TIPS Training Program

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 Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE): 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 Talent) at https://www.doi.gov/doitalent, educating OSMRE 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.

TIPS training classes are commonly delivered in small classrooms to allow students personal attention from the instructor while being able to immediately apply the software to actual mining cases. The classes occur in specialized training centers.

OSMRE Training Center Locations

Appalachian Region Office (AR)
3 Parkway Center
Pittsburgh, PA 15220
Phone: (412) 937-2910 or (412) 937-2864

Mid-Continent Region (MCR)
501 Belle Street
Alton, IL 62002-6169
Voice: (618) 463-6460
Fax: (618) 463-6470

Western Region Office
P.O. Box 25065
Lakewood, CO 80225-0065
Voice: 303-236-2925

Non-OSMRE Training Center Locations

• Albuquerque, NM: Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
• Anchorage, AK: State of Alaska Office (550 W. 7th Ave.)
• Columbus, OH: Ohio Department of Natural Resources Central Office
• Frankfort, KY: GIS computer lab at Kentucky State University
• Huntington, WV: GIS computer lab of Marshall University 
• New Philadelphia, OH: Ohio Department of Transportation

Thank you for your interest in the TIPS Training Program. If your office has a need for special training sessions or questions about upcoming opportunities, please contact the TIPS Training Administrator at (303) 236-3412 or OSM-tipsweb@osmre.gov.

Click here for the FY2025 Training Schedule. 

Click here for the FY2025 Training Course Descriptions. 

To get scheduled for one of the training classes, please contact your State, Tribal, or OSMRE training representative or reach out to the TIPS training Administrator at the above contact information.

Introduction to the OSMRE Training Career Series Guide

The Career Series Guide is designed to provide a training roadmap for Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) related employees. It provides insights into the different career paths under the SMCRA umbrella, as well as the recommended professional development opportunities offered by OSMRE, for each career series. This tool is ideal for supervisors creating a training plan for their employees, or for employees who want to expand their understanding of OSMRE’s training opportunities.

The Career Series Guide document is 508 compliant and it contains all of the relevant information regarding the intersection of training priorities and the OSMRE career series.  

We also offer a summarized version of the information in the Career Series Guide Matrix Document.  Unfortunately the document design is very complicated and there is no reliable way to make/bring it into 508 compliance.  It is here for those who choose to use it, but it does not introduce anything which is not already in the Career Series Guide document.

Use the Career Series Guide to help you identify your OSMRE career path.

Use the Career Series Guide Matrix to help you identify your OSMRE career path.

For Specific or Specialized State/Tribal training requests, please email osm-tipsweb@osmre.gov. We will review the request and reply as soon as possible with how TIPS may be able to help.

Instructions below refers to how to sign up for TIPS offered training courses.  TIPS training courses are made up of either internally created training or through vender secured training.  Additionally, courses are either taught online (Most of the courses) through instructor led classes or in-person instructor led classes.

Fiscal Year (FY) Course Selection Procedures

Every fall TIPS and NTTP send out a training request sheet to all State, Tribal, and OSMRE training contacts.  The training leads submit back to TIPS and NTTP the requested number of seats needed for each class.  TIPS and NTTP analyze this request list to determine which class offerings will be utilized for the upcoming Fiscal Year (FY).  Once a schedule is finalized the TIPS Training Administrator sends out the Training Schedule for that FY with signup links no later than October 31st.  Note: If there is no federal budget signed or funds distributed, the training schedule will be tentative until a federal budget has been passed and official funding provided for the purchasing of that FY's training, as well as contracting completing the training purchase (for vender training). 

State and Tribe Signup Procedures

State and Tribe training contacts will send out the Training Schedule that they received from the TIPS Training Administrator to their respective areas.  Employees will work with their supervisor and their state/tribal training personnel to determine what courses the individual needs to take.  Once approval is granted from the supervisor and training representative, the individual will utilize the link or QR code on the TIPS Training Schedule to signup for the desired classes.

OSMRE Signup Procedures

OSMRE personnel will work with their supervisor to determine which classes they need to attend.  Once the employee obtains approval from their supervisor the employee will use the link or the QR code in the TIPS Training Schedule to signup for the class.

Signup Notes

Signup for classes is on a First-come, First-serve basis, meaning that whoever signs up first gets offered a seat first.  When an individual signs up for a class their name gets placed on the request list.  When the class signup closes (approx. 4-weeks before the class starts) the TIPS training Administrator sends out an email offering those who are on the list a seat (based off the number of seats per class).  Once the individual confirms they are able to attend the class, the TIPS Training Administrator sends them an email confirming their class seat.  If an individual is unable to attend or declines the seat offering, the next name on the list is given the opportunity to have the seat.

Class signups are open for people to signup until appox. 4-weeks before the class is scheduled to attend.  This allows for the verification of class attendee's and time for the vender to prepare for the class or for TIPS to process invitational travelers (In-person classes). NOTE:  After the class signup has closed, if someone is still interested in attending, they can email the TIPS Training Administrator at osm-tipsweb@osmre.gov to see if there are seats still available and if they can get manually added to the class.

TIPS Training Administrator can be contacted at osm-tipsweb@osmre.gov

TIPS Branch Manager can be contacted at osm-tipsweb@osmre.gov

TIPS Feedback can be provided at  osm-tipsfeedback@osmre.gov

OSMRE ArcMap End of Life (EOL) took effect July 31, 2024.

All OSMRE offices, States & Tribes need to transition from ArcMap to ArcPro. TIPS has created an OSMRE Esri Training and Support Hub to aid in the transition.