Federal Classification Principles Course
- IDCLAS7915
- Weekdays only
- 4 Days
- Open to beginners
Learn to classify and analyze General Schedule (GS) positions by mastering federal classification principles, procedures, and evaluation systems.
Our courses provide HR practitioners with both the background knowledge and technical details needed to ensure that actions taken are legal and contribute to the accomplishment of agency mission and objectives.
Learn to classify and analyze General Schedule (GS) positions by mastering federal classification principles, procedures, and evaluation systems.
Learn the basic, crosscutting principles you need to classify and analyze federal positions for compensation purposes, and apply these concepts by classifying GS, FWS, and alternative system positions. Improve your analytical skills to ask good questions about position duties and organizational design, write Factor Evaluation System (FES) position descriptions, and analyze position management alternatives. Students benefit from instructor assistance and feedback on assignments as well as facilitated blogging and discussions.
Master the skills to classify federal positions, write evaluation statements, and apply classification standards for General Schedule (GS) positions.
Gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities classifiers need to do their work successfully. The focus of this course is on helping participants develop competence in applying various classification standards. It also provides participants with exposure to other topics important to federal classification programs, such as writing position descriptions and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Refresh classification fundamentals and tackle more advanced issues through guided practice and sample exercises.
Learn to create accurate and comprehensive federal position descriptions that align with organizational goals and HR requirements.
Learn to use position management tools and techniques to optimize organizational performance and address common workforce challenges.
Enhance your classification expertise by tackling complex federal position evaluations and mastering desk audit techniques.
Master the principles of federal position classification, including interpreting standards, preparing descriptions, and managing classifications effectively.
Enhance your expertise in federal position classification by tackling complex cases and applying advanced techniques.
Apply FWS pay-setting rules to real-world scenarios involving appointments, promotions, within-grade increases, and wage schedule updates.
Learn the standards and procedures used under the Federal Wage System to classify and grade blue-collar positions using OPM guidance.
Gain the knowledge to correctly apply Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provisions, including overtime, travel, and compliance responsibilities.
Learn how to apply FLSA rules and guidance to determine federal employee exemption status and compliance with wage-and-hour regulations.
Receive instruction from subject‑matter experts who bring proven government experience.
Courses that are regularly updated based on feedback and industry developments, ensuring versions are mapped to federal competencies.
The instructor was wonderful and so knowledgeable. The course materials were extremely relevant to what my job is. I feel like I can be better because of this class.
— 2025 student
Directly addressing the day-to-day challenges of federal employees.
Your trusted training partner, equipping public service professionals with the skills and knowledge to excel in their roles and drive meaningful impact.
Start your federal HR career by building core technical skills in staffing, classification, labor relations, EEO, and HR data practices aligned with OPM competencies.
Become a trusted HR advisor to agency leadership. Strengthen advisory and analytical skills aligned with federal HR management competencies.
Elevate your strategic HR capabilities and serve as a high-value advisor to agency leadership by aligning workforce initiatives with mission objectives.
Since 1921, Graduate School USA has partnered with over 125 federal agencies and trained more than one million federal employees. Led by instructors with deep, real-world knowledge of federal regulations, policies, and practices, our private group programs are practical, mission-driven, and tailored to your agency’s objectives. We offer expertise across key federal domains—including human resources, financial management, acquisition and contracting, leadership, and more—to deliver training where and how your team needs it.
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Our alumni consistently commend the expertise of our instructors and the real-world relevance of our programs. Their feedback highlights how Graduate School USA training has advanced their skills, supported their agencies’ missions, and fostered long-term professional growth.
This class was very informative. My instructor, Arlene, was amazing. She took her time with each module. Very rare you get an instructor who enjoys what they are teaching so it makes learning a new skill enjoyable.
Tashika D.
Laid out in a very logical order, helpful to walk through examples together in groups and as a class. The instructor was also very knowledgeable about the subject area and able to answer questions thoroughly!
Rose F.
Instructor did a great job keeping the course interactive and the exercises kept me engaged in the material while still being able to take back the guides, notes, and materials with me to best understand the course. Definitely helped when needed to get our creative juices going and learned a lot from other participants.
