Strengthening the Water Workforce

NRWA selected for the first cohort of Apprenticeship Ambassadors by U.S. Department of Labor

This summer, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Marty Walsh announced the inception of the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative. This initiative was created to expand, diversify, and modernize Registered Apprenticeship to support the success of workers and apprentices across the country. As an Apprenticeship Ambassador, the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) will partner with DOL to:

• Promote and expand awareness of the benefits of Registered Apprenticeship in the U.S. for industry, employers, career seekers, educators, and communities as a whole;

• Identify and scale innovative practices and partnerships to modernize, strengthen, and accelerate the adoption of Registered Apprenticeship;

• Increase access and support for underrepresented and underserved populations in Registered Apprenticeship including women, youth, people of color, rural communities, justice-involved individuals, and people with disabilities; and

• Communicate the business case for Registered Apprenticeship as a mainstream workforce strategy for high-demand industries and creating opportunities for good jobs for all Americans across the economy.

As part of the initiative, select Apprenticeship Ambassadors, including NRWA, were invited to the White House to participate in an event on September 1, 2022, marking the milestone led by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. NRWA CEO Matt Holmes attended the event on behalf of our organization and heard from multiple government officials while they discussed the next steps for Registered Apprenticeship in the United States.

"It was an honor to attend the Apprenticeship Ambassador kickoff event at the White House on behalf of NRWA," Holmes said. "As the current water workforce continues to shrink due to retirements, a spotlight on the NRWA Registered Apprenticeship Program helps recruit new operators and inspire our members to spread the word about careers within the water and wastewater sector."

Organizations with one year of experience as a Registered Apprenticeship program were eligible to be selected as an ambassador. There were more than 200 organizations selected for the first cohort of Apprenticeship Ambassadors from around the country and encompassed many different industries.

NRWA's Apprenticeship Program Manager, Shannan Walton, acknowledged this as a great opportunity to represent Rural Water and the water and wastewater sector at the national level among many other important industries.

"To be included in this first cohort of Apprenticeship Ambassadors in an honor," Walton said. "It is a welcomed opportunity to bring visibility and awareness to the Water and Wastewater industry, as well as an opportunity to participate in a national dialogue to contribute public perspective on how to continue to strengthen, modernize, diversify, and expand Registered Apprenticeship."

For more information about NRWA's Registered Apprenticeship Program, visit nrwa.org/apprenticeship-program.