June 12, 2025
Automation may be replacing people in many industries, but water is not one of them. According to Hillary Caron, Water Education & Programs Coordinator for the City of Grand Rapids, there are hundreds of careers behind every drop of clean water.
“We have technical jobs, like operators, engineers, chemists and mechanics,” Caron said. “We also have marketing, customer service, billing and more. This is a fulfilling career field in which you can serve the public and find meaningful work suited to your skills.”
Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) has partnered with the City of Grand Rapids since 2023 with the Water to Work internship program. It’s a crucial service for West Michigan.
“A report from 2018 predicted that up to one-third of water and wastewater operators would be eligible for retirement by 2028,” Caron said. “That’s a huge number. The City identified the need to recruit and train new people in this field as part of our strategic plan. I found an EPA grant for water workforce infrastructure and development that provided us with resources to take action.”
The City partnered with GRCC and Bay College to create a highly successful program. Applicants are accepted in cohorts of six. Students work Tuesday through Thursday as paid interns at both the City of Grand Rapids Lake Michigan Filtration Plant and the Water Resource Recovery Facility. They also take classes to supplement their hands-on learning, with the course fees and tuition covered by the EPA grant.
Hillary says it’s easy to measure success.
“We’re filling positions,” Caron said. “All 15 people who have come into the program now have jobs in the industry. In fact, most students have jobs before completing all 52 weeks of the official program. And that’s great! The goal is to have students find meaningful careers and to fill the career pipeline. If they learn enough to secure a full-time position with benefits before the 52 weeks are up, that’s a win for everyone. We get the people we need to support public health. The students find a career they love with a living wage. And they are still eligible to continue their education, and benefit from all the supports that GRCC offers.”
The “secret sauce” to this success, according to Hillary, comes from understanding each participant’s core values and interests, and helping them explore the options through hands-on learning.
“I keep the cohort very small so that I can get to know each person,” Caron says. “This program involves a lot of career exploration. I love helping people discover the best fit. Someone with integrity who wants to work can choose their own water adventure.”
That understanding helps her get people to exactly the right role within the water industry.
“I had one intern come through the program who just loved to move dirt,” Caron said. “So now he’s employed fixing water mains. It fills an important need for the City, and he loves his work.”
Based on the success of the original grant funded program, GRCC applied for continued funding under a second competition for EPA funds to expand the program, and was selected, along with several other organizations around the country. That’s exciting to Hillary because it means new opportunities for more students. That’s exciting to Hillary because it means new opportunities for more students.
“Our future cohorts can be more regional in nature,” Caron said. “We are increasing our partnerships to include Wyoming, Plainfield Township, Holland and Muskegon Heights. Students will still be paid to work as interns, and their course fees will still be covered by the grant. It’s a fabulous deal.”
The next cohort begins the week of August 25. The application process opened June 2 and will close July 15. Anyone over the age of 18 with a high school diploma or GED can apply. Applicants must also pass a background check and have reliable transportation to get them to the various water treatment facilities.
An emotionally-charged Hillary is passionate about helping people explore career opportunities in water.
“We are helping people escape dead-end jobs and find fulfillment,” Caron said. “I know we’re impacting lives because our participants always ask, ‘How can I pay it forward?’ They want others to find the joy and success they have found. That means everything to me.”