How Great Lakes Water Authority is looking to future for employees today

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The Great Lakes Water Authority is one of the Detroit area's biggest employers. About 7 years ago, they had a problem: their workforce was aging out and they needed to figure out how to get the next generation ready to take over the vital resource we all need.

The GLWA turned to their experienced workforce to teach and mentor the next generation by kick-starting an apprentice program – offering younger people a chance at a steady career while putting them side-by-side with existing workers.

The results have been better than they hoped for.

Marcus Griggs is a water tech operator apprentice and has been learning on the job for the past year-and-a-half. Before coming on board, Griggs was like most people when it came to water.

"All I knew is I turned on the faucet and the water came out. I knew nothing," Griggs said. 

Prior to this role, Griggs was fighting to make ends meet when a friend turned him on to the GLWA opportunity.

"And said you know you do good with your current job, but have you ever thought about your career?" Griggs said.

GLWA's director of organizational development, Patrica Butler, says that's exactly how she wants the process to work.

"And the great thing is you are going to get paid while you do it," Butler said. "We’re going to give you that on the job training, we are also going to send you to school."

The GLWA supplies water to 4 million customers and another 3 million use its waste water services. They employ thousands of employees and needed to make a change in 2017. They looked into the future and saw a lot of workers, and their knowledge, were about to leave the company. So they partnered with Focus Hope, Michigan Works, and the City of Detroit to look for apprentices to soak up the knowledge before it's too late.

The results were nearly instantaneous.

"20 out of 20 graduated and 19 out of 20 accepted the job offer to come and work with us," Butler said.

One of those 19 was Larico Andres who found opportunities he didn't even know existed.

"GLWA fed me, they fed me opportunity," he said. "You may start as an apprentice but the organization is so vast and we have so many specialties that you can be whatever you want to be it depends on your grit."

The apprenticeship is a full-time job and starts at $18 per hour, but that can increase based on your position and commitment. The company will also cover the cost of going back to school.

"You come in with a high school diploma and you don’t have to have any experience.  We like for you to have a willingness to work and a good attitude and say I want to learn," Butler said.

The GLWA is looking for its next group of apprentices. It's simple - just fill out your name, email, and phone number to get started. Check out more details at Great Lakes Water Authority's website here.