Kevin Denby
Ashley was super kind. She was also personable, so it made it easy to ask her questions or even drop in a comment.
Brianna H.
The content was very comprehensive and I appreciate the in guide links.
Sarah M.
Content and materials of this course were good and my knowledge of the subject has improved.
Myisha T.
Very informative course. Best instructor I have had from the Grad School. Appreciate the expertise that was lent. Learned so much from this class and appreciate the knowledge.
Joyce K.
I had a great experience. The instructor made sure that we stayed on track, we stayed on the agenda. She was very interactive and overall, a great instructor.
Ronneshia B.
Good class, instructor kept it interesting.
Cassandra J.
This is great awareness and application to have to usefully consult with customers and support NASA HR operations partners. The break outs and exercises and sharing experiences across participants were most helpful!
Sarah Mccrea
Really thorough and great class! It was easy to understand and I enjoyed how informative the instructor was; she spoke with such a deep background and expertise.
Rose F.
The instructor was very knowledgeable and allowed the class opportunity to share their experiences with scenarios taught in the class. As a beginner level class, I feel like the materials covered the basis of position management.
Twanna D.
The content is very relevant in this current climate and the instructor was engaging and knowledgeable.
Candace B.
There was a lot of great information shared and I liked the participation.
Rhoda Williams
The instructor was upbeat and personable. She had a wealth of knowledge that she shared throughout the training. Overall, I had a good experience. I liked how the course content was relative to the subject and provided a lot of information that can be used for future application.
Erin S.
Instructor was very knowledgeable and had a great way of explaining.
Vanessa T.
Trina Petty is a great instructor! She made the training fun and engaging. She's super knowledgeable, always willing to help and explain in detail that makes learning easier. I'm glad she equipped me with tools I can actually use.
Gwendalyn F.
Mrs. Otto was very professional and kept the training on schedule while entertaining. There was a lot of material to cover and in the beginning I was not sure we would be able to cover everything, but we did! I enjoyed the small class size and everyone was able to contribute to the discussion, ask questions and receive answers. This class was really good for a first time student in the virtual classroom.
Muriel B.
One of the best classes I've taken in a very long time. Kept me engaged the entire time and didn't want to miss any part of it.
Katie Hayden
Instructor was knowledgeable and experienced in the field. She was able to use her real world examples from her career to guide us through. The timing of this class was perfect as the government restructures who and how we work. Great class, great instructor, and I am glad I was able to take this class!
Maliah Morgan
Loved Trina- she's passionate about teaching this class, kept everyone engaged, and kept us on our toes!
Anne J.
This was an excellent course. I learned a lot.
Milica M.
The instructor was very informative. She kept the class interesting and fun.
Tara S.
I enjoyed this class. The layout was easy to understand. The instructor was awesome and extremely knowledgeable and interacting and lively.
Cayla C.
Instructors energy and knowledge were exceptional.
James Jones
Classification is NOT my favorite HR subject, but Arlene made it enjoyable.
Latrice C.
Trina Petty was outstanding and provided very knowledgeable information. I would highly recommend this course for those needing knowledge in position management.
Esteban M.
Very positive experience and took away a lot of great information.
Robin S.
I would rate my overall experience as excellent. The content and the instructor overall was amazing. I look forward to having more classes that Mr. Richard teaches.
Amanda Martinez
One of the best classes I have taken.
Marchel Davis
Our Federal Position Classification & Management Training are rated 4.7 stars by 235 students
Very informative course. Best instructor I have had from the Grad School. Appreciate the expertise that was lent. Learned so much from this class and appreciate the knowledge.
Content and materials of this course were good and my knowledge of the subject has improved.
The content was very comprehensive and I appreciate the in guide links.
Ashley was super kind. She was also personable, so it made it easy to ask her questions or even drop in a comment.
Instructor did a great job keeping the course interactive and the exercises kept me engaged in the material while still being able to take back the guides, notes, and materials with me to best understand the course. Definitely helped when needed to get our creative juices going and learned a lot from other participants.
