OSM Training Initiatives

The Technical Innovation and Professional Services (TIPS) Training Program has a vision to create a continuous learning environment by providing innovative learning methods and expanding course offerings intended to develop individuals to their highest potential, both professionally and personally, with emphasis on outcomes vs. outputs.  This will be achieved through the following initiatives:

Partnership Activities

Two technical training programs reside within the Office of Surface Mining: TIPS and the National Technical Training Program.  Together we collaborate on common training issues and incentives; share representatives on each other’s respective Steering Committees; coordinate course pre-requisites to best serve one another’s classes; and, share resources to address such issues as instructor succession planning.  We use the Department of the Interior Learning Management System
~ DOI Learn ~ educating OSM employees, and state and tribal training contacts on how to register students for NTTP and TIPS classes. 

Partnerships with Colleges and Universities are currently underway to gain knowledge of programs and processes within their institutions, and consider efficiencies that might be gained if implemented by the TIPS Training Program.  Partnering with other government agencies is also in process to learn where we can share resources and streamline processes. 

Virtual Campus
We are developing a learning content delivery system that will create a Virtual Campus environment for our students and provide access to course materials and discussion boards 24-hours a day.  The goal is to provide a platform for interactive on-line course delivery, as well as the opportunity for students and instructors to interact before, during, and after training.  With an internet connection, information on training courses will be available at the student’s fingertips anytime, anywhere.