NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS) works with other federal agencies to impart information, services, and technology to the nation's coastal resource managers. This community includes state coastal zone management and natural resource management offices, research reserves, sanctuaries, and Sea Grant offices. Each of these organizations has the difficult task of helping coastal communities balance the often competing demands for coastal resources. Training to acquire new skills is one of the many ways NOS helps these state and local partners reach their goals.

Many NOS training courses are specifically designed for coastal resource managers. Each class uses coastal management-related case studies and data. Most of these classes are offered at the NOAA Coastal Services Center (CSC) in Charleston, S.C., but some courses can be taught at client facilities. Each year, hundreds of coastal resource managers take advantage of this opportunity.

Other training opportunities focus on methods and techniques used to respond to oil and hazardous materials spills. NOS's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) which is charged with mitigating negative environmental effects of oil and hazardous material spills, provides training courses for spill responders, contingency planners and coastal managers. Through these courses, NOS shares its knowledge and capabilities in effective spill response that it has learned while working with other federal and state agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and private sector partners.

Technical Courses

A wide variety of courses are offered, and new classes are frequently added to meet the demands of constituents.

Classes that are offered by CSC are divided into three categories: GeoSpatial Technology Courses, Coastal Management Training, and Building Process Skills.

Technology-oriented classes focus on geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, and metadata, with beginning and advanced classes offered.

OR&R training courses in spill response are offered both in Seattle and regionally to spill response professionals

Management Courses

Numerous management courses help state programs improve their working relationships with constituents and the public. These classes include “Public Issues and Conflict Management,” “Conducting Training Needs Assessments,” and “Survival Skills for Managing Coastal Resources.

Several classes also are available to help coastal resource managers improve their hazard mitigation skills and forge productive relationships with all of the partners who must work together during a natural-hazard incident.

See links at the top of the right-hand column under "For More Information" for NOS training in other topics.