Pre-Apprenticeship Program

1. Express your interest. Talk with MCC staff about participating, the requirements for your service term, and how the water or wastewater pathway fits your interests.
   
2. Build your foundation during MCC service. Complete your service and required training while developing practical skills and learning about utility careers through MRWA.
   
3. Prepare for the transition. Work with MCC and MRWA on your career interests, training records, and connections to potential employers.
   
4. Enter apprenticeship when hired. Successful pre-apprenticeship completers have a direct-entry pathway into MRWA’s Water Operator or Wastewater Operator Registered Apprenticeship. MRWA applies the recognized training credit when you register.
   
5. Direct entry provides a pathway into apprenticeship. Employment depends on an available position, employer hiring requirements, and a job offer; completing pre-apprenticeship does not guarantee employment.

• An introduction to water careers. MRWA orientation explains the industry, the apprenticeship pathway, and how operators serve Maine communities.
• Direct entry into the MRWA Apprenticeship Program: guaranteed acceptance. 
• Connections to potential employers. MRWA helps interested members connect with participating municipal and district utilities as they consider employment and apprenticeship.  Employment is a necessary component of the MRWA Apprenticeship experience.
• Recognition for completed learning. Upon apprenticeship registration, MRWA recognizes 40 hours of related technical instruction, plus applicable completed online licensing coursework.
• MRWA recognizes completed pre-apprenticeship hours as on-the-job learning credit, up to 1,000 hours.
• Online drinking water training. MRWA provides Very Small Water System (VSWS) training resources to help you prepare for the Maine operator examination and work toward VSWS Operator-in-Training (OIT) status before pre-apprenticeship completion.
• Opportunities to meet working operators. Treatment plant visits and informational interviews help you understand the work environment and explore career options.

Water and wastewater employers need people who work safely, solve problems, communicate clearly, and follow through on responsibilities. Your MCC experience helps you practice those habits in real situations.

Safe tool use and equipment care support maintenance work. Field planning and awareness of changing conditions support safe work sites. Teamwork, active listening, and conflict resolution help crews work together. Timesheets, project reports, and other documentation build habits that carry into utility recordkeeping. Conservation service also gives you a practical connection to the environmental purpose of water and wastewater operations.

Training varies by MCC position and service term. Depending on your role, it may include OSHA 10, first aid, chainsaw safety, erosion control, rigging, or leadership development. MCC and MRWA will identify the training and experience that apply to your pathway.

Do I need water industry experience? No prior water industry experience is expected for the introductory VSWS training. Talk with MCC staff about eligibility and the requirements for your pre-apprenticeship and eventual apprenticeship placement.

Can I explore both drinking water and wastewater? Yes. The partnership provides pathways into both MRWA apprenticeship programs. The VSWS course and OIT credential apply to drinking water; wastewater has its own technical training and credential requirements.

Does completing the online course give me a license? No. The course prepares you for the examination. Earning OIT status also requires meeting the applicable education and examination requirements and submitting a licensing application. OIT status is an early credential for someone who has not yet met the operating experience requirement for a full license.

How much apprenticeship credit can I receive? MRWA’s agreement recognizes 40 classroom hours plus applicable completed online licensing coursework, and completed pre-apprenticeship hours up to 1,000 hours of on-the-job credit. MRWA records your credit at apprenticeship registration. Keep your training certificates and service records.

Do I have to become an apprentice after participating? You can use the experience to decide whether the field fits your interests. Discuss your plans with MCC and MRWA staff so they can help you understand the next steps.

What should I ask about before enrolling? Ask MCC staff about eligible positions, enrollment, required activities, completion expectations, scheduling, and any examination or licensing fees. They can also explain how participation fits your MCC service term and AmeriCorps benefits.

Your service can count toward further training. Recognized credit gives you a head start on apprenticeship requirements and helps avoid repeating learning already completed.

You can move into paid learning. Once hired as an apprentice, you earn wages while building experience with a mentor and receiving technical instruction.

You can continue serving Maine communities. Operators protect public health, local waterways, and the infrastructure that supports daily life.

You can build toward future responsibilities. Experience, licensing, and additional training can support advancement into more specialized operations, maintenance, laboratory, or leadership roles.

If you enjoy practical work, care about the environment, and want to explore a career serving Maine communities, talk with MCC staff about the Water Operator Pre-Apprenticeship. You can ask questions and learn about the pathway while you are still planning what comes after MCC.

For information about MRWA apprenticeship and water or wastewater careers, contact Ken Johnson, Apprenticeship Coordinator, Maine Rural Water Association, at Ken.Johnson@MaineRWA.org or (207) 530-4405.