Admittedly, I was overwhelmed with the opportunity to intern at American Water and was nervous going into it. This lingering thought of doubt was in my head however, Hopeworks made the transition from a GIS intern to an American Water intern, as smooth as possible. Learning how things are conducted in a professional environment and attending weekly meetings, though I was sometimes unprepared, definitely have helped me.
I have to thank everyone at Hopeworks for where I am today, including one of my peers for helping in even the smallest way to get me here a year ago. I was at a part-time job living paycheck to paycheck, but I pushed forward. With everyone's help, I'm now here at American water and the future couldn't be brighter. Though it’s unknown, I’m sure it’s manageable.
Honestly, with the friendly environment and people's willingness to teach here at American Water, I've been getting adjusted pretty well. What has been really impressive is being able to access all of the data and even the status of the equipment and knowing where they are in real-time, from a managers desk. I guess the equivalent would be knowing what’s wrong with your car to what piece is messing up and who made that piece. Overall, this has just been a great experience.
In this series, Michelle Cheang, director of Catalyze, sat down with alumni and current participants of Catalyze-supported career-connected learning programs. Through in-depth conversations, Michelle and the learners discuss their experiences, growth and career goals. In the following videos, we'll hear directly from EJ Garcia, a learner at Hopeworks, about how he has developed his career […]
This episode of The Water Online Show focuses on the water industry's workforce shortage. Hopeworks, a training organization, is addressing this challenge by partnering with utilities like American Water. Hopeworks identifies employer needs, trains young professionals, and places them in well-suited roles. This innovative approach is helping to bridge the skills gap and ensure a […]
Grace Manning leads a program helping land young professionals work at companies like Subaru. Grace Manning is director of employer and alumni relations at Hopeworks, a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia and South New Jersey, offering workforce development programs to young adults. Through training programs, paid internships, and placement services with local employers, Hopeworks helps young, diverse […]
