Spartanburg Water’s Drinking Water Treatment Maintenance group recently used a $12,630 grant for scholarships to train its employees through Spartanburg Community College.

“The grant was distributed to a local company who had a need and a desire for increased training through our college,” said Kenneth Parker, Director of Manufacturing solutions at Spartanburg Community College.

The goal of the program is to increases employee proficiency in technical skills. Seven employees within the group recently completed the training program.

“Spartanburg Water was given the opportunity to further develop maintenance roles and skills in a rapidly growing technical environment,” said Ken Tuck, Spartanburg Water Director of Water Treatment. “By acquiring this grant, Spartanburg Water has given their employees increased confidence and improved job performance. This grant benefits both the employer and the employee.”

The grant covered “workforce scholarships” of both online and classroom instruction conducted at SCC for employees over a 26 week period. In addition, two review training classes were administered at R.B. Simms Water Treatment Facility.

The training topics included hydraulics, mechanical devices, programmable logical controllers, as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Each program helped to broaden the understanding of technical skills that Spartanburg Water employees must utilize each day.

Parker said, “This program gives Spartanburg Water employees increased knowledge of mechanical and electrical systems and how to operate them more efficiently.”

Tuck said the training has helped individual employees not only strengthen their skills, but will ultimately help them to advance their careers.

Seven employees including six technicians and one coordinator from the Drinking Water Treatment and Above Ground Maintenance groups completed the training.