Skilled Trades Internships in the Water Sector
This program provides:
- Paid internship at Bay Area water and wastewater agencies
- On the job experience in maintenance and operations trades
- Assistance with transportation and safety equipment costs
- Post-internship job placement services & referrals to job openings with Bay Area agencies
- Referral to local apprenticeship and civil service testing opportunities
Application Process:
- Fill out the online application
- Eligible applicants with complete applications will be invited to a phone interview
- Selected qualified applicants will be invited to an in-person or virtual interview
- Selected candidates must attend a mandatory orientation
Application Deadline: See locations listed in the right sidebar. All those who meet eligibility requirements may apply at any time in order to be considered for future openings.
Who is Hiring Our Graduates?
City of Redwood, City and County of San Francisco, Oro Loma Sanitary District, SamTrans, FedEx
Our Utilities Team
Elizabeth Toups
Director of Utilities Programs
Elizabeth Toups has over 25 years of experience leading workforce education and training strategies, with particular expertise in the utilities and healthcare industries. In her role as Director of Utilities Training Programs, Elizabeth leads JVS’s efforts to build a more effective workforce pipeline leading to mission critical jobs in the public water/wastewater and transit sectors. Elizabeth is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and holds a master’s degree in public administration from Golden Gate University.
Mario Flores
Senior Coordinator, Utilities Programs
Mario has over 13 years of experience supporting students from underserved communities and helping them to enter their career pathways. He has extensive experience working with immigrants, economically disadvantaged and diverse populations. In his previous role, Mario helped develop a program connecting first-generation students with resources and supportive networks to help them achieve their academic goals. Now at JVS, he supports job seekers who are pursuing careers in the skilled trades.
Michael Kushner
BAYWORK Manager
Michael brings to JVS 16 years of experience in workforce development. In addition to serving as a manager on our Utilities team, Michael also serves as the manager of BAYWORK, a workforce consortium of over 35 water and wastewater utilities in the Greater Bay Area. Michael’s dual responsibilities are a reflection of the close cooperation between JVS and the utilities that make up BAYWORK. This collaboration gives the JVS Utilities team a high-level of access to leaders in the water sector, enhancing our ability to prepare clients for these well-paid and stable careers.
Details
Program Dates:
Program dates and application deadlines will vary by employer
Employers:
- Valley Water (San Jose area)
- Trade: Instrumentation, Electronics, or Electrical
- Duration: 1-2 years / Part-time
- Pay: $26.31/hr
- Application Deadline: 4/22/22
Other employers and trades may become available
Eligibility:
- Age 18 or older by the starting date of Internship
- Authorized to work in the U.S.
- Valid driver’s license
- Access to a vehicle and willing to commute
- Proof of COVID-19 vaccination
- Enrolled in designated community college trades classes
- Instrumentation + electronics
- Water management
- Industrial maintenance
- Machine technology + mechatronics
- Interest in water/ wastewater agency jobs
- Proof of Select Services registration (males only)
ANNOUNCEMENT
We are excited to announce that after two years of research, JVS partner BAYWORK has published The Digital Worker: Using Digital Tools to Deliver Water Services, their white paper which was informed by a group of over 30 advisory committee members from across the US and Canada. We are proud to acknowledge JVS BAYWORK Manager Michael Kushner’s important role and contribution to this work, which outlines workforce implications of digital tools within utilities agencies.