The National Rural Water Association, the nation’s largest water utility association with more than 31,000 members, this week formerly announced a partnership with the United States Department of Labor to launch a nation-wide apprenticeship program.
The WaterPro Apprenticeship Program, tailored to water and wastewater system operations specialists, is now a nationally-recognized standard with the DOL.
Twelve NRWA state affiliates jointly made the announcement at training events for water and wastewater operations specialists as they look to register their own programs with NRWA’s national guideline standard. The announcements and events commemorate National Apprenticeship Week 2017, which is recognized November 13-19, and highlight the need for a national water sector apprenticeship initiative.
“The WaterPro Apprenticeship Program will ensure a well-trained and capable water sector workforce to meet the increasing demands of the water industry,” said NRWA CEO Sam Wade. “Advancements in water treatment and supply technology have increased the skills and training needed to protect public health and the environment. The apprenticeship program will ensure we have the skilled and educated workforce we need well into the future.”
CoBank, a cooperative bank serving agribusinesses, rural infrastructure providers and Farm Credit associations throughout the United States, will underwrite $250,000 to help establish the program.
“We are extremely excited for the NRWA and their new WaterPro Apprenticeship Program,” said Chris Shaffner, CoBank’s sector vice president for water and community facilities banking. “Recruiting and retaining highly talented individuals for the future workforce of America’s rural water systems is vital as the industry underpins the agricultural economy and the lives of those living in rural America.”
It takes more than 380,000 highly skilled water and wastewater personnel to ensure the public supply of safe drinking water and to protect our lakes, streams and groundwater. Advancements in water treatment and supply technology have increased the skills and training required of this workforce. Water professionals are responsible for meeting stringent regulatory standards, replacing aging infrastructure, recruiting and training new operations specialists, and responding to and recovering from disasters.
In addition to increasing professional demands, utilities will soon be forced to replace many of their most experienced employees. Over the next decade, the water sector is expected to lose between 30 and 50 percent of the workforce to retirement. Many of these employees have worked at the same utility for the majority of their careers, and they will depart with decades of valuable institutional knowledge.
From Left
Matt Holmes, Deputy CEO National Rural Water Association
Sam Wade, CEO NRWA
Steve Fletcher, President NRWA and Washington County Water Company
Ondre Harris, Senior Policy Advisor for Employment and Training Administration in the Department of Labor
Anne Hazlett, USDA Assistant Secretary for Rural Development
John Ladd, Administrator at USDOL, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Apprenticeship
Chris Shaffner, CoBank Sector Vice President of Water and Community
About NRWA
The National Rural Water Association is the largest public drinking water and sanitation utility organization representing the interests of more than 31,000 water and wastewater utilities nationwide. NRWA provides training and technical assistance through 49 affiliated State Rural Water Associations dedicated to supporting and promoting the water and wastewater professionals that serve small communities across the United States. NRWA and the State Affiliates provide training on operator certification, financial sustainability, environmental compliance, utility management and governance to over 80,000 water professionals annually in all 50 states. Last year, over 55,000 on-site consultations were delivered by NRWA’s technical experts for water quality, energy efficiency, source water protection, technical assistance and emergency response.
About CoBank
CoBank is a $124 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 70,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country.
CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.
For more information about CoBank, visit the bank’s web site at www.cobank.com.
Contact
National Rural Water Association CoBank
Matthew Holmes Jo Solonika
Deputy CEO, National Rural Water Association Vice President, Corporate Communications
580-252-0629 720-583-9180
matt@nrwa.org jsolonika@cobank.com
