WaterPro Academy
The Need for a Qualified Workforce
It takes more than 380,000 highly skilled water and wastewater professionals to ensure the public supply of safe drinking water and to protect our water sources. If there are water and wastewater services in your community, state laws require that there must be certified operators in charge of those facilities. This means that even in the most rural of communities, job opportunities exist in the water and wastewater industry.
Over the next decade, the water sector is expected to lose between 30 – 50 percent of its workforce to retirement. NRWA is dedicated to training, supporting and promoting the water and wastewater professionals that serve small communities across the United States. NRWA has created and launched multiple campaigns and projects to combat the loss of the workforce within the water and wastewater industry.
WaterPro Academy
WaterPro Academy is a Learning Management Software dedicated to training Water Professionals in any stage of their career. This site was designed with the Water Professional in mind, hosting multiple training and credentialing opportunities listed below. NRWA is constantly working to update these trainings and add more credentials to equip Water Professionals with the knowledge and training they need to be successful in their career.
- Apprenticeship training hours
- State Rural Water Association Board Member credentialing
- Utility Management Certification
Users must log in or create an account to gain access to training programs within WaterPro Academy.
Utility Management Certification
The Utility Management Certification (UMC) is the first credential to acknowledge an operator’s expertise in managing a water or wastewater utility. The UMC has become a standard for recognizing management expertise and advancement potential.
Utility employees have used the UMC as a way to advance from field work into management. As the workforce shortage continues to magnify, competition and higher salary levels will follow. Your UMC designation establishes your credentials as the best of the best!
NRWA Apprenticeship Program
The NRWA Apprenticeship Program provides guidelines to states to assist with developing their own apprenticeship programs to meet the training demands of the next generation of water professionals. With little to no cost, apprentices will attend an approximate 2-year training program made up of classroom technical instruction and on-the-job training, providing apprentices the tools necessary to become successful operations specialists in their communities.
Questions?
If you need more information or have questions, please email training@waterproacademy.org.
