One of the tasks I was given on this day was to brush up on some of the online training that is offered by the Civilian Human Resources Agency (CHRA). Being a student trainee, one of the main goals is to acquire a general understanding of the basic functions and ideas that HR specialists delve into daily. On its training Web site, CHRA offers several "basic" courses to introduce key concepts and ideas instrumental for proving a basic understanding of job duties. Data bases that are often utilized are also included in the training courses with interactive tutorials.

The first course I took was Basic Classification. The online training takes three to four hours and includes three quizzes and a final exam at the end of the course. To successfully pass, you must score at least 80 percent on the final exam. The course objectives are to locate, read, and apply position classification standards and guides; explain briefly the position classification process - which determinations are made in classification; define "grade-controlling work" in General Schedule (GS) and Federal Wage System (FWS); and contrast narrative and factor evaluation system (FES) classification standards and grade evaluation procedures.

I spent exactly four hours taking the course, completing the quizzes, and taking the final exam. I scored a 100 percent and upon successful completion was e-mailed a certification, certifying that I had met the requirements of the basic classification course. Later in the day, I started another online training course that takes longer than basic classification. I had to save my progress for the Basic Defense Civilian Personnel Data System (DCPDS) for Army HR Professionals and resume working on the course for the next work day.