Lessons from Organizing My Genealogy Education

Organizing genealogy education can streamline professional reporting and unlock new insights into your learning journey

As a professional genealogist, ongoing education is crucial to stay current with research methodologies, technological advancements, and the tons of records becoming more accessible each year. For many years, I’ve accumulated a massive amount of genealogy education through conferences, webinars, courses, and self-study. However, I recently realized I had been significantly underreporting my continuing education for my Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) membership requirements. The reason? Lack of organization.

So, in the past few weeks, I took the plunge to fully organize my genealogical education history, and the results were definitely eye-opening. Here’s what I learned and how this process helped me not only stay on top of my education reporting but also manage my professional development more effectively.

The Need for Organization: A Revelation

Like many genealogists, my continuing education consists of various formats: live webinars, virtual conferences, in-person events, self-paced courses, and even independent study. I was doing what many of us tend to do—taking scratch notes, saving digital files here and there, and quickly logging attendance at conferences and workshops without creating a comprehensive record. This made tracking and reporting my education hours an overwhelming task at the end of each year.

It wasn’t until I started going through old emails, registration confirmations, attendance certificates, title slide screenshots from webinars (that I take to help remember the presentation, date, and instructor) and even paper notes that I realized how much I had missed. Some educational experiences were completely undocumented in my official reports. I discovered a substantial gap between what I had reported and what I had actually accomplished.

This discovery led me to dig through every possible source of educational material I had collected—paper notes, digital files, conference handouts, downloaded syllabi, and more, since the beginning of my educational journey. It wasn’t just about fulfilling my reporting requirements; it was about honoring the investment I had made in my professional growth.

The Outcome: 684.75 Hours and Counting

After combing through years’ worth of genealogical education, I tallied an impressive 684.75 hours from numerous organizations and institutions, including:

• Salt Lake Genealogical Institute (SLIG)
• FamilySearch Library (formerly Family History Library)
• Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG)
• Association of Professional Genealogists (APG)
• Utah Genealogical Association (UGA)
• Brigham Young University (BYU) Library Webinars
• Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) events
• Texas State Genealogical Society (TxSGS)
• Legacy Family Tree Webinars
• RootsTech Family History Conferences
• New York Genealogical and Biographical Society (NYG&B)
• Allen County Public Library (ACPL)
• Los Angeles County Public Library (LCPL)
• Stanford University’s genealogical programs
• And countless others, plus over 1,010 hours of self-study.

​This extensive list includes conferences and webinars from 2014 onward (couldn’t find old handouts before then-must have thrown them away 😉), though my education truly accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. With so much online, I could attend a wide range of events, sometimes at no cost due to being a speaker, and I had the rare gift of time this past year and a half as I recovered from a work injury. Looking back, the pandemic period allowed my professional development to flourish in ways I hadn’t anticipated.

Lessons Learned: The Importance of Tracking Genealogy Education 

The biggest takeaway from this experience is that organization is key to staying on top of continuing education, particularly when you’re juggling a variety of events, both in-person and virtual. My underreporting was simply a result of poor organization—not a lack of dedication. Here’s what I plan to do moving forward to ensure I stay on top of my genealogical education:

1. Keep All Documentation in One Place
   Whether it’s a digital certificate, a paper handout, or a webinar registration confirmation, everything should be stored in a centralized location. I have now moved all digital files from long ago into the dedicated digital folder system I created a few years ago, while continuing to use this system and mirror my physical files, making it easy to locate everything. I will also remember that I have everything in two locations, digital folder and physical folder.
2. Track Hours Immediately
   Instead of trying to remember what I attended months later, by going through all my digital folders and paper folder, I now log my education hours as soon as I finish a course, webinar, or conference. This helps me avoid scrambling at the end of the year.
3. Create a Summary for Reporting
   I’ve started creating a master spreadsheet where I can track not just the hours but also the topics, instructors, and organizations that offered the training. This will make future reporting a breeze and help me see where I may want to focus more study in the future.
4. Reflect on Gaps and Strengths
   Reviewing my education allowed me to identify areas where I excel and others where I can deepen my knowledge. Having this bird’s-eye view has been instrumental in planning my next steps in genealogical education.

Example

I have created spreadsheets for each year since 2014. Here are a couple of example pages, from 18 and counting, for 2024. 

Organizing Genealogy Education with a Spreadsheet- Example 1

Organizing Genealogy Education with a Spreadsheet- Example 1-2

A New Perspective on My Educational Journey

One surprising realization during this process was how much I had grown as a genealogist since 2014. My education truly evolved, particularly when so much went online during the pandemic. The ability to participate in conferences and webinars from the comfort of home expanded my horizons significantly. I also saw how much I had learned through self-study, which often goes unrecognized but is equally valuable.

Going forward, I’m committed to keeping my education organized, not only for reporting purposes but also to help me find handouts, syllabi, and materials more easily when I need them. This organization will also serve as a resource if anyone ever asks about my educational background or if I want to reflect on particular subjects.

Final Thoughts: Get Organized Now, Not Later

If you’re a professional genealogist—or even a dedicated hobbyist—it’s never too early to start organizing your genealogy education. You may be surprised by how much you’ve learned and accomplished when you start documenting it fully. Don’t let disorganization hold you back from accurately reporting or leveraging your hard-earned knowledge. Trust me, the process will make your life easier in the long run and allow you to continue growing as a genealogist.

So, take a few hours to go through your old notes, emails, and certificates. Your future self will thank you! 



​© 2024​ Diane Henriks @ Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family

More Organization and other Genealogy Resources

Learn about more organization tips and other family history and genealogy resources under the Organization and Genealogy Resources categories and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page.