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GET INTO WATER!Sector Project
Metro Denver Region
History of the Get Into Water Sector Project
In 2009, the Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) rolled out the SECTRS (Strategies to Enhance Colorado’s Talent through Regional Solutions) grants to industry-led regional partnerships.
Two phases to the grant process: Phase I was the Planning Grant Phase II was the Implementation Grant. Sector initiatives are industry-led, regional partnerships that address
employers’ needs for skilled workers, and workers’ needs for good jobs. Sector initiatives focus intensively on the workforce needs of a specific industry over a sustained period, often concentrating on specific occupations, and always engaging multiple employers to analyze industry needs and design customized solutions.
WHAT IS GET INTO WATER?
Get Into Water! is an alliance of Colorado-based utilities, workforce centers, educators and other partners to attract people to work in the water industry
Mission: The water and wastewater industry will sufficiently recruit, train and retain personnel to ensure mission-critical positions are filled with qualified, trained & technically skilled employees
WHAT IS A SECTORS PROJECT?
Industry-led; funded by Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Designed to: Help the state and its businesses stay strong and diverse Build a Gold Collar and STEM-ready workforce that is
essential to sustaining the state economy Help fill the gap left by the 1.2 million 65+ workers
estimated to retire in the next two decades Offer a “Grow Our Own” solution
Get Into Water Project Partnership
The City and County of Denver Office of Economic Development Workforce, Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Workforce Boulder County and the American Water Works Association (AWWA) received a planning grant for the period of June 2009 to November 2009. Funding under this planning grant was used in a partnership between Colorado’s water and wastewater management providers, workforce development agencies and water associations to address the acute need for new skilled sector workers within the context of a systematic super-regional plan. The planning process included: Gathering and analyzing national & local labor market data Developing an industry engagement plan Facilitating the development of key strategies Researching best practices for the key strategies Creating a local education & training inventory Gathering industry marketing & outreach material Completing the final report from data collected to develop sector strategic plan
Design and Pre-construction:• Environmental Engineer• Environmental Engineering
Technician• Electrical Engineer• Electrical & Electronic
Engineering Technician• Mechanical Engineer• Civil Engineer
Maintenance Operations:• Electrician• Plumber• Wastewater Maintenance
Technician • Water Maintenance
Technician• Maintenance Mechanic• Maintenance Manager• Instrumentation Technician• I&C Technician• SCADA Technician• GIS Technician
Engineering and Technology:
• Civil Engineer• Electrical Engineer• Mechanical Engineer• Water Treatment
Engineer• Environmental Engineer• Electrician• Electronics Technician• Project Engineer
Science and Math:• Biologist• Chemist• Conservation Scientist• Hydrologist• Laboratory Technician• Microbiologist
Architecture and Construction
Science, Technology,
Engineering and MathematicsC
lust
ers
Path
way
s
Power, Structural and Technical Systems:
• Electronics Systems Technicians
• Waste Water Plant Operator
• Water Plant Operator• Distribution System
Operator• High-Tech Operator• Plant Operator• Collection Operator• Industrial Waste Operator
Natural Resources Systems• Water Monitoring
Technician• Hydrologists • Watershed Manager
Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
•Recommended Additions in Italics•Get Into Water! Focus Occupations in Orange
Colorado-Water Career Clusters Map
Construction:• Plumber• Technician
Environmental Service Systems
• Environmental Sampling and Analysis Scientists/Technicians
• Water Environment Manager
• Water Quality Manager• Waste Water Manager• Environmental Manager• Conservation Manager
Power, Structural and Technical Systems:
• Electronics Systems Technicians
• Waste Water Plant Operator
• Water Plant Operator• Distribution System
Operator• High-Tech Operator• Plant Operator• Collection Operator• Industrial Waste Operator
THE PARTNERS: Workforce Centers
Arapahoe/Douglas Works
City and County of Denver Economic Development-Workforce Development
Workforce Boulder County
POSITIONS MARKETED ON CONNECTING COLORADO
(The Sectors grant gets “credit”)
http://www.connectingcolorado.com/
Business Partners: Utilities Serving as Members of the Industry Advisory Council
Arapahoe County W/WW Authority
Cities of Englewood/Littleton
City of Aurora City of Lafayette City of Boulder Denver Water
Metro W/W Parker Water &
Sanitations District Southgate Water
District Rural Community
Assistance Corporation Town of Castle Rock
RESEARCH
Primary Data: Colorado Workforce Survey (Although a four-county
project, survey sent to all Colorado utilities) AWWA State of the Industry Report
Water Research Foundation Reports Utility-Specific Data from Industry Advisory Council Occupation Data and Related Available Workforce
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
COLORADO WATER WORKFORCE SURVEYQ9/10: Employee shortage next 3-5 years
% RESPONDING MODERATELY OR VERY CONCERNED ABOUT:Drinking Water Treatment Operators 24%Drinking Water Distribution & Transmission Operators/Maintenance and Repair Workers 24%First-Line Supervisors/Chief Operators 28%Wastewater Collection Operators/Maintenance and Repair Workers 16%Operations Managers 20%Electricians/Instrument/SCADA/Electronics 32%Wastewater Treatment Operators 28%
COLORADO WATER WORKFORCE SURVEYQ11: Concern over addressing issues in next 3-5 years% RESPONDING MODERATELY OR VERY CONCERNED ABOUT:
Knowledge Retention/Management 52%Workforce/Succession Planning & Continuity 56%Leadership Development 44%Career Planning/Management 44%Compensation & Rewards 56%Recruitment & Outreach 52%Training & Development 40%
COLORADO WATER WORKFORCE SURVEYQ12: Level of risk to organization
RESPONDING MODERATELY OR VERY CONCERNED ABOUT:
Lack of adequate labor pool with appropriate qualifications, training and experience 44%Uncompetitive pay/benefits 44%Current, future retirements 48%Loss of employees to larger utilities 32%Staff turnover, not due to retirement 32%
THE FOCUS: Operations Employees
Get Into Water! focuses on recruiting and training: Drinking Water Treatment Operators Wastewater Treatment Plant operators Wastewater Collection Operators Water Distribution Operators Plant Maintenance Technicians SCADA/Instrument Control Operators
OPERATIONS FOCUS The Industry Advisory Council (IAC), comprised
of Front Range water and wastewater utilities, desires to focus exclusively on these operations-level positions. We intend to focus on sustainable programs and activities that will add value to employers and potential employees at times of high and low unemployment.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES GOAL #1: Training
The Front Range water and wastewater utilities will conduct and promote training programs to ensure mission critical positions are filled with qualified, trained and technically skilled personnel.
