Careers in Water
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!
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
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:
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
WATER USE EFFICIENCY PATHWAY
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:
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
WATER CAREER RESOURCES
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
Operations Manager Career Video
Assistant Hydrogeologist Career Video
Water Resources Engineer Career Video
Senior Government Affairs Representative Career Video
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!