There are millions of careers to pick from. Why should you pick a career in the water industry? We will start by pointing out that a great majority of other industries don’t have the type of starting pay that the water industry has for entry level roles. We will also point out that a lot of the job postings that are entry level only require a high school diploma or GED and little to no experience. Those two by themselves should be enough to convince people that a career in water is right for them. Let’s dig a little deeper though:
- I have been working in human resources for about ten years. I worked for hotels, consulting, clinics, and sourcing companies before landing a job in the water industry. This is the only place I have seen someone start from the bottom and get to the top. I have heard stories of those things happening back in the day, and it just seems like it has become less common in our current era. However, the amount of times I have come across people who started as meter readers or utility operators only to later become General Managers or Presidents is impressive. This is what the water industry offers. It offers a career with a path for individuals to grow as they gain more experience and further educate themselves. It allows people to come in making $22 an hour and grow to $30 in about five years. It allows people with just a high school diploma to make about $66 if they apply themselves.
- You may be asking or telling yourself that this is too good to be true. I am here to tell you that it is true. I work with these individuals every day. That $66 rate is not from a manager either because you may be thinking that as well. It is from an operator. People that came in with no experience and worked themselves up. The difference between them and others might have been a little luck but a lot of them worked hard gaining experience and getting certifications.
- Then there is the real unique part of this industry. The unique thing is you need to continue your education in this industry. This industry requires you to get certifications through the state. You can only get those certifications by taking courses in college. You do not need to get an associate or anything like that. You do unfortunately need to combine your experience with your education to get certifications as you move up. This is how some of the people I work with make the money they make.
We have discussed a lot of excellent points about the water industry. Let us now discuss the negatives because it is important to know that before deciding to start a career in the water industry. The first part is the job is essentially a construction job. You are going to dig and use equipment to get to pipes underneath. You are also going to get wet because often you are there because one of our pipes is leaking. Those things by themselves are enough to turn people off.