Shannon Christian (left) and Devon Best (right) received the Walkerton Clean Water Centre Award for their academic achievements and outstanding efforts in the Durham College Water Quality Technician program. Pictured with them is Susan Todd (middle) Associate Dean at Durham College.
Ministry's Entry-Level Course College Program
Incorporating the Ministry's Entry-Level Course for Drinking Water Operators Into a College Program
Ontario's community colleges have responded enthusiastically to an invitation by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) to incorporate the Entry-Level Drinking Water Operator Mandatory Course for drinking water operators into their curriculum. Currently fourteen colleges have entered into agreements with the Ministry and the Walkerton Clean Water Centre (the Centre) to deliver the training.
The Centre provides support to colleges to enhance education and knowledge in the drinking water industry through the establishment of co-operative placements for college students.
In the coming months, a number of other community colleges will offer the Entry-Level Drinking Water Operator Mandatory Course.
According to Samantha Hornell, program coordinator in the Environmental Technician Program at Canadore College, there is likely going to be a high level of interest in the Entry-Level Drinking Water Operator Mandatory Course.
"The integration of the MOE Entry-Level Drinking Water Operator Mandatory Course into college curriculum is an excellent idea. It not only broadens the options for our graduates, but it also fast tracks them into a career in water treatment. Our students are enthusiastic about having an additional career path to take when they graduate and many are considering careers in either water or wastewater treatment because of the integration of the curriculum."
The collaborative effort of the Ministry, the Centre and Ontario's community colleges will help to ensure that training courses are available and accessible throughout the province and that Ontario will have the knowledgeable and conscientious people needed to safeguard Ontario's drinking water and keep it among the best protected in the world.
In the summer of 2008, Centennial College student Bin Yan had the opportunity to gain experience at the Walkerton Clean Water Centre. Michael Denis Guathier, a Professor of Applied Biological and Evironmental Sciences at the college, had the following comments:
Centennial College is very happy that, with your help, we were in a position to reward a student, Ms. Bin Yan, for her high academic achievement in the Centennial College Enviornmental Protection Technology courses and also, her high academic achievement in the Ontario Ministry of the Environment's Entry-Level Course for Drinking Water Operators (ELC) examination. Bin has indicated that she is very interested in the Water and Wastewater Industry as a possible career choice. Bin was in Walkerton working out of the interim Technology Demonstration Facility from August 5th until August 29th. Bin's comments to the CEO of the Walkerton Clean Water Centre read "I enjoyed working at the Walkerton Clean Water Centre. Because of that I have learned so much about drinking water treatment and how to work with other people, which I could not achieve from sitting in the classroom, and that everyone was very nice to me, both personally and professionally. Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity."
For more information on the co-operative education program, please contact Anne Medcof, Certification Officer for the Ministry of the Environment.
Ministry of the Environment Brochure: A Student's Guide to Drinking Water & Wastewater Operator Certification
Click on the link to visit the college program page containing the Entry-Level Drinking Water Operator Mandatory Course.
For students that have completed the Entry-Level Drinking Water Operator Course through a college, please click here for the Certificate Request Form.
