Improve Your Water and Wastewater Knowledge

The launch of our virtual training sessions is an opportunity for you to learn from experts, on your time and at no cost.

You never hear people say they wish they had less education.

If a four-year degree never figured into your goals, so be it. If you were driven to gain work experience right after high school and open your own business as soon as you were capable, more power to you. But I’ve never talked to a successful business owner who felt like they knew everything there was to know, or who thought a little more business or accounting knowledge would be harmful.

I had a friend who got a job with a well drilling company shortly after high school. He thought I was crazy spending thousands of dollars to go to college while he was making $12 an hour — it was the ’90s — standing next to a drill rig all day. I thought he was equally crazy. But in our own ways, we were both getting an education.

I see things a little differently now. He wasn’t crazy; he just didn’t want to go to school anymore. He wanted to work. But he also learned the business and moved up the ranks. It wasn’t long before he was running that rig. I also don’t regret a dime I spent on my education. I was exposed to a lot of new things. I learned how to learn more efficiently. And I picked up knowledge and skills that set me on a path to where I am now, getting paid to write and take photographs, to make other writers’ work better, all of which I love, and to eventually reach a point where those divergent paths came back in parallel.

The thing is, my friend didn’t go to college, but he kept learning. He didn’t just punch in and punch out; he gained skill and knowledge. He took on more responsibility and carved out a nice career for himself.

You may or may not have continued your formal education past high school, but the simple fact you’re reading this publication shows that you value learning opportunities and know education is one of the keys to your continued success. If you’re an hourly worker and think this doesn’t apply to you, talk to your boss or the owner of your company. I bet they have a different perspective.

The more you know about your water and wastewater systems, leak detection, inspection and maintenance procedures, the better you’ll be able to do your jobs. And that, in turn, will make your utilities more efficient and your communities healthier.

To that end, and with the cancellation or postponement of so many industry events and training opportunities this year, we’ve launched a whole new series of virtual training sessions. All of it is available for free on the Municipal Sewer & Water website.

These prerecorded training videos — with subjects ranging from rainfall monitoring and sewer condition assessment to safety and adapting to coronavirus-related operational changes — are now available for viewing at any time. And new topics are being added regularly.

Just log on to www.mswmag.com/training to view at your own pace when it best fits your schedule.

I hope you find these sessions helpful and never stop learning.

Enjoy this month’s issue. 

Comments on this column or about any article in this publication may be directed to editor Luke Laggis, 800-257-7222; editor@mswmag.com.



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