Regional Training focal points are asked to provide student information (name, address, telephone number) a minimum of 60 calendar days before the course is scheduled to be presented. This will allow the Training Center staff time to provide prospective students with training information and pre-course materials. It will also allow time for any pre-course testing and associated student changes. Course slots which have not been filled 5 weeks before a course is scheduled to be presented will be made available for open substitution from any Region. The course roster is finalized 4 weeks prior to the start of the course and no further substitutions are allowed. At this time course/lodging information packets are e-mailed to registered students. Regions can swap (but not add) students up to 1 week prior to class if a student being swapped in has meet all prerequisite requirements. Student slots which are canceled after this date will not be filled.
Many courses now require prerequisites and pre-course testing. This will increase in the future to ensure that remote components of the course were understood prior to travel to the NWSTC to complete the formal portion of the course. All prerequisite courses must be completed prior to traveling to the Training Center. Failure to complete prerequisite materials may result in the student being pulled out of the class to complete the materials at NWSTC. All prerequisite tests must be completed with a passing grade of 70% or greater (see below). Slots vacated by students failing pre-course testing less than 30 days before the course is to be presented will not be refilled and substitutions will not be allowed. To ensure that this policy does not have a negative impact on training, the NWS Training Center will continue to allow students to take pre-course materials and pre-course testing "At any time ...For any course". This means that students can accommodate their schedule by completing requirements for any training they plan on taking far in advance of any deadlines that may be imposed. It is incumbant upon a student's supervisor to ensure all course prerequisites have been completed.
Prerequisite tests must be completed with a passing grade of 70% or greater. An individual who fails any remote test will be allowed to retake a second test over the material. If the student fails the second test they will be required to wait 3 months before being allowed to retest over the same material/course. Examinations or printed exercises may be sent with the materials themselves; Otherwise they may be mailed, or access granted to online testing (if online test is password protected), after the student submits a request form(see below). Written Exams/Exercises: Except for RTMs (graded at site) anAWIPS Lending Library courses (self-graded), written final exams or exercises are to be mailed back to the NWSTC (or brought to class where appropriate as a class prerequisite). Online testing is done via the NWSTCD web pages. Students are granted access to the examinations with a user-name and password provided (via telephone or E-mail) by NWSTC after the request form is received. After the student answers all questions on the online test the results are automatically E-mailed to the NWSTC test administrator for grading. Grading: NWSTC will grade all final examinations/exercises, with the exception of RTMs which are graded on-site. Students will be notified of the results and certificates mailed where appropriate.
Course examinations (if any) must be completed with a passing grade of 70% or greater for course certification.
These items are provided after the student submits a completed REMOTE TRAINING/ EXAMINATION REQUEST FORM. This form also serves as the enrollment for certified courses. In those cases whether the form is used to obtain the course or just the test (or access to an online test) enrollment is made at that time. The form is completed on-line.
If a student fails to complete a NWSTC residence course (I.E. does not get a passing grade on course exams and/or labs - typically 70%), then - Per EHB II, Engineering students can receive a delayed certificate after a six month period has elapsed. The request for a delayed certificate is to be made by the student's MIC/HIC in writing to the regional EPM (Electronics Program Manager) indicating that all applicable requirements have been met. Approved requests for delayed certificates will be forwarded to the Director NWSTC. A determination will be made by NWSTC if the student needs to be re-tested - in most cases the student is given a test(s) very similar to those given during the course and a passing score will result in the issuance of the certificate. The EPM may waive the re-examination requirement for equipment-specific courses. Non-engineering students should contact the regional SSD Chief for delayed certificate procedures that pertain to operations staff.
For other administration relatesysinformation (I.E. travel, accounting, etc...) see the NWSTC Admin web pages or call 816-880-0325 and ask for Denise Lewis.
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Updated 01-26-05