AWWA JTMGT64425

Western Carolina Regional Sewer Authority (WCRSA) has been utilizing students from Clemson University's Co-operative Education Program for approximately ten years. Students alternate semesters of academic study with paid, career-related semesters of work in WCRSA's Engineering Department. Three work periods which include summer, fall and spring semesters are required to obtain what is needed for a co-operative education certificate. The program helps bridge the gap between the academic community and the working environment. The paper discusses how WCRSA incorporates the classroom education of the students into the working environment and how the Co-operative Education Program enhances the skills of the students, increasing the students' job opportunities. Students are exposed to all aspects of work in WCRSA's Engineering Department including permitting, preliminary engineering, design, and construction at WCRSA and introduced to WCRSA's engineering consulting firms. Students assist the Engineering Department with special projects related to tracking electrical costs at WCRSA's facilities, photo documentation of construction projects, monitoring subdivision growth in the service area, interaction with customers regarding sewer line locations, and using and giving input to WCRSA's Geographic Information System. Most important, the paper demonstrates how the students are introduced to civil and environmental engineering careers. With fewer people going into the water and wastewater environmental field, WCRSA has promoted interest in the area with the majority of students pursuing careers in the field. The paper also details what benefits other agencies and engineering consulting firms can derive from utilizing co-ops and the Co-operative Education Program.