All current Federal, State, Local, Tribal, or Territorial partners employed by a public sector agency** with a minimum of two years of experience in public safety or a related field. Your current agency must support you becoming a Master Trainer, as the Master Trainer Program is intended to benefit public organizations who are working to prevent acts of terrorism and targeted violence in some capacity.

Preferred eligibility qualifications include:

1. Being a supervisory employee at a Federal, State, Local, Tribal, or Territorial agency
2. Professional or academic experience in terrorism and/or targeted violence prevention or behavioral threat assessment and management
3. Prior or current certification as an instructor or trainer

The term public sector agency refers to a wide range of groups, including: state and local government, public school systems, public universities, public hospitals, and other government run and operated enterprises. It can also include public benefit corporations or publicly owned corporations that are operated for the direct benefit of a state or public organization.

Retired public sector employees are only eligible for the Master Trainer Program if they remain employed by a public sector agency. For example, a former law enforcement officer who now works for a public school district is eligible for this program.

Federal, State, Local, Tribal, or Territorial agencies do not include: For-Profit Corporations, Non-Profit Corporations, Think Tanks, other than those operated by federal, state, or local government agencies, and Public Benefit Corporations not founded by, or operating for the direct benefit of, the public sector.

NTER opens a three-month application window every year in September that runs through November. All application forms are available online during this time.

To apply, complete the Master Trainer Program Application and have your supervisor complete the Supervisor Endorsement Form.

Only fully complete applications received within NTER’s specified application window will be considered.

Selected applicants will be notified of their selection to the Master Trainer Program in January and will be expected to attend a virtual orientation event.

All applicants must be U.S. Citizens.

NTER will notify all selected applicants by the end of January via email of their acceptance into the Master Trainer Program and will provide additional guidance at that time.

NTER will not provide individual updates on application status during the application window or review period.

All applicants will be notified of their respective status by the end of January.

If you would like to withdraw your application from consideration, please notify NTER.MTP@hq.dhs.gov as soon as possible.

Wait. NTER will notify you should a spot in the Master Trainer Program become available – and please know, this does happen!

There is no tuition or application cost for the Master Trainer Program. It is free!

Agencies, or individual applicants, are responsible for any costs associated with travel and lodging for attending the Instructor Development Threat Evaluation and Reporting Course and an approved instructor development workshop, both of which are required for Master Trainer Certification.

NTER encourages agencies, and individual applicants, to explore financial assistance through federal or state grants to enable attendance at the Instructor Development Threat Evaluation and Reporting Course and approved instructor development workshop(s).

We strongly encourage agencies to explore financial assistance offered through federal and state grant funding to help alleviate any travel costs associated with attending the Instructor Development Threat Evaluation and Reporting Course.

Take a virtual Instructor Development Threat Evaluation and Reporting Course! NTER will continue to offer at least one virtual Instructor Development Threat Evaluation and Reporting Course each year to help accommodate those who cannot travel to an in-person iteration.