Activities
WTI faculty, staff and committee members participate in various activities for the Water Training Institute, such as attending recruitment and outreach functions, creating and delivering educational content for water operators, providing scholarships and internship opportunities, and acting as mentors to students.
Evaluation
ASSESSMENT of the CONTENT VALIDITY
of the
WATER TRAINING INSTITUTE (WTI) CURRICULUM
Elizabeth L. Shoenfelt, Ph.D.
Alicia Turner, M.A. Candidate
Patricia Slack, M.A. Candidate
David Normansell, M.A. Candidate
Department of Psychology
Western Kentucky University
Market Assessment
- Portable operator license via reciprocity
- Local demand
- KY needs ~50 new operators a year
- National demand
- 50% of operators retiring in next 5-7 years
- 35000 jobs becoming available in next 10 years
- International demand for qualified operators
- Water for People
Water Training Institute
Welcome to the Water Training Institute (WTI)
WTI is an industry demand-driven workforce development initiative created to bridge the gap into the water/wastewater industry.
WTI offers a formal education system focused on producing graduates with knowledge and skills relevant to the water and wastewater industry, through on-line classes that lead to an associate degree in Water Resource Management.
UNet (Utility Network) allows supervised access to water and wastewater treatment facilities and collection/distribution systems for students enrolled in the degree program.
EYORE (Encouraging Young Operators with Retired Experience) is a volunteer mentoring network being developed to support students in the formal education system.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0903286. Any opinions, finding and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Water & Wastewater Operations Track
Courses Common to Both the Water and Wastewater Operations Track:
WTTI 200: Water Supply & Wastewater Control (3 hours)
(Currently approved for 28 DW/DS and 36 WW/CS CEUs in KY)
(Currently approved for up to 12 CEUs in any category in TN)
WTTI 212: Water Distribution and Wastewater Collections (3 hours)
(Currently approved 21 DW/DS and 30 WW/CS CEUs in KY)
(Currently approved for up to 6 DS/CS CEUs in TN)
WTTI 222: Water & Wastewater Instrumentation & Control (3 hours)
(Currently approved for 33 CEUs in all categories in KY)
WTI Vision
Stimulate the Evolution of the Water & Wastewater Industry to meet the Changing Needs, Expectations and Concerns of our Society
- Recruit a New Generation of Workforce to meet the Needs of the Water & Wastewater Industry
- Stimulate Multi-Sector Non-Confrontational Policy Dialog Responsive to Generational and Sociological Evolution
- Implement a Continuous Process to Leverage Synergies Between Workforce Training, Education and Professionalism
- Encourage Introspection on the Validity of Traditional Industry Hierarchical Structures in a Dynamic, Global and Technological Society
Program Precepts
A Profession of Choice
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WTI Steering Committee
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Motivating Rationale
The are many reasons for the impending Operator shortage
- The average age of the typical operator is in the fifties. These "Baby Boomers" are now ready to retire
- As our water sources get more and more impacted, and the public health needs increase, an increased training burden is placed on the operator
- Most senior operators will say that they "fell into" the job. Few children wake up with a burning desire to be water or wastewater operators. It is a Trade of Last Resort
- And probably the number one reason, is the low and non-competitive wages paid these bastions of environmental protection and public health
Center for Water Resource Studies
Water Resource Capacity Development
| WTI | IT | WATERS | FieldOps |
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Background
- Center for Water Resource Studies
- Motivating Rationale
- Market Assessment
- WTI Steering Committee
- Program Precepts
- Process Change
- WTI Vision
This section covers the background for the WTTI program. Topics covered include:
- General information about the CWRS
- The motivating rationale for establishing and promoting the WTI program
- An assessment of the market drivers defining the need a program like WTI
- The selection and establishment of a governing body
- The fundamental principles defining WTI
- An explanation of the need for a fundamental change in the way in which we recruit and maintain our workforce
- And a description of the vision for WTI in the future
Recruitment and Student Success Subcommittee Report to Steering Committee 4-23-08
Brochures are completed and thanks to the Steering Committee and Andy Ernest for their efforts in having them published and Jana and Karla for having them prepared and delivered for the KWWOA Conference.Â
Roundtable discussion held at the KWWOA Annual Conference April 1, 2008. Brochures were printed and delivered to Kentucky Division of Compliance Assistance and Kentucky Water and Wastewater Operator Association Conference Booths. Melissa Brothers, Executive Chairperson for KWWOA requested keeping a few brochures for handout at her upcoming scheduled events.
Next upcoming recruiting opportunities include:
KRWA Operator Expo - May 21-22, 2008 Bardstown, KY; approximately 200 operators attend this event. Who can or will be attending this event to distribute information?
2008 KY/TN AWWA/WEA Joint Management Conference, May 14-15, 2008 Holiday Inn University Plaza/Sloan Convention Center, Bowling Green, KY. Who can or will be attending this event to distribute information?
KY/TN AWWA/WEA Joint Water Professional Conference, July 20-23, 2008, TN location?
Long Term Goals:
Develop a sustainable Scholarship program. Determine an annual fundraising period.
Develop a recruitment Booth for both Trade Shows and Student Recruitment/College Fairs
Develop a database of senior municipality operators that could be called upon to "mentor" students
Finalize plans to develop a website.
Next Meeting of Recruitment and Steering Subcommittee is May     , 2008 @ 9:00 am at ICC Conference Room.
Submitted by:Â Laurie Berry, Joe Kirchner, Andy Lange, Karla Andrew, Recruitment and Student Success Subcommittee MembersÂ
WMT 200C Water Supply and Wastewater Control
Proposal Date: April 9, 2008
Enter College Name Here
Department of Business Technology
Proposal for a One-Time Only Course
(Consent Item)
Contact Person: Andrew Ernest, Andrew.Ernest@WKU.edu, +1 (270) 745-8895
- Identification of proposed course:
1.1 Course prefix (subject area) and number: WMT 200C
1.2 Course title: Water Supply and Wastewater Control
1.3 Abbreviated course title: Water Supply and Wastewater Control
1.4 Credit hours and contact hours: 3
1.5 Type of course: Lecture
1.6 Prerequisites/corequisites: None
1.7 Course catalog listing: This course is designed to familiarize the student with water supply and wastewater control. Emphasis is on the operational aspects of water supply, water distribution, wastewater collection, and wastewater treatment and disposal. Upon completion, students should be able to apply technical concepts and principles of water supply and wastewater control.