Grant funding from the California Water, Wastewater & Energy Workforce Development Program is funding several training and career advancement programs selected through a competitive solicitation. Together, these programs will help elevate new and existing workers in the utility sector.
Programs for New Workers
Careers in Energy, Water, and Wastewater Program
Long Beach City College (LBCC) will establish a Regional Consortium in Los Angeles and Orange counties that will lead efforts to train and place at least 70 underrepresented workers into the water and energy sectors. The new program will begin training individuals in fall 2024 and continue until the end of the grant period in March 2026. Specifically, LBCC’s Workforce and Economic Development department will leverage its. experience to transition participants into jobs in the water and energy workforce or similar sectors through the creation of the Careers in Energy, Water, and Wastewater (CEWW) Program. The LBCC program will include targeted outreach to ensure the project is highly likely to recruit underrepresented groups and low-income populations and households.
Water College Scholarship
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) California-Nevada Section (CA-NV Section) will establish a workforce training program that will be available to individuals who wish to work in the water and wastewater industry throughout California. Founded in 1881, AWWA is the largest organization of water supply professionals in the world. The program will utilize the CA-NV Section’s existing Water College Program to provide educational and financial resources for new candidates to begin their careers in the water industry with a focus on people from underrepresented populations or low- to moderate-income communities.
Program in Development
WaterWisePro (WWP) will provide career ladder training and/or advancement for incumbent workers in the Water, Wastewater and Energy Workforce from underrepresented populations and/or Low to Moderate Income (LMI) communities. WWP is an industry-specific training provider with a mission to improve public health protection by increasing the skills, knowledge, and tools of Water Operators. WWP has established relationships with over 150 vendors who support the Water, Wastewater, and Energy industries. The program is designed to produce trained workers who will secure jobs and/or earn promotions; create a workforce pipeline; promote diversity, equity, and inclusion; and improve industry partnerships.
Programs for Existing Workers
Educate to Lead (E2L)
The California African American Water Education Foundation (CAAWEF) and Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL) are partnering to develop a workforce development strategy in the utility industry for women, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Called the Educate to Lead (E2L) initiative, the program is unprecedented for the California water and energy fields because Women and BIPOC general managers in the water and energy fields will lead the curriculum development and training sessions; they will draw from their experiences to shape the program’s training, aligning seamlessly to spearhead a groundbreaking program led by DEI-focused organizations aiming to revolutionize the utilities sector.
Advancing Women in Water and Wastewater Leadership Academy
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD), in Lake Elsinore, Calif., is launching its Advancing Women in Water and Wastewater Leadership Academy. The inaugural cohort of participants is being selected and will kick off in 2024. The comprehensive, first-of-its-kind training program is designed to support women at various stages of their careers in the water and wastewater industries. The program is designed to foster diversity and excellence in these critical sectors, while serving underserved communities. Open to existing EVMWD employees and others at nearby utilities, this training program will cultivate a new generation of confident, capable leaders who will drive positive change in the low-income communities they work for and beyond. For more information about the Advancing Women in Water and Wastewater Leadership Academy, contact Sylvia Ornelas.
Advanced Water Utility Management Leadership
CA-NV American Water Works Association’s Advanced Water Utility Management Leadership Program (AWUML) will provide leadership/executive development for senior management-level professionals, based on AWWA’s Water Utility Management (Manual M5), with a focus on increasing leadership and effective utility management opportunities for underrepresented populations within the water and wastewater industry. The program will engage future water and wastewater utility managers in making informed decisions and practical, systematic changes to achieve excellence in utility performance in the face of everyday challenges and long-term needs for the utility and the community it serves. The program will be recruiting and selecting participants in late 2024 and early 2025.
Next Level Leadership Program
Facilitated by the Leading With Courage® Academy, the Next Level Leadership Program is a one-year development initiative for both experienced and rising leaders in the electric and water utilities industry. This comprehensive program is designed for underrepresented populations and is offset with funding from the California Water, Wastewater, and Energy Workforce Development Program. This leadership experience offers a unique blend of practical skills development, insightful assessments, and networking opportunities that strives to move participants from “meets expectations” to “exceeds expectations.” For more information, visit the Next Level Leadership Program website.