South Texas College is launching a new Level 1 Wastewater Operator Training program for the upcoming fall semester.

According to the news release, the course is still in the planning and design phase and will be accredited through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. It will include 20 contact hours and offer classroom, lab, and internship instruction.

The new program is part of an initiative called Skills for Sustainability, a partnership with STC, the RGV Partnership, the North American Development Bank and Trust for the Americas, according to the news release. It is meant to meet the demands of a shrinking water and wastewater workforce.

The Dean of the Center for Advanced Training and Apprenticeships, Carlos Margo, is leading the training efforts for the initiative.

According to the news release, Margo said the initiative is a call-to-action because of the increasing demand for a skilled water and wastewater workforce.

"These trainings are essential, highly relevant and provide career pathways for those who complete them," Margo said. "At STC, our department is all about workforce training, providing classes across the entire Rio Grande Valley from Starr County to Brownsville. We already work with over 150 employers who request our training to reskill and upskill their workforce with instruction tailored to fit their specific needs. Being part of this initiative is one more way we are expanding our reach and enhancing the RGV."

The news release said STC will also offer a Heavy Equipment Operator Training program as part of the Skills for Sustainability initiative.

It is a 108-hour, comprehensive program that combines classroom instruction with hands-on training with dozers, excavators, skid steers and motor graders, including operation, safety and precision techniques.

The Skills for Sustainability initiative will serve all four counties in the Valley, beginning with 19 incumbent workers at McAllen Public Utilities in backhoe safety, environmental stewardship and workforce readiness, according to the news release. It will also train 30 new participants from low-income communities for entry-level water and wastewater roles and TCEQ certification.

The initiative is a 10-month project set to run through January 2027.

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