Educational Opportunities Briefing for Iowa Water and Wastewater Operators Presented by DMACC

Educational Opportunities Briefing for Iowa Water and Wastewater OperatorsPresented by DMACC Mark Simms, Water Environmental TechnologyProgram Chair

Introduction Mark Simms, DMACC FFA Enrichment Center, Ankeny Campus Phone: 515.965.7015 Email: msimms@dmacc.edu Web: http://go.dmacc.edu/programs/water/ • Iowa Certified Water Treatment (2), Water Distribution (2), Wastewater Treatment (4), and Wastewater Collection System (4) Operator • BS in Business Admin. • Consultant: wastewater • Instructor: water and wastewater

Water and Wastewater Operator State Certification • Best way for any operator to advance in your career and up the pay scale • Most employers require it • Virtually all states mandate it • Requires experience and education Iowa Water operators can test for Grades A, 1, 2, 3, or 4 Iowa Wastewater operators can test for Grades 1, 1L, 2, 2L, 3, and 4

Getting on the Certification FAST track • This presentation is designed to help you know how to put your certification goals on the fast track • You can shorten the experience requirement and complete much (or all) of the education requirement with the DMACC Water Environmental Technology Program

Getting on the Certification FAST track • While reaching your certification goals as fast as you can may be important to you and DMACC can help you reach that goal, the greatest value of the DMACC program is the educational value you will gain

Certified Water & Wastewater Operator Program Requirements Summary: Iowa Operator Grades and Eligibility: Iowa (like most states) has minimum educationandexperiencerequirements. The Iowa DNR chart shown on the next slide provides a summary DMACC encourages you to speak directly with IDNR regarding this program and how it may benefit you

IOWA Certified Water & Wastewater Operator Program Requirements Summary *Certain types of education or work experience are required and may be substituted to meet these requirements. See IAC Chapter 81.7 for additional detail.

Substitutions of education for experience Grades 1 and 1L Two semester hours or three quarter hours or three CEUs of directly related post-high school education may be substituted for one-half the experience requirement.

Substitutions of education for experience Grades 1 and 1L What does this mean at DMACC? Complete one related course and 3 months of internship = qualified for Grade 1 and 1L exams. DMACC encourages you to speak directly with IDNR regarding this program and how it may benefit you

Substitutions of education for experience Grades 2, 2L, 3 and 4 Thirty semester hours or 45 quarter hours or 45 CEUs of post-high school education may be substitutedfor one year of experience up to a maximum of one-half the experience requirement for Grades 2, 2L, 3 and 4. Grade 2 & 2L: 3 years experience needed- so you can sub up to 1.5 years if enough PHS

Simms interpretation... Grade 2 & 2L: 3 years experience needed- so you can sub up to 1.5 years which means… 45 semester hours or 67.5 quarter hours or 67.5 CEUs of post-high school education may be substitutedfor the 1.5 yearsof experience, leaving you needing 1.5 years of experience. Bottom line: 45 sem. Hours + 1.5 years of experience and you should qualify for the Grade 2 and 2L exams. DMACC encourages you to speak directly with IDNR regarding this program and how it may benefit you

Substitutions of education for experience Grades 2 and 2L What does this mean at DMACC? Complete a total of 45 semester hours (DMACC Diploma program = 46 hours) and 1.5 years of experience = should be qualified for Grades 2 and 2L exams

Water and Wastewater Treatment Technology Diploma at DMACC Example only = 46 Sem. hours

Substitutions of education for experience Grade 3 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours or 45 CEUs of post-high school education may be substitutedfor one year of experience up to a maximum of one-half the experience requirement. 4 years experience needed + 2 years of PHS - so you can sub up to 2 years of education for experience if enough PHS

Simms interpretation... Grade 3: 4years experience needed- so you can sub up to 2 years which means… 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours or 90 CEUs of post-high school education may be substitutedfor the 2 yearsof experience, leaving you needing 2 more years of experience and 2 years of PHS. Bottom line: 60 sem. hours OR 90 CEU’s + 4 years of experience and you should qualify for the Grade 3 exam.

Substitutions of education for experience “Oh by the way..” That portion of education which is applied toward substitution for experience cannot also be used for education.

