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WTI: An Online Water and Wastewater Technician Education Program

WTI: An Online Water and Wastewater Technician Education Program. Joseph Gutenson & Andrew Ernest Environmental Institute The University of Alabama Jana Fattic Center for Water Resource Studies Western Kentucky University. Outline. The Need for New Blood in the Profession

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WTI: An Online Water and Wastewater Technician Education Program

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  1. WTI: An Online Water and Wastewater Technician Education Program Joseph Gutenson & Andrew Ernest Environmental Institute The University of Alabama Jana Fattic Center for Water Resource Studies Western Kentucky University

  2. Outline • The Need for New Blood in the Profession • What is the Water Training Institute (WTI)? • Degree Program Requirement's • Content Delivery • Student Incentives • Industry Linkages • Program Outcomes

  3. The Need for New Blood in the Profession • 2004 American Water Works Association (AWWA) State of the Industry Report survey found that • Average age of certified operators = 50 years of age • Most planned to retire within 10 years • Subsequent AWWA state of the industry reports have continued to express concern for looming workforce shortfall • One of the top five concerns facing industry • Economic downturn may have delayed the retirement of some but crisis still looms

  4. “The effects of the retiring Baby Boomer generation have been exacerbated in the water industry. Competition for employees entering the workforce from colleges and trade schools is fierce.” American Water Works Association State of the Industry Report, 2008

  5. The Need for New Blood in the Profession • Growing Need for Water/Wastewater Operators • Bureau of Labor Statistics reports job pool will increase by 12% (about average) • Lack of Qualified Applications • Franione & Good (2008) study found that 75-76% of survey respondents have trouble recruiting new operators • 79% reported this was due to a shrinking applicant pool • 82% cited “other issues” such has high turnover rates and poor of reading and math skills among new hires • AWWA and Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) also document that current applicants lack necessary technical knowledge • Viewed as “Trade of Last Resort”

  6. The Need for New Blood in the Profession • Increasing Need for More Competent Technical Knowledge • Currently operator certification requires secondary education and completion of state-certified examination • AWWA and WERF (2008) report that due to growing plant automation and technological advancements profession is likely to become a more technical occupation • This indicates that the occupation is in transition from a historically manual labor industry to a more knowledge-based practice • Increasing state and federal regulatory requirements

  7. The Need for New Blood in the Profession • All of this equates to the beginnings of a workforce shortfall crisis • AWWA and United States Environmental Protection Agency (2008) report that 41% of operator positions are unfilled

  8. The Need for New Blood in the Profession

  9. What is Water Training Institute (WTI)? • On-line Associates Degree Program offered through Western Kentucky University (WKU) • Training for new and existing Operators • NSF ATE grant to develop program • Additional funding from EPA • Can roll into Bachelors and/or Masters • Certificate Program • Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

  10. Degree Program Requirement’s • 60 Hours of Academic Credit • 15 Hours – General Education • 21 Hours – Science Core • 24 Hours – Concentration Specific: 2 Tracks • Water Operations • Wastewater Operations • Experiential Component Included • Education requirement's are driven by industry input

  11. Content Delivery Hybrid Experiential & Distance Learning Educational Model (HEDLEM) • Hands-on requirement • Internships with local utilities • Geographically dispersed need • On-line classes and forums

  12. Student Incentives • Internships • One college credit hour for every 80 hours of supervised work-based experience • Employer must complete student evaluation form • Scholarships • Trade Associations • Utilities – tuition reimbursement • Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Articulation

  13. Industry Linkages • Programmatic Direction – driven by practitioners • Steering Committee • Employment Sector – DW/WW utilities • Trade Associations – local TAs linked to national organizations (i.e., AWWA) • State Primacy Agencies (i.e., ADEM) • Educators – WKU, Community Colleges, Training Providers

  14. Industry Linkages (cont’d.) • Subcommittees • Curriculum • Recruitment & Student Success • Replication & Sustainability • Certifications & Policy • Programmatic Success – defined by value placed on graduates

  15. Program Outcomes • As of Fall 2012 • Enrollment has increased to 6 times the initial Fall 2009 amount • 16 students were WTI majors • 6 students had completed degree requirements • One student had completed bachelor’s degree • Of the 6 students that have finished their associate’s degree, 5 have either been hired immediately or chose to continue their education

  16. Program Outcomes (cont.) • Expansion of curriculum to other educational entities • Mountwest Community & Technical College • Reduction in Overhead Costs for Students • Instructors are moving to “open courseware”

  17. Questions? http://wti.waterky.org wti@wku.edu 1-877-WTI-0999

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