STCC graduates working at United Water;
New Water Remediation Certificate Program Announced at STCC
“You’d
be hard-pressed to earn less than $45,000,” said Mickey Nowak, Superintendent
of the Springfield Regional Wastewater Treatment facility, located in Agawam. He was speaking of entry-level positions at the plant. A new one-year certificate
program in Water Remediation Technician at Springfield Technical Community College is a good foundation for those positions, he said.
Nowak said that “in larger plants like this United Water facility, $45,000 is a very typical starting salary, and operators may in fact start nearer $50,000. With add-ons, such as working overtime or working second shift, it’s not uncommon to see operators making $70,000 or more.” There are also openings for lab people and mechanics.
Nowak started taking classes in STCC’s environmental technology program in the 1970s, and was hired before even finishing his studies. He took additional courses in the 1980s and graduated from the college in 1991. The local facility already has several STCC alumni as staff. Three of the five shift supervisors and six of the 15 operators have attended STCC. “They’re knowledgeable and effective members of the United Water team,” he said.
“There
is a high demand now for people in this field,” Nowak explained, “particularly
because many of the people who entered the water remediation field in the 1970s
as a result of the Clean Water Act will soon be nearing retirement age. In the
next ten years we expect to be losing half of our Springfield workforce. This
is true throughout the industry.”
Nowak said United Water is offering a $500 scholarship for Springfield residents enrolled in the STCC certificate program. Classes in the new program include English, water remediation, math, chemistry, occupational safety, drinking and industrial water processes, biology, and computers. The two-semester program starts in September, and is accepting applications now through the STCC Admissions Office.
Graduates of the certificate program may pursue state certification in an area such as wastewater treatment. Nowak noted that employees should acquire several additional certifications throughout their career. “We’re looking for versatile people who are interested in continuing to learn,” he said.
United Water is one of the nation's largest investor-owned water services companies, and provides water and wastewater services to seven million people in the U.S. The company is international through its parent company, Suez, which serves 125 million people throughout the world.
“Water is probably the world’s most important resource,” said Nowak. “Oil is vital to our economy and way of life, but humans simply cannot live without water. We’re lucky in this area to have plenty of water, but we need to preserve those resources.”
For more information please see www.stcc.edu or call Admissions at 755-3333.