18469_Authority_June

municipalauthorities.org | 5 By Anthony J. Bellitto, , Jr., PE, Executive Director, North Penn Water Authority Several municipal authorities in PMAA’s Region One in the southeastern part of the state have combined efforts in the past few years to launch a unique summer internship program offering seasonal employment for young people. Through the leadership of Mike Sullivan, PMAA Second Vice President, and Shannon Drosnock, Region One Director, the program was first started in 2022. The Water and Wastewater Internship Program is a joint offering from water and sewer authorities with the goal of providing an opportunity for students to learn more about an industry which provides a vital public service to the community, and to encourage them to consider the industry for possible future employment. The subject of workforce development is a relevant concern for many PMAA member authorities. Currently there is a shortage of young people interested in entering the field of water supply and wastewater services. This is obviously only a first step, but it could be a very important one for a young person that could conceivably lead to a decision to embark on a career path in this industry. Developing the next generation entering the workforce, to attract and train them in this field, is a common collective focus of many municipal authorities. In Region One, participating authorities have included the Chalfont-New Britain Township Joint Sewer Authority, Forest Park Water Treatment Plant, Montgomery Township Municipal Sewer Authority, North Penn Water Authority, North Wales Water Authority, Warminster Township Water and Sewer Authority, and Warwick Township Water and Sewer Authority. This summer Northampton Bucks County Municipal Authority will be joining the group. A planning team was assembled with representatives from each of the participating authorities. The summer internship program runs for 10 weeks from June to mid-August, and is open to anyone over the age of 18. Participants spend either one or two weeks at each location and then rotate to a different organization, eventually gaining an immersive experience at each of the authorities. The purpose of the program is to attract young people to consider the water and wastewater utility field as a possible career path. It exposes young college-age students to what it’s like to work in the industry of public water supply and wastewater service. The goal is to provide them with the opportunity to gain practical work experience by participating in paid temporary work assignments at different authorities’ facilities. The interns “shadow” the authorities’ employees to give them a wide range of work experiences, as they learn about the industry by engaging in hands-on exposure to the day-to-day operations of the authorities. By doing so, the interns gain exposure to potential career opportunities, and the authorities benefit by potentially increasing the pool of trained personnel to ensure a continual source of employees for the future. Participants gain valuable, practical work experience through a paid temporary work assignment in a wide range of job descriptions to expose them to the many different facets of the water and sewer business. It involves a combination of hands-on field tasks and in-office work assignments. This includes exposure to treatment plant operations, distribution Continued on page 36.