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California training programs, and what happened to the people who took them

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Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Program

Castro Valley Adult & Career Education · Castro Valley, CA

Cost
$1,485
Length
35 weeks
Working 6 months later
40%

Program names, program descriptions and occupation titles appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Everything else on this page is translated.

What happened to people who took this

People enrolled
87
Finished the program
90%Based on 68 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
Working 6 months later
40%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
Earnings in one quarter after
$5,989A single quarter of earnings, roughly three months, not a yearly salary. Do not compare it directly with the yearly pay shown for the occupation.Typical California program: $10,900 of 1,339 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.

The job this trains for

This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.

Shrinking -2.6%
California projects this job will shrink over the next ten years. Fewer openings may mean a harder search.

Related work California expects more of

The U.S. Department of Labor lists these as related to the job above, and California projects growth in them rather than decline. Related is not the same as interchangeable: the training, the licences and the pay can all differ, and this program does not train for these. It is a place to start asking, not a recommendation.

No regional figures for this program's city

Castro Valley is not one of the metropolitan or rural areas California names when it publishes wages and openings. A neighbouring area's figures would look exactly like a correct answer, so none are shown and the statewide figures stand alone. About half of California's programs are in this position.

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Job ads may call this: Plant Operator · Relief Operator · Water Plant Operator · Water Control Dispatcher

Some of what people in this job do. The Department rates how important each one is, and they appear in that order.

  • Collect and test water and sewage samples, using test equipment and color analysis standards.
  • Record operational data, personnel attendance, or meter and gauge readings on specified forms.
  • Operate and adjust controls on equipment to purify and clarify water, process or dispose of sewage, and generate power.
  • Add chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, or lime, to disinfect and deodorize water and other liquids.
Show 3 more things this job involves
  • Inspect equipment or monitor operating conditions, meters, and gauges to determine load requirements and detect malfunctions.
  • Direct and coordinate plant workers engaged in routine operations and maintenance activities.
  • Clean and maintain tanks, filter beds, and other work areas, using hand tools and power tools.
Typical pay in California
$83,636per year
Projected openings
10,010
Projected change
-2.6%
Usually needs
High school diploma or equivalent

Getting in

Experience needed first
None
Training after you are hired
More than a year

New hires are trained on the job for more than a year after they start. The classroom part is the beginning of this work, not the whole of it.

These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.

What people in this job actually studied

Most common: High school diploma — 40% of the people doing this work.

California says this job usually needs: High school diploma or equivalent. 5% of the people doing it went less far than that.

No high school diploma
5%
High school diploma
40%
Started college, no degree
29%
Two-year degree
12%
Four-year degree
13%
Master's degree
2%
Doctorate or professional degree
0.5%

This counts people already doing this job, across the whole United States. Every other figure on this page is California's, and the federal government publishes no state version of this one. It is what people happen to have, not a rule about who gets hired. A small row does not mean you would be turned away, and a large one is not a promise of a job.

Program details

This program provides online instruction, e-learning, or distance learning only.

Learn the basics of how to operate and maintain a wastewater treatment plant under the supervision and instruction of a licensed plant operator. Students will learn safety, treatment processes, solids management and an overview of regulations. Upon successful completion of the program students will have the skills and knowledge required to sit for the Grade 1 or Grade 2 state certifications.

Someone else may be able to pay for this

This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-08-04). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.

The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California

  • Eden Area AJCCComprehensive center

    Phone: 510-670-5700; for resources and services

    24100 Amador StreetGail Steele Multi-Service Center , 3rd FloorHayward, CA 94544about 2.9 miles away

    Hours: Mon/Tues/Thurs 8:30am-5pm -Wed 8:30am-7pm-Fri 8:30am-12:30pm

  • East Oakland Neighborhood Career CenterAffiliate site

    Phone: 510-568-8349

    7200 Bancroft AvenueSuite 140Oakland, CA 94605about 7.1 miles away

    Hours: Monday - Thursday 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

  • American Job Center of California-OaklandComprehensive center

    Phone: 510-564-0500

    7677 Oakport StreetSuite 350Oakland, CA 94621about 7.5 miles away

    Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00AM- 5:00PM

    Has a veterans' representative

Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.

Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List

How this gets paid for, and what to ask →

Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.

The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.

How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →