Veolia Water North America opens training center in Indianapolis

• Learning center to serve national network of water and wastewater services employees.

HOUSTON, Feb. 1, 2007 -- Veolia Water North America has opened a training center in Indianapolis, home to the nation's largest public-private partnership for water services, to prepare its North American work force to meet future water and wastewater industry demands.

The new Veolia Water Learning Center, located along the Indianapolis downtown canal walk, offers nearly 200 training courses and a library of e-learning courses to most effectively serve a national network of employees. Courses include instruction in technologies, safety, environmental regulatory compliance, leadership, finance, human resources and communications.

"Our new training center reinforces Veolia Water's complete commitment to operational and performance excellence, as well as our commitment to the long-term viability of our Indianapolis partnership," said Joe Burgess, president and CEO of Veolia Water North America. "The center centralizes some of the company's training resources and will help ensure that our employees continue to grow, learn new skills and information, and meet our customers' needs."

Globally, the Veolia Water Learning Center will join a network of 12 learning campuses worldwide, including facilities in Paris, Melbourne, Stockholm, Prague and Shanghai, serving the developmental needs of the employees of Veolia Environnement, Veolia Water's parent company. The new learning center will maintain collaborative relationships with Veolia Environnement's sister companies in transportation, environmental services and energy.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates more than 60,000 water operator positions will become available by 2012. In Indianapolis alone, it is anticipated that nearly 60 percent of existing water treatment operators will be eligible for retirement within the next five years.

"Common curricula for training programs has been identified, and criteria has been established for an integrated learning management system," added William Roach, Veolia Water North America's vice president for training. "We have also begun work on establishing orientation and apprenticeship programs for new and existing Veolia employees."

Veolia Water North America (www.veoliawaterna.com) is the leading provider of comprehensive water and wastewater services to municipal and industrial customers, providing services to approximately 14 million people and 600 communities. The company is part of Veolia Water, the No. 1 water company in the world, serving more than 108 million customers. Veolia Water is the water division of Veolia Environnement and the largest environmental services company in the world, with more than 270,000 employees in about 64 countries and annual revenues of $30 billion.

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Also see:
-- "Veolia Water wins three new international contracts valued at nearly $100 million"

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