Looking for a convenient and close-to-home or -work option to earn professional development credits (PDCs) to recertify your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP? SHRM’s chapter network—composed of 550 chapters and 53 state councils across the U.S.—offers programs, seminars, conferences and other opportunities to earn PDCs.
At the annual gathering of chapter and state council leaders in February, we asked the volunteer leaders of these SHRM affiliates to send us their top local picks for learning. We share them with you—because becoming involved in your local chapter or state council is a great way to not only learn, but also network with other HR professionals in your region and to become involved in volunteering for the chapters or state council.
Over the next five months, we will feature programs offered by chapters and state councils. This will help you plan your professional development calendar for the remainder of the year. We will feature programs that are scheduled for the next three months so you can plan ahead.
In general, when you join your local chapter and attend the events hosted there, you can earn 1 to 3 PDCs. You can choose between webinars and in-person meetings.
To increase the number of PDCs you earn, you can also present on a topic of interest to your local chapter or to the state council. One great example of this: local SHRM groups convene to attend a program as a group, offered by a provider, then hold follow-up discussions these professional development programs. If your local SHRM affiliate is looking to add the global element or to broaden the scope of educational programming offered to a national or international level, chapters leverage virtual programs offered by global or other national recertification provider organizations and encourage members to earn additional credits by joining the group for the program.
Also, LinkedIn hosts offerings from several speakers and a variety of organizations on HR-specific topics, and they are generally free events with credits that can be used to recertify a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. This is a perfect opportunity for you to volunteer to structure a discussion and lead it during a meeting after you attend the LinkedIn Learning program together as a group during your regularly scheduled chapter meeting. The chapter certification director can then submit all presentations for PDCs—whether it’s a new topic developed and presented by chapter members or the group attends and discusses virtual programs offered by other recertification providers for PDCs; this makes the programming attractive to everyone—it is a perk for the whole group!
Leverage the PDCs earned for the program, but discuss key takeaways and workplace applications as a group to increase the number of PDCs by coupling the length of the learning program with the time set aside for discussion.
These programs are coming up in your local area. Plan now to attend one, and take action to reserve your spot.
- Winston-Salem SHRM (North Carolina) chapter hosts a Summer Seminar Series designed to provide professional development for local chapter members, SHRM members at large, and local business owners who may be interested in attending. All three Summer Seminars are offered to WSSHRM members at a significant discount as compared with nonmembers, and all seminars are pre-approved for recertification credits. Attendees who participate in all three Summer Seminars are eligible to receive a minimum of 12 PDCs. In addition, WSSHRM hosts nine chapter meetings yearly, all pre-approved for PDCs. Earn a total of 21 PDCs each year by attending meetings and the Summer Seminar Series. Learn more.
- Richmond (Virginia) SHRM is holding an HR Mock Trial on Wednesday, Aug. 30 from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. ET at the Community College Workforce Alliance. Join the Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black Labor & Employment attorneys for a mock trial based on a real case to help you stay on the right side of the law. The mock trial will include jury deliberations, followed by a discussion of the key points from this actual case. After the case is presented, the attorneys will be available to answer questions from the audience. Get details here.
- The Northwest HR Management Association—NHRMA (serving the Pacific Northwest and Alaska) holds certification preparation courses twice a year. Most recently NHRMA held a three-day intensive train-the-trainer course so attendees could learn how to become certified to teach the SHRM Certification Prep Course. Through this effort, NHRMA supports the state councils and chapters of Washington, Oregon and Alaska as a Certification Partner. Explore your options now.
- NYC SHRM Biennial Conference occurs every April. Plan ahead now for 2024! Don’t miss your opportunity to attend NYC SHRM’s premier, one-day HR conference. This year’s conference theme was Journey to Excellence, providing HR pros and leaders with strategic and practical insights centered around timely and key HR topics and trends in today’s rapidly changing world. The conference generally offers approximately 15 PDCs for the event.
- Northeast Human Resources Association (New England) hosts its Annual Conference from Oct. 10 to 12 in Newport, R.I. Visit our site for details and to register now.
- NOVA (Northern Virginia) SHRM’s HR Academy program is one of our annual flagship programs, along with our legal academy. We bring together practitioners to hear from some of the best in a full-day program complete with networking and opportunities to meet with sponsors for HR-related products. Visit our webpage for details and to register now.
- Greater Henry County Chapter of SHRM in Georgia holds its Supervisor University—Bootcamp for Supervisors: Teaching Managers to Avoid Litigation and Master Positive Employee Relations on Sept. 19 from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. ET at the Hilton Garden Inn in McDonough. Program Overview: The average employment lawsuit costs more than $100,000 to defend. A union campaign complete with unfair labor practice charges is nearly as expensive, and the long-term business cost of unmotivated and unproductive employees is even higher. Jonathan Martin will present an exciting and interactive seminar, providing your supervisors with practical tips to avoid legal problems that affect employers today. Your employees are your company’s single greatest assets—or its single greatest liability. Where they fall depends on your supervisors. Jonathan is a partner with the national law firm Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP, and is a nationally acclaimed speaker on preventive law issues, including avoiding liability under the National Labor Relations Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and harassment lawsuits. Who should attend: supervisors, managers, HR professionals and business owners. Earn 4 PDCs. For additional information on costs and meals provided, please visit our website.
- Texas SHRM State Council & Dallas HR host The HRSouthwest Conference—the official state conference for Texas SHRM! Join us Oct. 15 – 18 in Fort Worth for our 83rd annual conference. HRSouthwest is one of the largest regional HR education and networking events in the country. As a conference attendee you will experience great education (17.5 PDCs), see the latest HR products and services, and have a lot of fun experiencing Fort Worth with practitioners from across the state. Register today!
- Also in Texas, the annual conference for Austin SHRM will be held Aug. 4. Our theme this year is “The Path Forward: Resignation to Retention” and focuses on moving forward into our now-redefined workplace. The common challenge we, as a society, have faced over the past year is retention. Our 2023 Austin SHRM Conference will focus on all aspects of workplace retention, diversity and flexibility, where we strive to adapt and where we adjust. Celebrate with us the night before the conference as we present our first ever HR Excellence awards to HR professionals in our community for a job well done! Join us on “The Path Forward” as we learn to progress into the future workspace. Get details here.
- The Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter (SEPA) of SHRM is excited to host our 11th Annual HR Legal Summit, where over 200 HR professionals gain practical information on labor and employment law compliance for 2023 and beyond. There will be qualified guest speakers on a variety of legal topics geared to HR and decision-makers on how to stay abreast of key developments and trending issues to keep their organizations compliant, as well as a keynote speaker on mental health issues in the workplace. Additionally, there will be opportunities for engagement in group discussions and sponsors/exhibitors to provide goods and services that would be of interest to HR professionals. This year’s event will be held at Presidential Caterers in East Norriton on Sept. 21. Doors open at 7:15 a.m. ET, and the event takes place from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET. Learn more online.
Just like all other organizations, SHRM chapters and state councils are always looking to recruit talent. Consider stepping into an HR volunteer role. This allows you to network and give back to the profession and your local HR colleagues. Investigate the opportunities in your local area by engaging with your SHRM chapter and state council.
