GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — The Environmental Protection Agency is investing 20 million dollars in the water workforce and Grand Rapids Community College is getting some.
As part of President Biden's Investing in America Agenda, the EPA has recognized 13 workforce development organizations. Of those 13 organizations that received money from the Water Workforce Development Grant Program, only one is from Michigan.
“We need to be training the next generation of individuals for these highly technical jobs that are essential," explained Congresswomen Hillary Scholten.
The issue is sustainability. The water sector is facing a wave of retirements nationwide. That means the next generation of waterworks employees must be developed.
“We want to make sure that we bring in young people to encourage them to take these roles on. They're important roles," explained Bruno Pigott, the Acting Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water at the EPA.
For West Michigan, Grand Rapids Community College is the place to be to learn the ways of joining the water workforce.
“Part of our mission as a community college is training people and getting them into the workforce in critical areas," explained Charles W. Lepper, President of Grand Rapids Community College.
GRCC is receiving a $1 million grant, part of the EPA's $20 million investment. It'll be used to implement already existing, water infrastructure programs.
For Congresswomen Scholten, this is a crucial part of West Michigan.
"You don't just turn on the water faucet in your house and automatically you have clean water. It takes a highly structured, highly engineered system to keep that safe, and behind that system is the people who keep it running," emphasized Scholten.
To learn more about GRCC's water to work program, click here.
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