Tomorrow's water technicians: innovating curriculum, increasing the pipeline, and boosting career readiness

Palomar Community College District received $471,638 in federal funding under the National Science Foundation's STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to develop and deliver comprehensive water technician training and workforce development initiatives. Awarded on July 15, 2025, with completion targeted for June 30, 2028, this project addresses critical national infrastructure needs by creating a skilled pipeline of water technicians. The college will deliver three primary service components: (1) development and updating of curriculum incorporating advanced technologies such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems with stackable certificates for career advancement; (2) expanded workforce recruitment and retention strategies leveraging partnerships with local organizations and industry stakeholders, including mentorship, childcare support, and career navigation resources; and (3) comprehensive career readiness programming through work-based learning opportunities including industry tours, internships, employer panels, and employability skills workshops.

The project emphasizes practical, simulation-based learning experiences aligned with employer demands, ensuring students acquire both technical and soft skills required for employment in water treatment and wastewater management sectors. Strategic recruitment efforts will target diverse candidate pools, while retention initiatives specifically support low-income, first-generation, and other underrepresented student populations served by Palomar College as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Project evaluation will measure effectiveness in increasing enrollment, retention, and career placement outcomes in water technician occupations.

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national interest by enhancing the recruitment, training, and career preparation of future water technicians. Water technicians operate and maintain the infrastructure that transforms water from natural sources such as lakes, streams, reservoirs, and the ocean into safe and reliable drinking water. This same infrastructure treats wastewater from homes and businesses, ensuring its safe reuse for irrigation, purification for drinking, or discharge into the environment. This project seeks to build a pipeline of skilled workers ready to support public health and environmental sustainability by addressing the critical needs of communities across the nation including aging infrastructure, limited water resources, and an aging workforce. The project will achieve its goals through three primary objectives: 1) developing and updating curriculum to incorporate advanced technologies, including supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, and creating stackable certificates that provide clear pathways for career advancement; 2) expanding the workforce pipeline by implementing expanded recruitment and retention strategies; and 3) enhancing student career readiness through a continuum of work-based learning opportunities, such as industry tours, internships, employer panels, and employability skills workshops. The curriculum updates will integrate simulated work experiences using cutting-edge tools, ensuring students acquire the technical and practical skills demanded by employers. Strategic recruitment efforts will leverage partnerships with local organizations and industry stakeholders to attract a large pool of candidates, while retention initiatives will focus on mentorship, childcare support, and career navigation resources. Evaluation activities will measure the effectiveness of these strategies in increasing enrollment, retention, and employment outcomes, providing data-driven insights to inform program improvements. Findings from the project will be disseminated through presentations, publications, and publicly available resources to serve as a model for other institutions seeking to enhance workforce development in water technology and other technical fields. By addressing the critical need for skilled water technicians and improving workforce development, this project will contribute to building a sustainable and inclusive water industry. This project is funded by the advanced technological education program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.