government to consider mentoring programmes.]

Members could be encouraged to put something back into the profession through mentoring, lecturing etc. 

[ASA Council and RMAA Board could develop a programme to encourage this. Mentoring schemes exist in both associations. The benefits for mentors could be promoted. Part time lecturers could be invited to speak at meetings or conferences on the personal satisfaction and benefits of their work.]

Encourage employers to value and recognise professional qualifications and membership (eg letter writing campaign to employers who advertise professional positions without mentioning qualifications)

[Letter writing campaign might best be done by local branches.]

Lesley Ferguson - Records Management Association of Australasia  – ‘Qualifications’

Approaches for developing employer awareness of the benefits of appointing qualified records managers need to be explored.

[Papers at conferences and articles in journals of other professions and industries would be one way to do this.]

Lesley Ferguson - Records Management Association of Australasia – ‘Access to information’

A project has commended to improve web content by including information about VET sector and  higher education in recordkeeping and related disciplines. The project will also examine how the education webpage could be developed to have wider appeal hopefully capturing high school student and others browsing the web for career choices. 

[Need to publicise recordkeeping to potential recruits. Need to make information about courses readily accessible. International Council on Archives Section on Archival Education maintains a website to which universities and VET sector could be encouraged to contribute. This could be a single source of information which other websites could link to.]

Lesley Ferguson - Records Management Association of Australasia - ‘Traineeship’

The board is examining ways of assisting other [ie other than NSW branch] representatives to establish similar traineeships locally. 

[Traineeships on the NSW model could be a useful way of encouraging participation in training. Traineeships and scholarships often attract other students to a course because they surmise that the training must be of value if someone is prepared to offer assistance.]

Bronwyn Keighley-Gerardy – Information Commissioner WA  ‘Content not Form’

Professional recordkeepers need technical competencies so they can work hand-in-hand with IT specialists to create, capture and disseminate electronic information.

[IT technical competence should be a component of archives and records courses. This could be covered in accreditation/course recognition criteria. IT speakers or IT competent recordkeepers could be encouraged as speakers at meetings and conferences. Links with IT professional associations could be encouraged / strengthened.]

Bronwyn Keighley-Gerardy – Information Commissioner WA - ‘The Difficulty of Language’ 

Clearly, the professional recordkeeper needs highly developed communication skills and the ability to translate recordkeeping concepts, which are familiar to him or her, into everyday language.  

[A glossary of terms or the promotion of existing glossaries of terms could be of value.]

Bronwyn Keighley-Gerardy – Information Commissioner WA - The Mismatch of Goals

They [professional recordkeepers] need the skills and abilities to develop and manage information sources, which are directed at the achievement of organisational goals and objectives.  

[Archives and records education should cover the realities of working within an organisation.]

Retaining qualified people in private sector is difficult because government salaries are higher. 

[This could indicate that the ASA and the RMAA need promotion effort in the private sector to point out the salaries being provided in government.]

Employees have a personal responsibility for their professional development. 

[Further promotion of this idea through the ASA and RMAA could be worthwhile.]

Private sector employees especially sole practitioners find it difficult to access training. 

[ASA and RMAA could assist by making information about low cost training more readily accessible, promoting the value of training to employers by being visible at their conferences and journals]

Determining what can be done to support the existing programs would be far more useful than to say employers want communication skills. 

[Support for archives and records courses is valued. ASA Council and RMAA Board to note and ensure that support is demonstrated.]

In course recognition the focus should be on whether the courses meet content curriculum outcomes and whether the staff are appropriately qualified in relation to records and archives.  

[Course accreditation / recognition committees to note.]

Would like a workable scheme operated jointly by ASA and RMAA for the purpose of lobbying to get qualifications in industrial awards, key selection criteria, upskilling records management work. 

[If archives and records qualifications were required in industrial awards and mentioned in key selection criteria for positions, this would encourage people to seek qualifications thus increasing the numbers of students and the viability of courses. ASA and RMAA could jointly lobby for this. 

She said she would like the profession to start initiating informal groups because it is the only way the university would listen to her particular school. It is difficult for academics to stay in contact with what is happening in the profession, as they are absorbed in their own worlds. 

[ASA and RMAA could facilitate meetings of academics, profession and industry perhaps as an adjunct to conferences It might be useful to convene local meetings or seminars of teaching staff, the profession and industry.]

