THE NATURE OF THE TRAINING PROVIDED TO USPTO EXAMINERS

Achieving organizational excellence demands a high performing workforce that delivers high quality work products and provides customer service excellence. Training is a critical component in achieving consistently high quality products and services.

Patent examiners and trademark examining attorneys received extensive legal, technical and automation training in FY 2001. The USPTO has a comprehensive training program for new patent examiners and trademark examining attorneys, which has a well-established curriculum including initial legal training and training in examination practice and procedure. Additionally, in FY 2001, the USPTO provided legal lectures on current issues such as the Utility Guidelines and Written Description Guidelines and training on new rules changes. Automation training is provided to all examiners on an as-needed just-in-time basis. Technology specific legal and technical training was conducted throughout the examining operations. This specific training either focused on practices particular to the technology or was developed to address training needs identified through performance measurement.

In addition, the training staff in the USPTO's Office of Quality Management and Training work one-on-one with the patent and trademark business units to address specific training concerns and serve as consultants to design specific, internal programs to fit the education needs of each business unit. Training is reviewed and evaluated on an ongoing basis to insure that the training is up-to-date and that coursework reflects developments and changes that have taken place in the industry.