Water Workforce Task Force
GOAL: Pursue partnerships to advance water workforce development and career pathways.
Municipalities, utilities, and contractors increase the diversity of community members who participate and succeed in the water workforce sector. They invest in the next generation of water leaders and support the goal of retaining diverse talent in the water sector.
See Jersey Water Works latest news on water workforce.
Committee initiatives and work include:
Advance workforce initiatives with New Jersey Future, Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA), and Atlantic County Municipal Utilities Authority (ACMUA), via the Funder’s Network Partner for Place program, focusing on upskilling the existing workforce.
- Continue to increase awareness about careers in the water sector via communications strategies and connecting partners. Support Hudson County Community College (HCCC) Water Workforce initiative by connecting HCCC’s team to utility partners and identifying potential job opportunities for graduates through August.
- Host one “Water Workforce Briefing” meeting to continue uplifting what is happening in New Jersey, what is working, and identify the gaps.
- Publish a case study to highlight the Water Workforce Utility Program.
- Recruit a diverse group of participants and facilitate a second cohort for the Water Workforce Development Program at Hudson County Community College (leveraging funds by Bank of America and PACE grant).
- Recommend ways to increase or enhance entry level opportunities, such as internships, in the water sector by sharing resources and offering one educational webinar or workshop.
- Update the 2021 workforce program inventory to be published by April 2024.
- Create a new inventory that highlights at least ten K-12 curriculums/programs that support conversations around water, climate resilience, and green infrastructure with students.
- Create a campaign to increase awareness about careers in the water sector and connect those to national water awareness days.
- Define scope of work for and hire consultants under Bank of America grant by March 2023.
- Create and facilitate a utility pilot water workforce program in partnership with one educational institution by December 2023.
- Collaborate to create a water workforce pathway with aligned curriculum through the NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities initiative led by the NJ Council of County Colleges.
- Increase visibility to the water workforce sector and continue cultivating partnerships.
- Convene utility leaders, educational institutions, pre-apprenticeship programs, career centers, and community-based organizations to explore partnerships, collaboration, and pursue goals.
- Coordinate efforts to bolster education and outreach to make water a career of choice.
- Advance a NJ water workforce pipeline initiative by finalizing a curriculum or career pathway map for entry into the water utility employment sector.
- Research funding opportunities to engage partner utilities to implement a water workforce pilot program that would create an employment pipeline from local communities.
- Continued to increase awareness about careers in the water sector via communications strategies, presentations, and connecting with partners at the One Water Table.
- Elevated the Emerging Water Leaders of Color Leadership Circle model and raised awareness about water sector careers. Published a blog and produced a video highlighting three emerging leaders.
- Coordinated the Spring Point Partners’ Delta Partners Peer Leadership Exchange at the 2025 One Water Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Coordinated the session with ten national Delta partners, creating a collaborative peer learning space with 80 participants.
- Collaborated to secure funding to advance workforce initiatives with New Jersey Future, Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA), and Atlantic County Municipal Utilities Authority (ACMUA), via the Funder’s Network Partner for Place program, focusing on upskilling the existing workforce.
- Enrolled 18 participants for the 75 hour, 10 week Water Workforce Utility Program at Hudson County Community College. Partnerships included New Jersey Future, JWW Water Workforce Task Force, NJ Water Association Apprenticeship program, and NJ Utility Association. Funding was provided by Bank of America and the Department of Labor. (ongoing, 17 completed classes, 6 paid new internships created, one person employed, several others continuing with education).
- Enrolled 16 participants in the Emerging Water Leaders of Color Leadership Circle with AGN consulting, supported by Spring Point Partners.
- Published the Emerging Water Leaders: Leadership Circle in New Jersey Case Study.
- Co-hosted the “Imagine a Day Without the Water Workforce: Strengthening the Water Sector Pipeline through Entry-Level Opportunities” webinar with Syracuse University Sustainable Community Solutions & Environmental Finance Center (SU-EFC), captivating 115 participants.
- Published the 2024 New Jersey Water Workforce Training Program Inventory and the Educational Resources For Inside and Outside of School (Updated for World Water Day 2024).
- Submitted comments to NJDEP related to Operator License Rule Revisions.