The notion of a consultative process is supported as it is good for an employer and from a university point of view.  Some universities do it really well and others do not do it at all.  Those that do, take it to program and course levels and the employer representatives are happy to provide input into course content. 

[Participation in existing course consultation processes is valued.]

Perhaps there could be some form of course recognition on the quality of material produced and who were the organisers.  A lot of the industry is getting into the area pushing apprentices into Certificate III and IV.  The RMAA wants to support that. 

[There is some interest in course recognition in the VET sector. JESC to consider. Course recognition could be based on the quality of the material and an assessment of the course provider. Course accreditation / recognition committees to note.]

In relation to involvement in development of the training package, as a professional association it is important to become involved.  ALIA became part of the Museums and Library Training Package and now it is under review, it has been invited to be involved. 

[It is important to be involved in the development of national training packages. ASA Council and RMAA Board to note and continue involvement.]

Another university educator endorsed the process of giving articulation 

When her university started articulating TAFE students with Diplomas, it had the support of the Australian Vice-Chancellors Council who said you could grant up to a year accreditation. She noted the need for a link back to universities to say this is what we will give you or up to this amount.

[Articulation is valued. This supports the development of  a Framework for the Structure of the Profession as described in the ARES Statement of Intent.]

Professional associations must address how they are going to support the VET sector.

[Another call for professional support for education, this time in the VET sector. ASA, RMAA and JESC to note.]

It was suggested that a listing be made of people already providing private training that do not already fit into the market

Better use of non VET training resources.

[A list of available training courses outside the university and TAFE college system would be valued.]

Send the people who work for you to courses, and get them educated.  Secondly, a dialogue be commenced between employers and educators, for instance on needs that are exposed through the course review committees.

[Educators aren’t always aware of existing employer support for students. A survey might indicate this and encourage additional support.]

That educators or the profession or a combination of both could speak to other professional bodies. There are possibly 100 school archives around Australia for instance and dialogue with the Headmaster Association or some other higher professional body could be beneficial.  It would be more constructive than talking at an individual basis.

[Need to promote dialogue with employers through their professional associations. This could be done by offering to speak at their conferences and writing for their professional journals. Headmasters Association is one suggestion.]

The society needs to get clear what the role of an ASA person on course review committee would be versus the accreditation process. 

[ASA Education Committee is developing guidelines. RMAA may also with to consider guidelines.]

The viability of pursuing the concept of recordkeeping brokers to put together packages to meet training needs of individual employers and sectors of the industry.

[It may be more viable to promote this to employers and employer bodies once JESC has developed the framework for the structure of the profession which is the second action in the ARES Statement of Intent.]

Another model to consider is ARMA which goes through a separate body to accredit its members

Maybe the time is right to establish an independent body where everyone goes to get professional status upgrades

The function of the Institute for Certified Records Managers is to provide materials that test practicing professionals’ knowledge. 

[ASA and RMAA have so far accredited professional members themselves. Both American professional societies (archivists and records managers) have separate bodies to accredit individuals. This model could be considered as an alternative before new course accreditation / recognition processes are set up in line with the ARES Statement of Intent.]

Karen Anderson – Edith Cowan University – pages 3-4

Suggestion of provision by employer of scholarships or cadetships to employees to offset cost of full fee paying courses -part or full support or refund of fees after successful completion of each unit. Also suggests time-release for study purposes, mentoring and work experience as beneficial for both employer and employee.

[ASA and RMAA could encourage employers to provide assistance for study. They could also provide a consolidated source of information for educators on available employer support.]

Karen Anderson – Edith Cowan University – page 5

Input and opinion from employers on what graduates need to know and what skills are needed in the workforce are needed by educators .

[ASA and RMAA could indicate willingness to communicate with Educators, perhaps through an informal committee or facilitating meetings at conferences.]

Karen Anderson – Edith Cowan University– page 9

Potentially poor financial return can turn away those considering entry to the small archives sector of the profession. This in turn affects course enrolments. 

[Information on salaries available to graduates in various areas of the profession could assist employers to consider the kinds of salaries required to attract professionals.]

Phil Bevan – Esset Australia  – page 4

Insufficient qualified trainers and assesors have been identified to assist in course preparation and delivery…Identified industry experts who have a passion for the education area may be encouraged to undertake their training qualification …

[Associations could play a role in encouraging industry experts to gain training qualifications or participate in training panels. This would involve encouraging people to be assessed under AQTF guidelines and to be listed as available for training work. Associations could maintain such a list.]

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