Water Utility Apprenticeship & Internship Program Partner (WIL Collaborator)

About the Workforce Intelligence Lab (WIL)

WIL is building partnerships with water and wastewater utilities, registered apprenticeship sponsors, and training providers to expand career pathways into water-sector trades. This is a collaboration and affiliate track. Engagement is scoped by project. Full-time employment or a project-based contract may be used when a joint award calls for it.

Learn more: https://wilinstitute.org

We engage experienced practitioners for both full-time employment and project-based contract roles, as applicable to the award and staffing model. Engagements are remote-first with travel as required for partner and field sites. We build ready teams for live grant and sponsored-research pursuits.

This opportunity is contingent upon grant or sponsored-project award and final staffing approval. Permission will be requested before including a candidate's name or resume in a proposal or funding package.

WIL is seeking organization leads and practitioners who can co-design and host internship, apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, or postsecondary bridge pathways with measurable placement outcomes.

What you'll do

Represent a utility, apprenticeship sponsor, labor partner, or training provider willing to co-deliver water-trades pathways
Help define trainee cohorts, supervisors or mentors, and job-placement pathways into water and wastewater roles
Share non-proprietary program design inputs: hours, credentials, safety and onboarding, and success metrics
Coordinate letters of support or MOU language for joint workforce proposals when mutually agreed
Optionally advise WIL on evaluation metrics for completion, placement, and retention

Required

Current role at a drinking water or wastewater utility, registered apprenticeship sponsor, labor organization, community college or technical school, or nonprofit training organization serving the water sector
Authority, or a clear path to authority, to discuss partnership or host-site arrangements
Experience running or supporting internships, apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, or bridge programs
Willingness to be considered for time-bounded collaboration (affiliate, consulting, or institutional partnership)
Authorization to work with a U.S. research organization
Open to full-time employment or project-based contract engagement; remote-first with travel as partner and field work requires

Nice to have

Registered apprenticeship standards already in place for water or wastewater occupations
Track record of measurable trainee placements into utility jobs
Experience with federal or state workforce grants as a partner
A geographic focus you can host and an approximate annual trainee capacity