Water Works Job Training and Apprenticeship Program Grads Celebrated in Trenton
4/6/2022
Trenton – Trenton Mayor W. Reed Gusciora and Trenton Water Works (TWW) Director Mark A. Lavenberg, Instructor Andrew Pappachen and others participated in the graduation of the TWW Training and Apprenticeship (TAP) Program on March 2, which provides current employees with the education necessary to advance their careers and pursue higher-level jobs in water treatment and distribution operation and maintenance.
TAP is a two-year program that is available to TWW employees of all ranks and various educational backgrounds. Seven students are already enrolled in this program – five from the water-filtration plant, one from construction and maintenance and one from engineering. Five additional students are scheduled to begin June 2022.
Students participate in an apprenticeship component that is managed by the New Jersey Water Association (NJWA) with support from Mercer County Community College and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) “ Growing Apprenticeships in Non- Traditional Sectors” (GAINS) program. The GAINS program promotes the expansion of apprenticeship programs that drive economic development by providing the skills and education necessary for advanced credentials and better-paying jobs. H alf of the apprentices’ salaries are covered by NJDOL under the GAINS program.
Apprentices are assigned water system licensed mentors who are TWW employees. Apprentices receive 290 hours of training, including 180 for the Operator Prerequisite Course at Mercer County Community College, which is being taught onsite at TWW headquarters on 333 Cortland Street by Andrew Pappachen, a water-industry executive with 46 years of experience in water system operation and management.
The TAP curriculum includes OSHA and FEMA emergency response training. Participants will ultimately become water system operation specialists or water treatment specialists who will be eligible to take the related state exams once they complete the required work hours.
The New Jersey Water Association is a major public utility right in Trenton that through a partnership with Mercer County Community College, the New Jersey Water Association and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development provides students with quality, high- skill jobs and training.
“ Our apprenticeship program provides new skills and upward mobility for those Trenton residents who work at TWW,” said Andrew Pappachen, MCCC instructor for the TWW course.
Trenton Water Works is among the largest publicly owned urban water utilities in the United States. It supplies an average of 27 million gallons of Delaware River-sourced drinking water per day to 63,000 metered customers. It services approximately 225,000 people in Trenton, parts of Hamilton Township, Ewing Township, Lawrence Township and Hopewell Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. Established more than 200 years ago, TWW has 119 employees who operate a 60-million-gallon water-filtration plant and water- distribution system that includes a 100-million-gallon reservoir. TWW’s system has 683 miles of water mains varying in size from four to 48 inches in diameter, three pump stations, and five interconnections between TWW and other water purveyors.
Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, Director Mark Lavenberg. Andrew Pappachen, Dr. Rob Shreyer and Dr. Gonzalo Perez celebrate with 2022 Trenton Water Works TWW Training and Apprenticeship Program (TAP) graduates March 2. (Image credit: MCCC)