Sharing training opportunities widely and equitably across NOAA Fisheries

[stefaniebutland]

How can we all share training opportunities widely and equitably across NOAA Fisheries?

❓ Is there a person in your center or office who coordinates or promotes training opportunities?

Please reply with how your group does this so we can see how others do it, recognize common challenges, and find ways to do it.

Discussion Mar 10, 2026 in NMFS Openscapes Mentors Google Space in response to Lincoln Rehm sharing InPort Overview training session and folks wondering how best to re-share that.

Some current challenges:

• If we forward an email with info, it's only going to people who mentors or other recipients are aware of.
• puts the burden on recipient to share; their workload might prevent sharing.

[mollystevens-noaa]

Thank you so much for starting this conversation, Stef!! I think that adding single training sessions to the NMFS Open Science Google calendar (alongside making sure people are aware of this calendar) is a good solution for one time events. For training sessions that people need to sign up for (e.g. Data Academy), the process is less clear. Mentors distribute to branch chiefs who we know may benefit, but this feels inequitable and unfair that accessibility is limited by our availability to share one off. What other channels exist that we may take advantage of? What processes do other line offices have set up to distribute these training opportunities?

[k-doering-NOAA]

Most offices have weekly newsletters, I think - although it might vary by office how much they are read by staff.

There is also a NOAA Fisheries learning officer, and I wonder if sharing opportunities through their program is possible?

[pwoodworth-jefcoats]

PIFSC did away with its regular updates, which would have been a perfect avenue to share things like this. Are there emails for Deputy Directors/supervisors that could be tapped? Or would the message be lost in flood?

[stefaniebutland]

NWFSC Weekly - @jonpeake gets openscapes-related info into the "Open Science" section. (note from Erin Steiner)

[GSchnaittacher-NOAA]

At AFSC, items are usually sent out in an email blast to our center by OMI. As long as folks pass along information to them they will send it out. I asked for the Data Academy opportunity to be put in our newly resurrected weekly newsletter, The Weekly Beat. I envision this being a good platform, but not all FMCs have the bandwidth for that. But, as noted above, this is if the information is shared and passed along by a mentor.

As it is a learning opportunity, what about connecting with NOAA Fisheries Human Capital Management Office (HCMO). They distribute a monthly newsletter which include training opportunities. Maybe they could include this or at least direct it to the Fisheries Learning Council for distribution?

[MelissaYencho-NOAA]

OST has a weekly newsletter but it's not clear how many people read the entire thing. I think reaching out to NOAA Fisheries HCMO could be a good idea. I am on the Fisheries Learning Council and could reach out to our Training Officer to get her thoughts if that would be helpful.