1. Training for Next Generation Environmental Satellites
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
The VLab Global Infrastructure for Education and Training:
Training for Next Generation Environmental Satellites
Thirteenth WMO Symposium on Education and Training (SYMET-XIII)
(Barbados, 30 October – 1 November 2017)
Kathy-Ann Caesar
Caribbean institute for meteorology and hydrology
Barbados CoE and VLAB Co-chair

2. CGMS-WMO Virtual Laboratory

3. The WMO-CGMS Virtual Laboratory for Education and Training in Satellite Meteorology (VLab) is a global network of specialized training centres, named Centres of Excellence (CoEs), that are supported by one or more CGMS satellite operators (Ref: These CoEs, often co-located with WMO Regional Training Centres (RTCs), are established in the various WMO Regions to meet user needs for increased skills and knowledge in using satellite data within their Region.
Mission of VLab
To improve weather, water, climate and related environmental services by enabling WMO Members to utilize satellite data..

4. Participants from all WMO Regional Associations were reached.
VLab Members using both, online and classroom training, offered a total of 162 training events in Training was offered in 5 of the WMO official languages (no event was carried out in Arabic) plus Korean and Portuguese. Participants from all WMO Regional Associations took part in training, which reached participants from 183 countries. 
Regarding the total number of participants attending VLab training events, the numbers exceeded the 4600 figure. This number excludes the number of participants using the online resources that are accessible via VLab member websites, such as the recorded lectures available from some VLab CoEs and Satellite Operator websites (e.g. Russian Federation, Brazil, Australia, EUMETSAT, JMA, and CIRA). Additionally, whilst great effort was made to report on the number of people trained in 2016, figures were not available for every event organised.
Training was offered in 5 of the WMO official languages plus Korean and Portuguese.
Participants from all WMO Regional Associations were reached.

5. Satellite Skills and Knowledge for Operational Meteorologists
Describes the underpinning skills that support the WMO Competencies that relate to the use of satellite data by operational meteorologists

6. A good number of courses offered in 2016 included the preparation of users for the new generation of satellites
Himawari-8/9 Satellite Analysis using SATAID – by JMA
GOES-R workshops – by NOAA
Next generation of satellites – by KMA
Event Week on MTG-I Satellite – by EUMETSAT
FY4 Satellite Products – by CMA
A good number of courses offered in 2016 included the preparation of users for the new generation of satellites. Of particular importance were those totally dedicated to the topic, such as:
Training on Himawari-8/9 Satellite Analysis using SATAID, offered in various occasions and locations by JMA (total of 116 people trained);
GOES-R workshops, offered by NOAA in May and November (total of 130 people trained);
Training course on the next generation satellites, offered by KMA in October (total of 230 people trained);
Event Week on MTG-I Satellite, offered by EUMETSAT/EUMeTrain in November (total 62 people trained);
Training Course on the FY4 Satellite Products, offered by CMATC in November (total 43 people trained).

7. Principal Training Needs
1. The use and interpretation of satellite data and imagery;
2. The deployment and maintenance of satellite data ingest systems;
3. In Information Technology as it pertains to satellite data ingest systems.

8. NOAA CIRA Satellite Foundation Course for GOES-16 (SatFC-G)
The NOAA CIRA Satellite Foundation course launched in late 2016 is a self paced training course comprising of training modules produced by CIRA VISIT, COMET MetEd and the Satellite Hydrology and Meteorology Programmes. Users have the option of obtaining a certificate after completion. The Foundation course is just that .. It provides foundation knowledge on the operations and use of GOES-16 imagery and data.
More advance courses will be base on the course. Already the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) in collaboration with NOAA, CIRA and WMO has utilized the CIRA Satellite Foundational Course for GOES-R/16 (SatFC-G) to equip regional forecasters with the appropriate knowledge
John Doe

9. Himawari-8 Training Campaign
Started in January 2015
Organized by CoE Australia
A considerable amount of training resources has been produced and it is available at the CoE Website
Himawari-8 Natural Colors :05UTC
In addition, the Himawari-8 Training Campaign, which is organised by the CoE in Australia to help WMO Region V and stakeholders elsewhere to prepare for the effective use of Himawari-8 data is still ongoing. The Campaign started in 2015, prior to Himawari-8 data availability, and has produced a considerable amount of training resources since then.

10. National Himawari-8 Training Campaign - Phase 2
Short (10-15 minute duration) Case Studies:
Rapid Scan
RGB products
Quiz and Assessment Questions (Moodle ISOBAR webpage)
Ongoing Tutorial Sessions
On a Fortnightly Basis
On demand

11. Very useful website – the EUMETRAIN RGB Colour Interpretation Guide

12. Expert workshop on RGB composites derived from multi- spectral imagery November 2017
This workshop will be timely to discuss lessons learned from applying the WMO/EUMETSAT RGB standard to new-generation imagers and implications for operational forecasting and training
This workshop will be timely to discuss lessons learned from applying the WMO/EUMETSAT RGB standard to new-generation imagers (Himawari-8 AHI, GOES-16 ABI, and FY-4A AGRI) and implications for operational forecasting and training.
This workshop will take place in Tokyo, being hosted by JMA, most probably in November.

13. Training on climate monitoring from space
A Climate Virtual Roundtable is planned for 2017
• Event to be coordinated by CoE Barbados, with translation and presentation in all WMO languages and Portuguese
Online training event on the climate-agriculture nexus
• Event planned by CoE South Africa, Barbados, EUMETSAT and NASA/ARSET
A climate virtual roundtable is planned by CoE Barbados for 2017, as an introduction to satellite-based climate monitoring and climate data records.
A collaborative online training event on the climate-agriculture nexus should be in planning by CoE South Africa, Barbados, EUMETSAT, and NASA/ARSET (this was an action from VLMG-8).

14. Regional and Global Events advertised in the Online Calendar
All Regional and Global training events organised by VLab are advertised in the Online Calendar available in the Vlab website.
If you visit the calendar now you will see a selection already advertised, and this list grows as the CoEs get confirmation of dates for courses.
A complete list of courses planed for this year is already available in the VLab report submitted to IPET-SUP-3.

15. Thank you
I hope this short presentation gave you some insight that VLab continues to make great strides in the forging of training in satellite meteorology.  With the onset of the Next generation of satellites, VLab’s strategy plan is designed to face and address the challenges that this presents.
So Iinvite this third session of IPET-SUP to:
Note the important achievements of the VLab and to provide comments
QUESTIONS