GOAL #2: Outreach and Recruitment The Front Range water and wastewater utilities will conduct
adequate outreach and recruitment efforts to ensure interest in, and attraction to, mission-critical positions.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES GOAL # 3: HR/Operations Collaboration
The Front Range water and wastewater utilities will enhance collaboration, education and communication between operations staff and human resource professionals to create a positive culture for workforce development.
GOAL #4: Knowledge Management The Front Range water and wastewater utilities will
conduct knowledge management and employee retention efforts to ensure mission critical personnel have the knowledge and skills to operate effectively.
BOULDER WATER UTILITY
SCIENCE PROGRAM-Some of the
Students
PROMOTIONS/COMMUNICATIONS
Promotional Plan Website Video Press Releases Brochures Posters (for schools) Career Fairs
Weekly Project Updates Quarterly Newsletter Colorado Dept. Public
Health and Environment AquaTalk
Posters in all high schools
and much more….
GET TRAINED. GET CERTIFIED. MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THE WEBSITE: getintowaterco.orgWelcome to a Career in the Water Industry!
A career in the water industry can be among the most rewarding and gratifying ways to make a living. And the water industry has positions available!
The water industry has careers available with utilities, cities, counties and special districts in positions such as engineering, management, customer service and operations.
Get Into Water! is an alliance of Colorado-based utilities, workforce centers, educators and other partners to attract people to work in the water industry.
Get Into Water! is for youth and adults living in Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver or Douglas counties who are seeking a first-time career path or a career change.
Home pageYouthAdultsHRO Open ForumStudent ActivitiesWork For WaterPartners and LinksAbout/Contact UsVolunteer Team Room
KEY FINDINGS: The 12-Month Mark Training
Employees lack an understanding of system-wide utility operations issues, especially in larger utilities
High school seniors can “get it”• Water Utility Science Program
School districts and community colleges want to help• 1+2 Articulation Agreements• Communication (a common language) is key• Industry guiding education
KEY FINDINGS : The 12-Month Mark Training (cont.)
SCADA/Instrument Control positions are at high risk and little is understood about the landscape
• Six targeted positions There is demand for core training
leading to certification• CDPHE 2015 Training Strategy• Boulder Lifelong Learning• Development of core curriculum-
for Level I certifications
KEY FINDINGS : The 12-Month Mark Training (cont.)
Water Utility Science Plan of Study
Pathway: Power, Structural and Technical Systems
Plan of Study: Water Utility Science (NEW!)
Career Goal (O*Net Code): 51-8031.00 Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators
KEY FINDINGS : The 12-Month Mark (cont.)Using data to address the right problems… Utility permit failures
“…the most frequent cause of failure was related to a distribution system deficiency and constituted 43 (28%) of all Acute Team responses.”
State of Colorado distribution exam pass rates Level 1: 57% Level 2: 47% Level 3: 30% Level4: 17%
GIW work plan now integrated with State training plan(Source: CDPHE Failure & Root Cause Analysis Report)
KEY FINDINGS : The 12-Month Mark HR/Operations
These professionals want to spend time solving problems together
We have system-wide issues related to certification “HR is too focused on the process instead of a quality
outcome (employee)” “We need to open up the barriers to communication and
form stronger partnerships between HR and operations professionals”
KEY FINDINGS: The 12-Month Mark
HR/Operations (cont.) Job description templates are in high demand Career mapping and competency modeling are critical to
recruit and motivate new workers Building on AWWA work
Certification preparation classes are being offered at some utilities and other extensive training is offered but many Distribution employees still can’t pass certification exams
KEY FINDINGS : The 12-Month Mark (cont.)
Outreach/Recruitment
Our industry is unknown!
Dawn Gardner
Arapahoe/Douglas Works!
(303) 636-1275
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Melanie Fahrenbruch, M.Ed.MJF Consulting, LLC
(303) 912-3358
