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The 15-month training program will see Indigenous adults become certified water operators
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BRANDON, Manitoba, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Water First Education & Training Inc. (Water First) and First Peoples Development Inc. (FPDI) are proud to announce the launch of a water treatment plant operator training program in conjunction with eight First Nations communities in Manitoba.
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The program will see Indigenous adults participate in the 15-month Drinking Water Internship Program to pursue valuable provincial certifications, which help trainees begin their careers in the water field.
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As a development and employment organization, FPDI works with Indigenous communities across Manitoba to organize specialized training opportunities. This kind of collaboration means that FPDI can work as a centralized facilitator for individual communities, unaffiliated communities, or those seeking to build additional capacity. This move supports Water First’s commitment to help develop these critical projects across the country.
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The internship will launch October 5, 2026.
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Joan Harris-Warren, Executive Director of FPDI, says, “We’re excited to partner with Water First to bring this program to First Peoples Development Inc. partner communities. Specialized training opportunities like this provide valuable benefits to individuals while strengthening the communities they call home and supporting future planning needs.”
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Article contentWalter Spence, Water First Graduate, conducts water monitoring in the field during his Water First internship trainingArticle content
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Walter Spence graduated from the program in 2025, and now works as Assistant Director of Public Works in Peguis First Nation. He had this to say about the launch of the most recent internship: “As a graduate of this program, I know the benefits that it brings to a community. The internship gave me the skills and confidence I needed to handle anything that comes my way on the job, and I know that the training this group is going to get with Water First will give them the same things.”
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During the program, each intern will accumulate 2,000 hours of on-the-job experience with Water First trainers, as well as in their home community water and/or wastewater treatment plants, which is a part of the certification process. With training tailored to meet the requirements for water operators in Manitoba, interns will pursue certification as small drinking water and small wastewater operators as well as Class 1 water treatment. Interns also round out their training with additional workshops in water quality analysis, introduction to environmental water sampling, introduction to mapping and Geographic Information Systems, as well as career readiness training.