Substitutions of education for experienceSimms interpretation… Grade 3 What does this mean at DMACC? Complete a total of 60 semester hours (AAS program = 72-76 hours) and 3.5-4 years of experience = qualified for the Grade 3 exam

Your best bet for Grade 3: Complete the DMACC AAS program and be awarded the AAS degree Get 3 or more years of experience and apply for the exam, asking DNR to interpret

Iowa Grade 4 and “DRC” Where shift operation is not required, accountability for and performance ofactive, dailyon-siteoperation of the plant or distribution system, or of a major segment of the plant or distribution system. On-site operation may not necessarily mean full-time attendance at the plant or distribution system.

Iowa Grade 4 and “DRC” Where shift operation is required, “direct responsible charge” means accountability for and performance ofactive, dailyon-siteoperation of an operating shift, or a major segment of the plant or distribution system. On-site operation may not necessarily mean full-time attendance at the plant or distribution system. A city manager, superintendent of public works, city clerk, council member, business manager, or other administrative official shall not be deemed to have direct responsible charge of a plant or distribution system unless this person’s duties include the active, daily on-site operation of the plant or distribution system.

“How do I get DRC?” You can get up to ½ the required 2 years with PHS education, leaving you with needing 1 year of DRC.

Substitutions of education for DRC experience Grade 4 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours or 45 CEUs of directly related post-high school education may be substituted for one yearof direct responsible charge experience which is one-halfthe requirement for Grade 4 certification.

Substitutions of education for DRC experience Grade 4 What does this mean at DMACC? Complete a total of 30 semester hours (Diploma program = 46 hours), and you can substitute that for 1 year of DRC experience

Education & Experience needed for Grade 4 • 4 years of post-high school education • 4 years of experience (probably in mechanical) • 2 years of the experience have to be DRC in a Grade 3+

Simms interpretation... Grade 4: 4years experience needed- so you can sub up to 2 years which means… You would need 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours or 90 CEUs of post-high school education may be substitutedfor the 2 yearsof experience, leaving you with needing 2 more years of experience. Bottom line: 60 sem. hours + 2 years of DRC experience in a Grade 3 or 4 plant + 2 years of experience and you should qualify for the Grade 4 exam.

Education & Experience needed for Grade 4 What does this mean at DMACC? Complete an AAS Degree and you have more than ½ of your post-high school requirement out of the way (you have ALL of the directly related PHS done). AAS Program = 72-76 semester hours total

Your best bet for Grade 4: Complete the DMACC AAS program and be awarded the AAS degree Get 3.5 years of experience and as much DRC experience as you can… …Then apply for the exam, asking DNR to interpret.

Keep in mind these things for theGrade 3 and 4: Grade 3: Of the 2 years of required PHS, only one year must be directly related. If you have other PHS it may apply. Grade 4: Of the 4 years of required PHS, only two years must be directly related. If you have other PHS it may apply.

Keep in mind these things: Each of the three options at DMACC (Certificate, Diploma, and AAS Degree) give you a great advantage and can shorten the time needed to achieve the higher levels of certification.

Keep in mind these things: You cannot get beyond a Grade 2 certificate without at least 2 years of PHS! Without related college coursework this means you need 90 related CEU’s to qualify for a Grade 3 And you need 180 related CEU’s to qualify for a Grade 4

Keep in mind these things: The AAS degree gets you the most valuable credit you can get in the Midwest toward the 4 year PHS requirement and it gives you the full 2 years of directly related PHS + 12-16 extra credits that could be applied toward the DRC requirement or the experience requirement, making the path to a Grade 3 or 4 as short as it can be.

DNR Certification Officials • Have final word • Said they will evaluate each applicant on a case-by-case basis • The upper levels require DNR interpretation • If you have more than 4 years of PHS you may be able to sub some of the excess for DRC or experience

DMACC and YOU Can ladder into each program to degree • Certificates worth 18 credit hours • Diplomas worth 46 credit hours • AAS Degrees worth 72-76 credit hours • Day and night courses • Ankeny (other locations) • Possibly onsite at a host treatment plant • Web-blended (classroom and online combo) • We desire to know your wishes so we can design the program to serve you Developing more CEU programs and partnerships

From DMACC’s Credentials/Graduation Department: • A student may use up to 18 credits of alternative credit towards program requirements however 1/3 of the program must be completed at DMACC. • The student must complete 12 credits at DMACC before alternative credit can be applied to their academic record. Alternative credit includes work experience, non-credit courses or licensures and certifications. • If the student has completed similar but not equivalent credit from another college, you may be able to substitute for 1/8 of the total program credits.

Questions? Mark Simms, DMACC 515.965.7015 Email: msimms@dmacc.edu Web: go.dmacc.edu/programs/water/

Educational Opportunities Briefing for Iowa Water and Wastewater Operators Presented by DMACC