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MRWA & NRWA Join

Forces to Support the

Rural Workforce CELLULAR LIFT STATION ALARM LIGHT

Lori Blair, MRWA Executive Director

• The only Cellular Alarm
Minnesota Rural Water Association is currently in the final stages of working with our State Department of
Labor to create an approved Apprentice Program. Like many industries, water and wastewater systems in
Minnesota are experiencing a shortage of trained operations specialists due to retirements. According to Light on the Market!
National Rural Water Association, over the next decade, the water sector is expected to lose between 30
and 50 percent of the workforce to retirement. Our nationally recognized apprenticeship training program
is being developed in response to the industry’s need to train the next generation of skilled workers and
standardize training across the state of Minnesota. Qualified, skilled operations specialists are in high • Perfect for Lift Stations’
demand! high level and power
The goal of MRWA’s Apprentice Program is to
match those individuals who are actively pursuing failure alerts
employment as an apprentice with utilities in
Minnesota; ultimately providing your utility with a
trained, committed operations specialist.
• Simple to Install
Utilities can benefit from an Apprenticeship Program
by:

• Proven solution to recruit, train, & retain employees • Visual and Audible Alerts
• Replace retiring workforce
• Transfer knowledge from experienced operations
specialists to new apprentice • Notifications via text
RENEWABLE ENERGY • 2 years of hands-on training alongside an message, voice call,
experienced technician
• Build a relationship with the apprentice email, or all three
Ziegler Power Systems offers a variety of • Ensure well-rounded, highly trained employee is
produced
renewable energy and microgrid solutions: The Apprenticeship program is a combination of • Always connected via

ƒ Solar panels on-the-job training and classroom education while GuardDog Phone App
being employed by a sponsoring utility system,
ƒ Microgrid controllers ensuring that it is an excellent fit our the water/
wastewater industry.
ƒ Energy storage MRWA recently produced 2 videos with the intention

of highlighting the skills and benefits of working for
a utility and working in the water/wastewater career
24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE AVAILABLE: field. Check those out on our YouTube Channel or
on our Website Apprentice page: http://www.mrwa.
888.320.4292 com/apprentice.html. You may even recognize Contact Us: OmniSite Authorized Representative
some familiar faces of industry professionals who
volunteered their time to showcase their careers
and the value of them.
Shakopee, MN MRWA will keep you posted on the progress of
888.320.4292 our Apprentice Program. You can check out more
information on National Rural Water Association’s 203 W. Morris St. 700 Hamel Rd.
national Apprenticeship efforts at: https://nrwa. Indianapolis, IN, 46225 Medina, MN, 55340
org/apprenticeship-program/ and more information
www.zieglercat.com/solar on MRWA’s Apprenticeship program is available at: (317)-885-6330 (952)-938-6504
http://www.mrwa.com/apprentice.html.
sales@omnisite.com sales@jaspereng.com
6 MRWA TODAY S SPRING 2021