The NWS Training and Education Program: Meeting User Requirements and Ensuring Proficiency

The National Weather Service's (NWS') Training and Education program has been refocused with a new NWS Strategic Training and Education Plan (NSTEP) process. This process is now driven by user needs as defined by NWS operational personnel. In addition, job proficiency standards are being developed and linked to required training to ensure a standard level of training for all employees. All training and job proficiencies will be linked on a common web server which is widely accessible. The complete deployment of the Advanced Weather Information Processing System (AWIPS) is accelerating the pace of change within the NWS and providing a dynamic challenge to training.

In association with these rapid changes, the NWS Office of Meteorology, working with its three Training Facilities, the Regional Headquarters offices and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, has developed a NSTEP. The NSTEP outlines the process by which field training requirements are defined and prioritized by a Field Requirements Group (FRG). It also outlines a process for the generation of yearly Implementation Plans to ensure that quickly evolving training requirements are met. The goal of NSTEP is to ensure the NWS Training Center (NWSTC), Operational Support Facility/Operations Training Branch (OSF/OTB) and the Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education and Training (COMET) are provided with clearly defined requirements so that they can maximize their efficiency and effectiveness.

Job profiency standards are being developed for all NWS operational positions. These standards will be integrally linked to associated training materials on a common server at the NWSTC. The training information will provide electronic technicians, hydrologists, administrative personnel, managers, and meteorologists with a common baseline of training. COMET will continue to host a "METED" server dedicated to providing web-based meteorological educational materials to the community.