Member Spotlight

Building the next generation of wastewater professionals requires more than technical training—it requires a long-term investment in people. The City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services’ (ENV) Training, Development, and Retention (TDR) Program exemplifies that commitment by providing participants with the training, experience, skills, and certification pathways needed for successful careers in wastewater operations. Developed in partnership with Brown and Caldwell and supported by ENV Director Roger Babcock, the program offers an intensive educational experience that prepares participants for meaningful careers while strengthening the future of Honolulu’s wastewater workforce.

The program spanned several months and was divided into different weekly learning formats. “Classroom weeks” provided conventional instruction led by subject matter experts and focused on wastewater topics and foundational theory in process relationships, mathematics, chemistry, microbiology, and the fundamentals of pumps, valves, hydraulics, and instrumentation. These lessons were reinforced through “field weeks” and “on-the-job training weeks” at each of ENV’s nine wastewater treatment plants, giving participants hands-on experience with a variety of systems and unique processes.

The TDR Program helped empower participants to successfully enter ENV’s workforce. Since 2022, the program has graduated 55 trainees across four cohorts, including new recruits from local communities representing diverse backgrounds, including Native Hawaiian, Samoan, and Filipino communities. The initiative also created new career pathways within ENV by enabling entry-level employees to enroll in the program and gain the experience needed for careers in wastewater operations.

Upon graduation, trainees received Continuing Education Units that allowed them to take their Grade 1 and Grade 2 certification exams after completing one year of experience. This benefit helped participants accelerate their career progression with the advanced knowledge gained through the program. As of August 2025, 60% of eligible graduates passed the Hawaii State Licensure for Wastewater Operations exam on their first attempt—significantly exceeding the state's average passing rate of 31%.

The TDR Program represented a transformative investment in ENV’s workforce and its commitment to public service. By equipping participants with the tools, training, and support needed to succeed, the program addressed multiple community needs by creating career pathways in environmental stewardship while building a robust and resilient wastewater operations workforce dedicated to protecting public health and the environment.

NACWA awarded the City & County of Honolulu a 2026 National Environmental Achievement Award in the Workforce Development category for its impactful program. Congratulations to everyone involved!