FARMINGTON, NM, Jan. 19, 2005 -- David H. Paul Inc. (DHP), a leader in advanced water treatment training, is opening its first on-campus college program in Florida.
DHP traditionally has supplied the Florida water treatment industry with seminar and correspondence training. After years of planning, the company entered into a partnership with Hillsborough Community College to provide a four-semester Advanced Water Treatment Program (AWTP) beginning August 2005 at the Plant City campus.
"Our client base in Florida has been the driving force behind this partnership. They have been telling us for years that Florida needs qualified water treatment operators and technicians. Now we can offer those clients graduates with high-tech hands-on training and a Class C license if required," said DHP president David Paul.
Graduates go to work in industries such as pharmaceutical, microelectronics, medical, beverage, power generation, and in drinking water facilities using advanced water treatment, common in Florida. The four-semester program will provide training on both conventional (clarification, filtration, etc.) and membrane water treatment (reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, etc), as well as ion exchange and other advanced water treatment technologies. Students with DHP training gain comprehensive knowledge and proficiency through intensive classroom and hands-on instruction and practice.
The established Florida AWTP's Advisory Board includes representatives from 20 Florida companies and drinking water entities (cities and counties), including Collier County, Daytona Beach, Deerfield Beach, Ft. Myers, Pinellas County, Tampa, Venice, the Everglades National Park and University of South Florida. Members are looking forward to the first class of graduates.
"Most of the people who have membrane experience in Florida have jobs. To have a 'fresh pool' will be nice," said Wayne Miller, an advisory board member with city of Deerfield Beach. He added that, by 2020, more than 75% of the water produced in southeastern Florida will be done by membrane water treatment.
"The need for qualified operators is tremendous. I'm sure there are very few water treatment plants in Florida that don't have an operator's position open," said Byron Weightman, another advisory board member and superintendent at the city of Ft Myers.
"We are hoping that our established clients will have enough confidence in the David H. Paul, Inc. training quality that they will encourage their sons and daughters to go into this field that desperately needs them. We also hope that new operators will consider this program an investment in themselves and in turn, make more money when they finish," Paul said.
Financial aid is available to students who qualify. Advanced Water Treatment Program classes will be offered on weeknights or on Saturday starting in August 2005. For more information call 877-711-4347 or visit www.waterdegree.com to request a free video presentation.
David H. Paul Inc. (www.dhptraining.com), of Farmington, N.M., also has assisted in establishing advanced water treatment programs at San Juan College in Farmington, N.M., Arizona Western College in Yuma, Ariz., and Northwest Vista College, in San Antonio, Texas.
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