Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will host a series of training seminars for Federal agency security and human resource executives on personnel security and suitability issues.  OPM's Center for Federal Investigative Services (CFIS) has identified areas that are relevant to personnel security professionals and critical to preparing agency officials to effectively manage their personnel security programs.  Over one-hundred agencies will be invited to attend the series of 7 seminars, the first of which is scheduled for February 9, 2005.

"The need for accurate and more-timely personnel investigations has never been greater for the Nation's security than it is now," stated OPM Director Kay Coles James.  "OPM is committed to providing tools and resources to ensure investigations are conducted with excellence and efficiency.  The series will focus on further educating the HR and personnel security professionals on the importance of submitting accurate and timely information as we streamline and reform a very complex security investigations system."

The training forums will allow participating agencies to share experiences and best practices, as well as raise awareness of emerging issues.  Topics will include diploma mills; identity theft, security and suitability adjudication; elements of e-Clearance; and overall security investigations policy and guidance. 

In light of the recent OPM and Department of Defense announcement of the transfer of over 1,800 personnel security investigation staff from DoD to OPM, the seminars will include a thorough overview of the responsibility and role of personnel security community in safeguarding investigative record information.  This transfer will consolidate the vast majority of the most sensitive background investigations for the Federal government with OPM. 

Additionally, OPM will continue its efforts in instructing agencies in fraudulent credentials by providing a comprehensive overview of diploma mills and guidance for adjudicating bogus or inflated education credentials. The diploma mills section of the seminars will educate and assist Federal human resource workers and security professionals in their efforts to find and weed out job applicants who have obtained bogus degrees or exaggerated their educational achievements.

OPM's seminars are scheduled to begin in early 2005 and continue throughout the year. The hands-on and practical training sessions will feature guest speakers from OPM and other Federal agencies.  The series will be held at the OPM headquarters and will be free- of-charge to all attendees. 

Our mission is to ensure the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce. OPM supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.