Training Starts @ the Tower

On August 6th, The Water Tower began training the next generation of water professionals by supplementing classroom learning with hands-on training in two socially-distanced classes –  Maintenance Technologist II and Wastewater Lab Analyst.

The Maintenance Technologist II course offers a deeper understanding of cross-connections, hydraulics and pumps maintenance. Upon successful completion of the Maintenance Technologist II course, students are eligible to sit for the Maintenance Technologist Class II Certification.

The Wastewater Lab Analyst training course provides the required training hours for the GA Wastewater Laboratory Analyst certification and half of the required advanced training hours for the GA Class II Wastewater Operator exam. In this course, students will perform hands-on exercises in solution chemistry sampling and so much more.

Through partnerships with vendors, Gwinnett County, and the Georgia Association of Water Professionals, our training programs augment an already robust program by helping prospective and currently practicing operators gain necessary “on the job” experience.

Our facility brings the classroom into the field by offering real world scenarios in a monitored environment with technical training on innovative technologies such as leveling and balancing equipment that are used in laser alignment and infrared cameras used to test for hotspots inside electrical panels.

Since “water workers use 63 different tools and technologies each” on average, according to “Renewing the Water Workforce” published by the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Institute, hands-on training with innovative technologies is beneficial to a student’s success in the workforce.

Utility operator certification exams are challenging, which is why our courses, that complement certification courses, will focus on particularly challenging areas to make sure our students are sufficiently prepared.

“We’re changing the way we train people,” said Chad Wilbanks, the Strategic Director of Training and Technology at The Water Tower. “We ask how we can enhance you as an individual, so the enhanced training is focused on building operators and growing that next generation of operators.”

The hands-on training in our courses allows operators to apply skills they learned in their certification courses. They will also get extra practice answering problem solving questions and recognizing buzzwords.

Additionally, we offer advanced training courses to enhance certified operators’ knowledge of new technologies and techniques. We offer courses such as maintenance technologist, wastewater treatment, wastewater laboratory analysts, and activated sludge.

To check out our selection of upcoming courses, click here; and to register for courses, contact Chad Wilbanks (chad@theh2otower.org).