News Releases
Water Workforce Coalition Graduates First Cohort May 9 
Posted on May 6th, 2024
Tyler Strow listed job security among his reasons for returning to Owens Community College to pursue the new Water Treatment Professions Certificate.
“Water is not going away. Everyone is going to need water,” said the 2011 Owens graduate said.
“These jobs are in the public sector. My parents also worked in the public sector – my mom was a teacher; my dad worked for ODOT,” he added.
The Pemberville resident is one of 21 students who will earn the first Water Treatment Professions Certificate from Owens after completing the 16-week training program. Justin Strause of Toledo, a member of the cohort, will be among the speakers at the completion celebration scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, May 9 at Heritage Hall room 123.
Owens is part of the Water Workforce Coalition, which was formed thanks to a $500,000 grant from the U.S. EPA. TMACOG and the City of Toledo also form the coalition, which is responding to northwest Ohio’s anticipated shortages of 41 percent for drinking water operators and 44 percent for wastewater operators due to retirements by 2028.
Amy Klei, chief, Division of Drinking and Ground Waters, Ohio EPA, will deliver the keynote address at the completion celebration. Dr. Dione D. Somerville, Owens president, Sandy Spang, executive director of TMACOG, and Andy McClure, commissioner of plant operations for the City of Toledo, will speak as well.
The class consisted of enthusiastic, hard-working and motivated students, according to Dr. Mary Kaczinski, Owens professor of environmental science and lead instructor for the certificate program. To date, eight of the Owens students have taken and passed their EPA certification, making them ready for employment as a Class I drinking water or wastewater operator.
Strow, 35, not only passed his Class 1 certification but he also is registered to take his Class 2 certification as well. He earned an associate degree in CAD previously at Owens.
“I had such a great experience the first time I attended Owens, I knew I had to go back and try the water certificate program,” he said. “I may not have been in the right field the first time working at a desk. I can see myself in more of a hands-on job like this one. I’m super confident about the work I will be doing once I get a job.”
The second of three Water Workforce Coalition cohorts will begin in August. To learn more, visit https://waterworksforyou.org/.