Springfield Water And Sewer Commission Now Accepting Applications For Summer Internship Program

Springfield high school students can apply for the Pipeline Program now through March 26th

The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission (Commission) is pleased to announce that applications for its workforce development summer internship program, the Pipeline Program, are now being accepted for summer 2025.

High school students from Springfield that are interested in learning more about career opportunities in the water sector, gaining hands-on experience, building critical job skills, and serving their community can submit a Pipeline Program application now through March 26th.

In-demand Careers
Water is essential to everyday life. The trained professionals that operate and maintain drinking water and wastewater systems are in high demand at the Commission, around Massachusetts, and across the country. The Commission launched this workforce development initiative in 2023 in partnership with Springfield Public Schools, Veolia North America, and the Massachusetts Water Works Association to strengthen the “pipeline” of trained and licensed water professionals to fill critical job vacancies and build the water workforce of the future.

The Pipeline Program offers a unique work-based learning opportunity by exposing high school students to the wide variety of rewarding career opportunities in the water sector through a department rotational model. Previous Pipeline Program interns have gone on to pursue career pathways in water operations, water distribution, environmental science, and information technology/cybersecurity.

Pipeline Program 2025
To fill the limited available positions in the Pipeline Program the Commission is seeking motivated, hard-working high school students from Springfield that are enthusiastic about exploring career opportunities and learning more about the daily operations at the region’s largest water utility.

Over the course of the 7-week Pipeline Program the 12 interns will participate in:

Work-based learning

• Interns rotate through departments at various Commission facilities across the Lower Pioneer Valley. Departments include water and wastewater operations, laboratory services, water quality, watershed and environmental protection, engineering, and information technology and cybersecurity.

Enrichment Activities

• Visits to other area water utilities and related industries to learn more about career opportunities

Water Operations Training Course

• Prepare for advanced training courses and the drinking water treatment state licensing process through the “How Water Works” introductory water operations course through the Massachusetts Water Works Association (MWWA).

New West Parish Water Treatment Plant Construction

• Interns will have the opportunity to learn more about this project and see first-hand the construction of this generational reinvestment in our water system – and possibly their future workplace.

Skill-building workshops

• Enhance communication and teamwork skills, strengthen job application materials, and gain additional skills in a professional setting

Mentorship

• Build connections with a variety of Commission staff and gain insight into opportunities and career pathways in the water sector

Post-internship support and opportunities

• Support for interns after their summer internship, including guidance and assistance in pursuing a career in water operations

Building the Water Workforce of the Future
Water professionals are in high demand due to a wave of retirements and the advancing needs of modern drinking water and wastewater systems. The water sector offers enduring, non-outsourceable careers that provide dynamic opportunities, competitive pay and robust benefits.

It is also an exciting time to get started in a career in water as more advanced treatment systems are integrated at water plants and new technology is adopted. At the Commission, the new West Parish Water Treatment Plant broke ground in 2024 and is scheduled to be completed in 2028. The state-of-the-art, 65-million gallon per day treatment facility will modernize the region’s water treatment and also incorporate green infrastructure and cutting-edge technology. This summer Pipeline Program interns will learn about the variety of career opportunities the new plant will offer and get an up-close look at the construction of the new treatment plant that will serve our region for decades to come.

Executive Director Josh Schimmel stated, “We are excited to embark on our third year of the Pipeline Program as we continue to work to build our water workforce of the future while rebuilding our critical infrastructure. In October we broke ground on the new West Parish Water Treatment Plant, which is the start of an exciting new era for both water treatment and water careers for the region. Pipeline Program interns will have a unique opportunity to see the planning and construction that goes into generational projects of this magnitude, while also participating in other skill building and mentorship with our experienced and dedicated staff.”

Pipeline Program Partnership
The Commission is pleased to continue its collaboration on the Pipeline Program with Springfield Public Schools and its School-to-Career Internship and Career Pathways Program. High school students will work with their school’s Career Readiness Coordinator to help advise them through the Pipeline Program application process. SPRINGFIELD WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION P.O. BOX 995, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01101

Superintendent of Springfield Public Schools Dr. Sonia E. Dinnall stated, “Springfield Public Schools is pleased to partner with the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission once again to provide this unique and rewarding experience to our students. Through the Pipeline Program our students gain real-world experience through hands-on learning while also developing essential job-skills to prepare them for future careers.”

Veolia, the Commission’s contracted wastewater operator that manages the Springfield Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (SRWTF) on Bondi’s Island is also continuing its partnership on the Pipeline Program. Veolia will host interns at the SRWTF as part of the internship rotation, exposing interns to the wastewater treatment process and the many rewarding careers available at their wastewater operations around the world.

"Veolia is tremendously passionate about workforce development--not just for the benefit of our organization, but for our industry as a whole and the communities we serve," says Matthew LaPointe, Vice President of Veolia North America's Municipal Water Operations in Springfield. "Seeing the continued, demonstrated success of the Pipeline Program illustrates that interests can be cultivated into passions through strong professional partnership and hands-on experience. Veolia remains proud to be such an active part of this program that develops motivated students into skilled stewards of our critical water infrastructure, watching them become active participants in the ecological transformation and tackle the ever-evolving challenges of maintaining a healthy environment."

How to Apply
Applications for the Pipeline Program are being accepted now through March 26, 2025. Applicants can apply online through the Commission’s career portal. More information and links to the application are available on the Commission’s website waterandsewer.org/pipeline-program/. Springfield Public School high school students can also speak to their Career Readiness Coordinator for more information on the application process.

The program is specifically intended for high school students in Springfield participating in their high school’s college and career readiness programs. Pipeline interns must be at least 16 years old and a current high school student (including seniors that will graduate this spring). The Commission is working in collaboration with Springfield Public Schools, however any eligible high school students from Springfield are welcome and encouraged to apply. Other internship and employment opportunities are posted on the Commission’s Careers webpage.

More Information
Those with questions or seeking additional information about the Pipeline Program should visit the Commission’s website waterandsewer.org/pipeline-program/, or contact the Commission at 413-452-1300 or pipelineprogram@waterandsewer.org. Videos featuring the Pipeline Program are available on the Commission’s YouTube page: youtube.com/@SpfldWaterSewer.

Springfield Public School students can also reach out to their Career Readiness Coordinators at their respective schools for support with the Pipeline Program application and candidate interview process.

About The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission
The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission is an independent, regional public utility that provides drinking water and wastewater service to approximately 250,000 people in the lower Pioneer Valley. The Commission provides retail drinking water service to Springfield and Ludlow, and regional drinking treatment to Agawam, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, and Southwick, as well as emergency/peak service to several other communities. The Commission provides retail wastewater service to Springfield and regional wastewater treatment to West Springfield, Agawam, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, Wilbraham, and Ludlow.