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Careers in the Water Industry

Careers in Water Pathways

An advertisement promoting careers in water with two people in safety gear at a water facility.

The water industry offers meaningful, fulfilling, and stable positions where you can spend a full career. Los Angeles County Community Colleges and Adult Schools can set you on a path to a fun and impactful career in water!

A smiling person in safety gear with text promoting a water operator internship.

To get started, see the example career pathways listed below and use the links to check out local community college programs. The short-term pathways can help you get your foot in the door with just one course, while the medium-term pathways show you what a certificate program or associate degree program looks like.
 

WATER OPERATOR PATHWAY

A blue background with white diagonal stripes on the left side.

Water operators ensure the safe and reliable function of our critical water infrastructure. You’ll work with a team of operators at a water facility to operate and maintain water treatment or water distribution equipment.

Example Short Term Pathways:

A three-step career path diagram for water treatment that includes education, certification, and job application.

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR WATER OPERATOR COURSES 

Community College and Adult School Water Programs - Los Angeles County

The following courses prepare you to take the State of California Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Water Operator Exams:

  • Wastewater Treatment Operators Certificate: Exam Grades 1 – 5 (WW1 - WW5)
  • Water Treatment Operator Certificate: Exam Grades 1 - 5 (T1 - T5)
  •  Water Distribution Operator Certificate: Exam Grades 1 - 5 (D1 - D5)

 

School: Bassett Adult School
Parent Program: Water Technology


Choose One or More Courses: Water Tech D1, Water Tech T1 Water Treatment, Water Distribution, Wastewater Treatment, Advanced Water Treatment

  • Course Layout: 5 weeks, in-person, 3 evenings/week, free course manual
  • Students earn 36 hours of credit to be applied towards:
    • Operator Certificate renewal contact-hours, AND
    • Get the training required for T1/T2/T3/D1/D2/D3 exams
       

College: Citrus College
Parent Program: Water Technology
Choose One or More Courses: WATR 150, WATR 151, WATR 153, WATR 156, WATR 157 Intro to Water Systems, Water Resources and Distribution I & II, Water Treatment I & II

  • Course Layout: 1 semester (3-month), online, evening class
  • Get the training required for T1/T2/T3/T4/T5D1/D2/D3/D4/D5 exams
     

College: Los Angeles Trade Technical-College
Parent Program: Water Supply Technology
Choose One or More Courses: WATER 101, WATER 004 Intro to Supply Water Technology, Water Purification I

  • Course Layout: 1 semester (4-month), in-person, evening class
  • Qualifies student for the D2 Exam (WATER 101) or T2 Exam (WATER 004)
     

College: Rio Hondo College
Parent Program: Math Science & Engineering
Choose One or More Courses: ET 270, ET 275, ET 276 Wastewater Treatment, Water Treatment, Water Distribution

  • Course Layout: 1 semester (4-month), in-person, evening class
  • Get the training required for WW1/WW2/T1/T2/D1/D2

 

Example Medium Term Pathways:

Infographic showing a 4-step career path in the water industry, with educational steps, certification, job application, and advancement to leadership.
CLICK HERE FOR WATER OPERATOR CERTIFICATES & ASSOCIATE DEGREES 

Community College and Adult School Water Programs - Los Angeles County

The following programs give you a certificate or associate degree while also preparing you to take the State of California Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Water Operator Exams:

  • Wastewater Treatment Operators Certificate: Exam Grades 1 – 5 (WW1 - WW5)
  • Water Treatment Operator Certificate: Exam Grades 1 - 5 (T1 - T5)
  • Water Distribution Operator Certificate: Exam Grades 1 - 5 (D1 - D5)

 

College: Citrus College
Parent Program: Water Technology

  • Certificate Programs: 2 - 4 semesters (1-year certificate)
  1. Certificate in Water Efficiency Management: 26-27 Units,  4 semesters, 1-year certificate
  2. Certificate in Water Technology 18 Core Units, 2 semesters, 1-year certificate
  • Associate Degrees: 6 - 7 semesters (2-year degree)
  1. A.S. in Water Use Efficiency Management: 18-19 Core Units + Gen Ed Reqs
  2.  A.S. in Water Technology: 18 Core Units + Gen Ed Reqs
     

College: Los Angeles Trade Technical College 
Parent Program: Construction, Maintenance & Utilities

  • Certificate Program: 4 Semesters (2-year certificate)
  1. Supply Water Systems Technology: 30 Units
  • Associate Degrees: 4 semesters (2-year degree)
  1. ​​​​A.S. in Water Systems Wastewater Technology: 30 Units
  2. A.S. in Water Systems Supply Water Technology: 30 Units

College: Rio Hondo College
Parent Program: Math Science & Engineering

  • Certificate Program: 3 semesters (1.5-year certificate)
  1. Environmental Technology Water Management Certificate 25 units

 

MISSION CRITICAL OCCUPATIONS PATHWAY

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There are many rewarding careers in the water industry, but there are eight mission critical occupations that are essential to water and wastewater operations. These occupations typically require at least a high school diploma but do not require a four-year degree. Many of these occupational pathways will also allow you to work in other industries outside of the water industry.

