Drive your career forward with RMARA

We catch up with Rosemary Everritt RMARA, archivist at the Berkshire Record Office, who recently qualified as a Registered Member of the ARA.

Please give a brief overview of your career so far.

I have been working as an archivist for five years after having qualified with an MA in Archives and Records Management at University College London in 2015. My career so far has largely been in local authority and university archives and I am currently employed as an archivist at the Berkshire Record Office.

What attracted you to Registered Membership?

There were several reasons why I applied for registered membership. I felt that the five-year mark was a good point in my career to reflect on what I had achieved so far and what I wanted to work towards in the next five years. The CPD Review process will offer the perfect opportunity to reflect upon this again when the time comes. I also needed to demonstrate that I had attained a certain level of competency to progress up the pay scale in my current employment and the Professional Development Programme allowed me to do this.

What do you think are the benefits of having qualified as a Registered Member?

Becoming a registered member has given me confidence in my abilities and helped me to define my goals for the future. The application process enabled me to identify areas where I wanted to gain more experience. This led to conversations with senior managers about suitable projects that I could be involved in to develop these skills, so I feel confident that I am on track to achieve my career objectives. Becoming a registered member also demonstrates to my employer that I have met a national standard in my work.

What advice would you offer to those thinking of enrolling onto the programme?

I would suggest gathering evidence early on and keeping the professional development programme in the back of your mind long before you intend to enrol and submit the application. If you are changing employment, then remember to print and retain redacted emails which evidence your achievements before you leave as deleted mailboxes can cause headaches later on!