Genealogy Qualifications

[diggerman]

I have been very interested in researching my family tree for several years and would like to take it a step further and train to be a Genealogist,
As I work full time I am looking for a online course or a course at the weekends I live in Nottinghamshire.
Anybody know of any such courses available?
Thanks

[dot.hawkes]

You shgould contact the Society of Genealogists in London, they provide a number of different levels of course that will lead to a recognised qualification amongst the world of Genealogy. The courses are done as a correspondence course with exams set at a local level often via your local family history group.
it is important to distinguish the roles of professional genealogists and researchers. Genealogists direct the research and analyse information to produce an authentic Genealogy from primary and secondary source research.
It is that distinction that makes the genealogist. A Family Historian works with the larger picture and adds the bones to a family history rather than just the names and dates.
A record researcher is employed by a genealogist to carry out the practical task of the negative and positive research.

Becoming a member of the Society of Genbealogists would mean you have established yourself as a practising genealogist and can provide testimonials from clients. I would point out though, that being a paid genealogist is an extremely competitive area and it is worth advertising in Family Tree magazine for clients to give you a start on that path. Though again, taking someones money to do their family tree is only a profit making exercise if they understand the value of the work, You will have to be your own record researcher to get you established and then you may spend 60 hours looking for something and your client would not wish to pay for negative research.

http://www.sog.org.uk/acatalog/Society_of_Gene alogists_Publications___Products.html

[dot.hawkes]

diggerman after i logged off lasst night i realised i had given u the wrong socirty for the courses, i ysed to use both societies and just got mixed up, it's so long since i did any, the one you need for nthe actual axaminations is:
http://www.ihgs.ac.uk/courses/index.html
they do the correspondence course, i did them about 18 years ago and they werre quite simple to begin with but do nget more involved as you progress.

[diggerman]

Thanks for your help Dot.hawkes I had a look at the course which sounds very interesting and is something I would like to do, only one drawback the price, nearly �2000, looks like I will have to start saving!
Did you find the course beneficial to yourself?

[dot.hawkes]

I was teaching Family History Courses back then, and some of the students did want to obtain diplomas in the subject and so I invigilated for the IHGS up here , I took a couple of the exams myself, I think the intermediate, i already had a number of years of teaching the subject as experience, but as I have said, it is not the easiest career to make a go at. certainly now there is more competition with the internet resources.
the areas that seem to be the most useful are the local archive research which involves actually searching many unindexed sources to unearth ancestors prior to the 19th century.
Most people can master the4 basics of research simply by reading online guides and using the secondary source indexes.
The real research that brings in the skills of paleography and patience, is in the documents deposited in the County Record Offices which need close reading and often have to be transctibed fully. i certainly enjoy that type of research more than any. If you are looking to eneter the profession i would join your county record office and their 'Friends' group and become familiar with the documents and records from the earlier period that would never be allowed to be copied for the internet. The experience you gain from understanding the way your local record office works and what it holds will mean you are able to advertise research skills in an area that may be totally beyond someone's capabilities if they cannot travel to look themselves.