An infographic listing eight critical occupations in the water and wastewater sectors.
CLICK HERE FOR MCO CERTIFICATES & ASSOCIATE DEGREES 

 Community College Programs - Los Angeles County

The following programs give you a certificate or associate degree that prepare you to support the water industry's eight (8) mission critical occupations. Without these important skills and jobs, the water does not flow from our taps.

 

College: East Los Angeles College
Parent Program: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) Programs

  • Science:
  1. Chemistry Technology: Trains lab technicians
  2. Biology Technology: Trains lab technicians
  • Technology:
  1. IT Technician: Trains for servers and networks
  • Engineering & Computer Science:
  1. Engineering Technology - Mechanical: Trains for mechanical systems, fluid power systems, and robotics. 
  2. Geo-Spatial Engineering and Technologies: Trains surveyors and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

 

College: Long Beach City College

 

College: Los Angeles Trade Technical-College
Parent Program: Applied Sciences Pathway Programs

 

 

WATER USE EFFICIENCY PATHWAY

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Water use efficiency practitioners work with residents and businesses to conserve water. You’ll be out in the field and in the office working on water conservation programs and initiatives.
 

 Example Short Term Pathway:

A three-step career path: Take a course, get certified, apply for a job; salary $20-$25/hr.

 

CLICK HERE FOR WATER USE EFFICIENCY COURSES! 

Community College Water Programs - Los Angeles County

The following courses prepare you to take the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water Use efficiency Practitioner Certification Exam, Grades 1 & 2.
 

College: Citrus College
Parent Program: Water Technology


Courses: WATR 162, WATR 164 Water Use Efficiency I & II
Course Layout: 1 Semester (3 months)
Get the training required for Grade 1 & 2 exams

 

 

An ad promoting careers in the water industry, showing people at work with text: "A GREAT CAREER IN WATER...IS A FEW COURSES AWAY!"

WATER CAREER RESOURCES

A blue background with white diagonal stripes on the left side.

There is plenty of information that can get your job preparations and job search ready. Please see below for some resources you can use.

 

WRD & West Basin MWD Career Panel

The Water Replenishment District and West Basin Municipal Water District provided a Careers in the Water Industry Panel. To watch the complete webinar, click here: Water Industry Careers Panel - October 2020 - YouTube. WRD and West Basin also partnered to create a video library which highlights some of the careers offered at your local water district.

Please click on the links below to see each spotlighted Career in Water.

 

Operations Analyst Career Video 

May contain: clothing, apparel, person, human, hardhat, helmet, and hat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operations Manager Career Video

May contain: text, person, human, id cards, and document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assistant Hydrogeologist Career Video

May contain: tie, accessories, accessory, text, person, human, suit, clothing, coat, overcoat, apparel, id cards, and document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GIS Analyst Career Video

May contain: person, human, text, id cards, and document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water Resources Engineer Career Video

May contain: person, human, poster, advertisement, flyer, brochure, paper, and text

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Government Affairs Representative Career Video

May contain: flyer, brochure, advertisement, poster, paper, person, and human

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Promotional collage for water industry careers showing workers and equipment with the text "WATER JOBS OFFER EXCITING... AND FULFILLING CAREERS!"

 

High School Lesson Plan

This High School Lesson Plan .pdf accompanies the Careers in Water Panel webinar and the video library provided above.

Lesson Plan Objective:

1. Students will be able to introspectively explore, analyze and describe their: 

     a. Aptitudes toward academic and vocational disciplines and preferred life-experineces

     b. Preferred work responsibilities and tasks

     c. Preferred work environments

2. Students will be able to browse through a video library and view short, self-recorded testimonies of water professionals describing their job positions. Students will be encouraged to compare their career aspirations to selected water jobs and identify those water jobs that closely align with the aspirations as well as those positions that do not align.

3. Students share their findings in a group discussion.

 

A Day in the Life of a Hydrogeologist

What is a hydrogeologist? A hydrogeologist is a person who studies the ways that groundwater (hydro) moves through the soil and rock of the earth (geology).
 

Do you wonder what it is like being a hydrogeologist? Check out the video highlighting two of WRD's very own hydrogeologists!

A Day in the Life of a Hydrogeologist