A task force has been established to look at integrating certified water specialist (CWS) materials into high schools and vocational schools, the Water Quality Association (WQA) announced.
The group’s first meeting was May 24, 2006. Vincent M. Kent, CWS-I, CI is chair of the task force. He is a member of the WQA Board of Governors and is president of Abendroth Water Conditioning, Inc. in Fort Atkinson, Wis. Kent initially suggested the project after his work with a local high school.
The task force will examine two test cases that should indicate best practices for incorporating CWS materials into school curricula nationwide. The task force will review the test cases over the next two months.
“Adding certified water specialist education to high schools and vocational schools could demonstrate real-world applications of scientific theory to students. It would also introduce students to the water treatment industry. The benefit for the water treatment industry is that it could gain new service technicians, engineers and scientists who may not have otherwise considered our industry,” said Tanya Lubner, Ph.D. Lubner is director of education for the Water Quality Association.
Initially, the group was brainstorming around how to get more, younger service technicians into the water treatment field, but Lubner said they realized they didn’t need to limit it to that position.
“Furthermore, because the most likely pathway for integrating water treatment with high school and vocational school curricula would require interaction with the local water treatment professionals, it provides an opportunity for the water treatment industry to really give back to the community,” she said.
The task force is open to comments and suggestions from members that have been involved with local high school and vocational programs. To add input, contact Lubner, WQA’s staff liaison to the task force, at 630.505.0160.
Source: WQA
