By Khalida Sarwari
West Valley College will receive a $6 million grant to train K-12 and college students in the vital fields of water supply and wastewater management.
The grant, awarded by the California Department of Education, will offer a career pathway to high-wage jobs in the water supply and wastewater management industries. Both fields will see high employee demand in the next decade, according to college president Brad Davis.
The college will coordinate the grant and work with high schools and other community colleges, as well as various public and private agencies. The grant will be used toward the development of a curriculum, internships, staff development, career planning and certificate programs. The goal, according to West Valley College, is to develop and implement standardization of core competencies based on qualification and certification required by the industry.
According to West Valley College, there will be a high demand for electricians, technicians, engineers, mechanics, water treatment and distribution operators, and wastewater treatment operators in the next five years with the anticipated retirement of 60 percent of the current workers in this industry. The Bay Area Consortium for Water and Wastewater Education, a group of local water agencies, is one program that’s finding it difficult to hire qualified operators and technicians, according to the college.
The city of San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley Water District in particular have a need for such workers, according to West Valley College. The district, which supplies water to several public and private water companies in the county, needs a well-trained workforce with the impending continuing population growth coupled with a prolonged drought.
According to CEO Beau Goldie, the district will begin providing water through highly complex and technically advanced systems such as the new Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center, which will require a well-trained and talented workforce.
“This grant allows the consortium to develop local talent and provide the skills necessary to build careers in water supply and wastewater management while filling the looming job gap,” Goldie said.
Job opportunities in wastewater operations, engineering, science and technology will also be available with the city of San Jose’s Environmental Services Department, which co-owns and manages the San Jose-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility. There are plans in the works to rebuild the facility over the next 10 years as part of a $1.4 billion capital improvement program that seeks to meet existing and future needs and integrate new technologies in wastewater treatment, making it one of the largest public works projects in the area’s history, according to department director Kerrie Romanow.
“We’re excited to partner with West Valley College to help current and future professionals build rewarding careers in San Jose’s wastewater industry,” Romanow said.
Davis said the awarding of the grant “reflects the mission of community colleges … to help fill the workforce needs of local industries.”
$6M grant to give students water, wastewater management training
