Rural Water - Quarter 2, 2016 - (Page 24) eDuCatION aND a Career IN water lessons in water w A Number of Educational Opportunities Available for Students BY SaNDY SMItH While it is clear that finding the next generation of workers is an issue for the industry, replacing an experienced worker with a newcomer isn't always easy. A number of programs are attempting to ensure those replacement workers come into the job with some measure of knowledge about water. "It's hard to replace those folks leaving with 30 or 40 years of experience with a first-year student," said Keith Richmond, an instructor in St. Cloud (Minn.) Technical and Community College's Water Environment Technologies program, where students can pursue a diploma in water environment technologies or an St. Cloud Technical & Community College. 24 SeCOND Quarter 2016 associate's degree. "We've found that 'Hire them off the streets and get them trained and licensed' often has a high failure rate. Learning the language of water and wastewater takes time." Richmond points out that students who complete St. Cloud's diploma or associate's program pass state exams 100 percent of the time, compared to others who don't attend such a program. The same is true at Bismarck (N.D.) State College's National Energy Center of Excellence, which offers a one-year program in water and wastewater. "These programs help prepare people for the exams and give them confidence about what the industry is about," said Ryan Caya, program manager. "It's not just a person with mud on the boots going into the facility to work. They'll have working knowledge about how that facility works." Not one-size-fits-all Because of the need and the great career opportunities, educational offerings designed to reach future industry workers are on the rise in high schools, community and technical colleges and government training efforts. For the latter, look to Alaska, where a wastewater treatment program has been in operation for more than 20 years through the Alaska Job Corps program. "Overall, this program is very valuable to the state of Alaska," said Malyn Smith, the Alaska Job Corps' center director. "It affords students a big opportunity to better themselves, to have the training and then be placed in a job where most of the time it starts with $20-25 an hour. That is something for these students that didn't have the opportunity before." The Job Corps program, aimed at those ages 16-24, is about six to eight months; students work at their own pace and then spend 1,950 hours of workbased learning. They must complete their high school diploma or general education development (GED) to be eligible to pursue state certification. Many times, graduates end up working for in a rural Alaskan village where potable water is an issue. Some students, though, have taken jobs in Washington state, or on the Alaskan pipeline project. Often, students are hired by the site where they Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Water - Quarter 2, 2016 From the President Careers in Rural Water Water University Credential from Water U Helps Land the Job Lessons in Water Finance: Tracking Down Non-Revenue Water Technology: GIS and the 5 Ws Emergency Management: Drought to Flood: Oklahoma A Day in the Life of a Circuit Rider Four Key Benefits to Incorporating Cellular Technology into Your Utility Management System The WaterPro Online Community Regulatory Update Throwing My Loop Index to Advertisers/ Advertisers.com From the CEO Rural Water - Quarter 2, 2016 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0418 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0318 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0218 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0118 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0417 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWA0016 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0317 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0217 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0117 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0416 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0316 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWA0015 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0216 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0116 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0415 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0315 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0215 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0115 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0414 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0314 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0214 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0114 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0413 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0313 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0213 http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/NRWQ/NRWQ0113 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0412 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0312 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0212 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0112 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0411 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0311 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0211 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0111 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0410 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0310 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0210 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0110 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0409 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0309 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0209 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0109 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0408 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0308 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0208 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/NRWQ0108 http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com
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