Danville Area Community College and Vermilion County Works (VCW) have served as an apprenticeship intermediary for several years. A partnership with the Illinois Rural Water Association (IRWA) began in April 2022 after they approached VCW about projects they are working on. IRWA was interested in getting assistance in getting their new Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) off the ground.

The IRWA approved the Water Operator and Wastewater Operator RAPs but struggled to convince cities and municipalities they work with to invest in apprentices. The need for new water and wastewater operators is significant, as many experienced operators are quickly reaching retirement age. Still, local budgets must increase to hire new talent to replace departing workers. The municipalities thought apprenticeships were good training opportunities and said they could hire new talent but were unwilling or unable to commit funds to support participation in apprenticeships, such as training expenses or tools and supplies needed for apprentices to train. Through Apprenticeship Illinois, VCW provided funding for training costs and supportive services to apprentices participating in the RAPs directly to the municipalities in the local area. The Village of Tilton was first to sign on, followed by the Village of Westville, the City of Hoopeston, and later Gibson City and the Urbana-Champaign Sanitary District.

The IRWA provided training to apprentices through an online training program, and the tools and supplies needed for instruction were paid for by the Apprenticeship Illinois funds. As a result, the IRWA’s apprenticeship program has seen significant growth over the past couple of years, and more municipalities continue to sign on to the program. The first graduate will finish his Wastewater Operator Certificate in the spring of 2024, with more graduates following later in the year. The online training program will also include an Illinois EPA Certification, allowing the local water systems to continue meeting regulatory requirements.