As Canada marks Indigenous History Month, 11 new Indigenous water operators are celebrating their graduation from a 15-month training program as the initial cohort of Water First graduates in Manitoba.
The graduates, from seven communities within the Interlake Reserves Tribal Council (IRTC), have completed the Drinking Water Internship delivered by Water First Education & Training Inc. They are now certified with Class 1 water treatment and wastewater credentials.
New graduate Walter Spence of Peguis First Nation, 56, says he is already employed in public works in his home community.
“But now I have a better understanding and additional skills to be able to make a greater contribution to my department and my community,” Spence said, adding that the program gave him confidence to handle “whatever comes down the pipe.”
Subscribe to our Newsletter!
The latest environmental engineering news direct to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.
The Manitoba internship, which began in July 2023, included 1,800 hours of hands-on training in water and wastewater treatment facilities in participants’ home communities. Originally scheduled for early May, the graduation took place after a delay due to the Manitoba wildfires that devastated the area and triggered a state of emergency in several of the IRTC communities.
Interns received certification in small systems operation and Class 1 water treatment, as well as training in water quality analysis, environmental water sampling, mapping, and career readiness.
John Millar, executive director and founder of Water First, highlighted the program’s collaboration with IRTC communities. He said that it was Water First’s sixth Drinking Water Internship overall, but the very first in Manitoba.
“Every province has different certification requirements and the trainers, interns and the entire community have just done such a fantastic job of navigating this, laying the foundation for future internships in Manitoba,” Millar said.
Water First notes that access to safe drinking water remains a critical issue across Canada, with 15% of First Nations communities under drinking water advisories. Water First partners with communities that identify education and training as part of a long-term solution.
Water First’s internship program recruits Indigenous adults to the drinking water field, supporting them in gaining the required entry-level certifications. After graduation, participants join the Water First Alumni Network to connect with peers and continue professional development.
“You will have options after you graduate; jump on all the opportunities,” said Laura Mallinson, a Water First graduate and water operator in Nipissing First Nation. “I didn’t get into water operations right away. I worked in construction and helped build the plant I now operate.”
To date, 65 Indigenous interns from 40 communities have completed the Drinking Water Internship Program. Since the IRTC cohort began, Water First has also launched a new Environmental Water Internship Program.
Manitoba Interlake communities include Dauphin River First Nation, Kinonjeoshtegon First Nation, Lake Manitoba First Nation, Lake St. Martin First Nation, Little Saskatchewan First Nation, Peguis First Nation, and Pinaymootang First Nation.
