APPENDIX E

SHIPBOARD TRAINING ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (STEP) COURSE REQUIREMENTS

E-101 General.

a. The Shipboard Training Enhancement Program (STEP) provides interactive courseware (ICW) distributed semi-annually by NETPMSA on CD-ROM. STEP is a cost effective training alternative for selected courses. STEP courses are equivalent to classroom instruction and satisfy course completion requirements. STEP courses include student testing in order to evaluate student performance. Successful completion of a STEP course is documented on Service Record Page 4.

b. STEP is designed to provide shipboard, individual and/or group technology-based training to develop or enhance:

Operator proficiency

Maintenance skills

Administrative skills

Firefighting and damage control skills

Shipboard and watchstation qualifications

Advanced skills for supervisory personnel

Practical knowledge through general military training

Self-improvement through general education

c. Presently the principal instructional tools of STEP are video tapes and computer interactive courseware. The program may grow to include workbooks, study guides and multimedia training programs.

d. NAVEDTRA 630, Catalog of Transportable On Board Training, (currently distributed on CD-ROM along with all STEP courseware), should be used in developing the ship's training plan. The catalog may also be viewed on the CNET home page at http://www.cnet.navy.mil/netpdtc/step/stepcat.htm.

e. One of the advantages of STEP is that it reduces costs associated with TAD expenses and time lost due to absence from the command. Another advantage is that the number of course graduates is not limited by these expenses. The ship or staff can train as many individuals as they feel they need to have. Ships and staffs are encouraged to exploit these advantages.

f. The number of courses available in STEP is currently small, but will increase steadily as new courses are developed or transition from formal courses to STEP. Computer equipment to make use of STEP is being distributed as part of CNET's Library Multimedia Resource Center (LMRC)initiative. The CNET POC for further information / assistance in this regard is NETPMSA Code 042 (904) 452-1899, DSN 922-1889, FAX (904) 452-1738.

E-102 Requirements. This appendix contains STEP course requirements for ships, staffs and units of the Surface Forces which have received the STEP courseware and materials. Numbers in the tables indicate the minimum number of STEP course graduates who should be onboard. Where a course exists both as a school house COI and a STEP course, the STEP course should be preferred. Eventually, formal courses will be discontinued when they transition to STEP.