23A60CP000070

Project Title: ETA Community Projects
Funding Request: $6,341,000
Congressional Sponsor: Senator Manchin
Requested Period of Performance: 36 months beginning May 1, 2023
Project Location: National

Project Purpose:
The purpose of this project is to address the water workforce shortage by increasing the number of enrolled apprentices and expanding the National Rural Water Associations (NRWA) State Rural Water Association (SRWA) Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPS) across the United States. The goal is to eliminate a major barrier to entry in middle-skilled and -paying jobs for all, with a special emphasis on women, minorities, and people with disabilities, including veterans, due to a lack of experience with additional high-quality apprenticeship programs in the water industry nationally, with additional emphasis on rural utility employer partners. The West Virginia Rural Water Association (WVRWA) will designate the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) as the fiscal agent for this project.

Project Goals:
1. Expand RAPS across the nation with increased staff and new SRWA RAP sponsors.
2. Research and identify additional occupations that can be offered through RAPS.
3. Expand registered apprenticeship curriculum.
4. Increase access to apprenticeship program material, online courses, and instructor-led distance learning.
5. Attract quality applicants to the water workforce by rebranding and marketing occupations and career paths.
6. Collect accurate data on the water and wastewater workforce, specifically in small and rural communities.
7. Identify and share best practices, case studies, and innovative solutions that enhance the water industry's modern, systematic models for apprenticeship and workforce development.
8. Address the shortage of workers in the water workforce by enrolling additional apprentices in NRWA's SRWA's registered apprenticeship programs.

Activities to be Performed:

Goal 1 Activities:
- Develop four (4) new state RAP sponsors and hire apprenticeship coordinators for each.
- Create an apprenticeship assistant position for WVRWA.
- Create project manager, project assistant, and learning management technician positions in NRWA.

Goal 2 Activities:
- Perform occupational analysis using the DACUM method (Developing a Curriculum) to develop guideline standards of apprenticeship for four (4) occupations.

Goal 3 Activities:
- Develop core curriculum offerings for the two (2) existing registered apprenticeship occupations.
- Develop curriculum for two (2) registered apprenticeship occupations identified through the DACUM analysis.
- Develop a formalized training pathway for a RAP coordinator certification program.
- Develop train-the-trainer certification curriculum for apprenticeship instructors.
- Improve foundations of mentorship curriculum.

Goal 4 Activities:
- Purchase and place distance learning equipment at 25 SRWA RAP sponsor facilities.

Goal 5 Activities:
- Develop and circulate marketing and outreach materials.

Goal 6 Activities:
- Perform workforce market research in the water and wastewater industry, with a focus on small and rural communities.

Goal 7 Activities:
- Host a water workforce summit convening 50 key leaders who have partnered with, supported, and promoted SRWA RAPS to examine best practices, case studies, and innovative solutions that enhance the water industry's models for apprenticeship and workforce development.
- Produce a white paper that summarizes information from the event and showcases results of the project, including results of the workforce survey.

Goal 8 Activities:
- Recruit, select, and place 500 apprentices with registered participating employers.
- Provide related technical instruction and on-the-job training.

Expected Outcomes:
- Increasing the pipeline of workers in the water workforce.
- Expanding job opportunities in rural America, including access to pre-apprenticeship, youth outreach, and mentorship programs.
- Establishing a systematic training method for water and wastewater utilities.

West Virginia Rural Water Association

17.289 - Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending

Employment and Training Administration (ETA) [DOL]

West Virginia United States

State-Wide

Community Projects ETA/Congressionally Directed Spending Grants (TEGL-03-22)