- Increased awareness about careers in the water sector, including presenting in four conferences/convenings (Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, WaterNow Alliance, New Jersey Water Environment Association, DELTA convening), social media, blogs, and earned media.
- Developed Water Workforce Utility Pilot Program with Hudson County Community College and partnered with Veolia, NJ Water Association Apprenticeship Program, and NJ Utility Association. New Jersey Future received funding from Bank of America for the project (15 participants enrolled, 14 completed, 5 new internships created).
- Convened partners to advocate for the creation of a career pathway with New Jersey Community College Consortium of Workforce and Economic Development, NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities, the DELTA cohort of Spring Point Partners, at the Autumn NJ WEA Conference, via the Water Table Workforce Committee (Delaware Estuary) and the US Water Alliance.
- Launched the Emerging Water Leaders of Color Leadership Circle with funding from Spring Point Partners and in partnership with AGN Consulting, enrolled ten leaders.
- Convened partners to advance water workforce conversation.
- Engaged several new stakeholders to advance goals including two community colleges, NJ Pathway to Career Opportunities from the Community College Consortium, two independent training contractors, workforce development boards, and the Department of Labor in conversations about water workforce.
- Raised awareness of water workforce opportunities via monthly newsletters, social media, four published blogs, and JWW annual conference.
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- Jersey Water Works Water Workforce Taskforce is on a mission to bolster education and outreach to make water a career of choice!
- Building the Water Workforce of the Future
- Environmental Professional Development Academy Builds Tomorrow’s New Jersey Utility Leaders.
- The New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities: Aligning Education to Build an Innovative Workforce
6 Results Found
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07/15/24Emerging Water Leaders: Leadership Circle in New Jersey – Case Study
Photo courtesy of Canva / New Jersey Future. In 2023, New Jersey Future, in collaboration with Jersey Water Works (JWW), successfully facilitated the Emerging Water Leaders of Color Leadership Circle pilot program with funding from Spring Point Partners. The program invests in the next generation of water leaders and supports the goal of retaining diverse talent in the water sector. The initiative produced noteworthy outcomes, with a focus on ...LEARN MORE#Community Engagement and Partnerships,#WorkforcePRODUCT OF
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06/20/24New Jersey Water Workforce Training Program Inventory (2024 Update)
The purpose of this inventory is to bring visibility to the multiple opportunities available for individuals living in New Jersey to pursue a career in the water industry. The list of training programs provided can help individuals find opportunities to begin or further their career path in the field. Additionally, utilities and other training providers can use this inventory to advertise their training programs. Most of the training providers ...LEARN MORE#WorkforcePRODUCT OF
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03/13/24Educational Resources For Inside and Outside of School (Updated for World Water Day 2024)
How do we cultivate the next generation of water stewards? By introducing them to water and climate topics from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Here is a short list of resources for educators to integrate these important topics into their curriculum. This list was compiled by the Jersey Water Works Water Workforce Task Force to foster a robust and thriving future for the water industry. Climate Change Education In 2020, New Jersey was the ...LEARN MORE#WorkforcePRODUCT OF
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01/15/21NJ Water Workforce Training Program Inventory
Water is a natural resource, but it requires millions of workers to manage it, protect it, and use it for drinking water. These essential workers design, construct, and operate water infrastructure. The water sector offers a number of employment opportunities that often need specific qualifications or licensing. The New Jersey Water Workforce Training Program Inventory is a compilation of information prepared by the Jersey Water Works CSO ...LEARN MORE#WorkforcePRODUCT OF
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11/16/20Wells of Opportunity: Training Residents and Prioritizing Local Hiring for Water Infrastructure Projects in Newark
In the face of generational demands for water infrastructure investment, along with relatively high levels of unemployment, the City of Newark has instituted training programs to help bolster its water workforce. This report, produced by the Jersey Water Works CSO Committee, features two sections: 1) Newark’s Lead Service Line Apprenticeship Program: This describes the special apprenticeship program that was created to supply qualified residents ...LEARN MORE#Smart CSO Control PlansPRODUCT OF
Co-Chairs
Andy Kricun*
*Member of the Jersey Water Works Steering Committee
Backbone Staff
Paula Figueroa-Vega