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Up the Creek? Wastewater Technicians Soon to be in Short Supply
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Tampa Bay is in great shape when it comes to high-caliber scientists and researchers, but the future isn’t as rosy for the technical support staff we depend upon for everyday necessities like running water and flushing toilets.
According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, half of the state’s licensed water and wastewater plant operators may retire in the next three to five years. Even with entry-level salaries starting near $40,000 for graduates with two-year degrees, experts are predicting significant shortages of professionals with the hands-on expertise needed to run water and wastewater plants.
“I get calls at least once a month asking about graduates or near-graduates,” notes Fred Webb, dean of environmental and technical programs at Hillsborough Community College. “There’s much greater demand than we have students to fill.”
Even worse, the specialized program leading to licensure is offered at only five or six of the state’s community colleges, and one program in Central Florida closed several years ago because there weren’t enough students to justify offering it, so the challenge is statewide not localized.
With an estimated 700 wastewater treatment plants in Florida, and state laws requiring that licensed staff spending a specific number of hours per day at each site, lack of young professionals in the field is a time bomb waiting to explode, adds Frank Herne, an environmental attorney. “There’s one thing just as sure as death and taxes, but it’s a four-letter word.”
A 1970 graduate of HCC’s program, Robert Munro faces that challenge every day at Florida Utility Group. “I oversee operations at 28 plants and my youngest employee is 42 years old,” he says. “The state of Florida is going to be in a lot of trouble if there isn’t a real push soon. There are ads in the paper all the time but it’s almost impossible to hire someone with a license.”
Webb’s estimates on starting salaries may be high, but the jobs generally come with full benefits and great security, Munro adds. “This is the kind of job they’ll never be able to outsource to India.”
And while the program and licensing requirements are rigorous, Webb says that the hands-on training makes the complex science easier to understand for most students. “The idea is to explain the scientific principle and then apply it immediately afterward so they see how it works. It may require a lot of math but it’s not as hard to grasp if a student sees how it functions instead of trying to understand it in the abstract.”
Students typically are split between traditional college-age learners and older people who have come back to college, including some with four-year degrees who want more hands-on knowledge, Webb said. HCC has an open-door policy so any student with a high school diploma or GED can enroll in the program.
Part of the graduation requirement at HCC is an internship or practicum and most students end up taking jobs with the organization where they intern, he said. After graduation, job responsibilities tend to be scientifically oriented and largely indoor. “If you know what you’re doing, you won’t get dirty,” Hearne quips.
The job also brings a great deal of personal satisfaction, Webb said. “It’s the kind of job that you’re rewarded with a well-paying career but you’re also giving something back to your community and protecting the environment.”