Laid out in a very logical order, helpful to walk through examples together in groups and as a class. The instructor was also very knowledgeable about the subject area and able to answer questions thoroughly!
I had a great experience. The instructor made sure that we stayed on track, we stayed on the agenda. She was very interactive and overall, a great instructor.
The instructor was very knowledgeable and allowed the class opportunity to share their experiences with scenarios taught in the class. As a beginner level class, I feel like the materials covered the basis of position management.
Really thorough and great class! It was easy to understand and I enjoyed how informative the instructor was; she spoke with such a deep background and expertise.
This is great awareness and application to have to usefully consult with customers and support NASA HR operations partners. The break outs and exercises and sharing experiences across participants were most helpful!
Good class, instructor kept it interesting.
Trina Petty is a great instructor! She made the training fun and engaging. She's super knowledgeable, always willing to help and explain in detail that makes learning easier. I'm glad she equipped me with tools I can actually use.
Mrs. Otto was very professional and kept the training on schedule while entertaining. There was a lot of material to cover and in the beginning I was not sure we would be able to cover everything, but we did! I enjoyed the small class size and everyone was able to contribute to the discussion, ask questions and receive answers. This class was really good for a first time student in the virtual classroom.
The content is very relevant in this current climate and the instructor was engaging and knowledgeable.
There was a lot of great information shared and I liked the participation.
The instructor was upbeat and personable. She had a wealth of knowledge that she shared throughout the training. Overall, I had a good experience. I liked how the course content was relative to the subject and provided a lot of information that can be used for future application.
This class was very informative. My instructor, Arlene, was amazing. She took her time with each module. Very rare you get an instructor who enjoys what they are teaching so it makes learning a new skill enjoyable.
Instructor was knowledgeable and experienced in the field. She was able to use her real world examples from her career to guide us through. The timing of this class was perfect as the government restructures who and how we work. Great class, great instructor, and I am glad I was able to take this class!
One of the best classes I've taken in a very long time. Kept me engaged the entire time and didn't want to miss any part of it.
Loved Trina- she's passionate about teaching this class, kept everyone engaged, and kept us on our toes!
Trina Petty was outstanding and provided very knowledgeable information. I would highly recommend this course for those needing knowledge in position management.
Very positive experience and took away a lot of great information.
The instructor was very informative. She kept the class interesting and fun.
I enjoyed this class. The layout was easy to understand. The instructor was awesome and extremely knowledgeable and interacting and lively.
Instructors energy and knowledge were exceptional.
Showing 25 of 30 reviews
Attend courses in-person in Washington, DC or live online. Engage with expert instructors, ask questions, and get feedback on your exercises and projects.
At Graduate School USA, you’ll learn in small groups and receive personalized attention.
Get face-to-face interaction with an instructor and other students when you learn at our DC campus. Courses are hands-on with a computer and software provided.
Get the same interactivity and access to the instructor as in-person students. There are no extra fees and we’ll work with you to ensure your remote setup is perfect.
All times are listed in Eastern Time unless otherwise specified.
September 2025 | |||
---|---|---|---|
September 15–16
Monday to Tuesday
9–4:30pm
|
$1,049
2 Days
|
Master the principles of federal position classification, including interpreting standards, preparing descriptions, and managing classifications effectively. |
|
September 16–19
Tuesday to Friday
9–4:30pm
|
$1,699
4 Days
|
Learn to classify and analyze General Schedule (GS) positions by mastering federal classification principles, procedures, and evaluation systems. |
|
September 16–18
Tuesday to Thursday
9–4:30pm
|
$1,399
3 Days
|
Enhance your expertise in federal position classification by tackling complex cases and applying advanced techniques. |
|
September 16–17
Tuesday to Wednesday
9–4:30pm
|
$1,049
2 Days
|
Learn to use position management tools and techniques to optimize organizational performance and address common workforce challenges. |
|
September 22–25
Monday to Thursday
9–4:30pm
|
$1,699
4 Days
|
Learn to classify and analyze General Schedule (GS) positions by mastering federal classification principles, procedures, and evaluation systems. |
|
Showing 5 of 33 courses