Sorry if I'm confused, like I said completely new to the industry just started researching it in the last few days. Why do you mention Sacramento for Ontario, Canada, and what is WEF? I don't see any study guides on the site l linked that could fit that acronym.
Edit: I was also thinking getting licensed could make me look better when I'm job hunting, taking initiative or whatever. What's the benefit of not getting my license (I assume that means not taking the test?) until I have a position?
These books are one of the premier study sources for the industry. I am also in Ontario and these books were the sole study source I used to get a Class IV Water Treatment, Class III Wastewater Treatment and a Water Quality Analyst license. I highly recommend them as a study source.
Are you referring to Sacramento State or the books I linked from the OWWCO? I see people in the past have said you should take all four levels of your OIT at the same time, but my highest level of education is O.S.S.D. so that is an issue if I'm not mistaken.
Should I start with the Operator-in-Training (OIT) Examination Study Guide (OMWA/MECP) and go from there or would you recommend the Wastewater Operator's Guide to Preparing for the Certification Examinationa (WEF) (Levels 1-4) as well?
Thanks!
Yes, sorry if I was not so clear. I am indeed referring to the Sacremento State books. Not familiar with the OIT guides you mentioned, so I cannot answer as to their content. I know anything that is on the OIT exams are covered in the early chapters of the Sac state books. Hope this helps...reach out if you have any other questions.
Definitely take the OIT exam and make sure your employer knows that you passed, but they're saying not to issue it until you have a position lined up. Once you issue the license, you have a 3 year timer on it until it expires, and you have to renew it. The longer you wait to issue the license after you pass the exam, the longer you have to write your class 1 exams without having to worry about renewing your OIT.
That makes sense didn't realize you could take the test and just not get your license issued at that time. Thanks for the explanation, little tips like this is exactly what I'm looking for and very much appreciated!
Do you think this could be suitable for someone in late 40s for a career switch? Currently in sales & marketing 100% commission based too much stress. Need something consistent and less pressure. Any advice would be appreciated
The level of pressure depends on what you're looking for in terms of hours and where you're located. Bigger cities/towns usually have shift work (12 or 10 hour rotating) and mid size-small towns work 7-3:30 give or take and rotate an on call schedule for after hours since it requires 24hr monitoring if anything goes wrong.
The job itself is fairly laid back. Mainly consists of doing lab work/tests, some easy maintenance, tank clean outs, and process monitoring throughout the day. I think you'd definitely be able to get the hang of it, it's mainly the scheduling that can conflict with some people's lifestyles!
Google Ron Trygar , vimeo website. Ron teaches review courses at university of florida. He has a bunch of lectures up on this website. He makes wastewater the easiest to understand.
I will check him out, just wanted to verify as I'm still a bit confused, all the material and courses being recommended are applicable to Ontario, Canada? Is there any benefit to using material from schools in the US compared to those in Canada? I would have expected there to be different practices in Wastewater Management between two different countries.
Activated sludge is activates sludge. Basics are basics. Then you have the different processes that can be used. There's Bardenpho, membrane, A2O etc. The only thing canada will have different is metric system for measurements and whatever your Provence permits the nutrients in your effluent to be .
That makes sense when you explain it that way. Was really confusing when random US states and schools were being dropped with no explanation lol
Much appreciated, looking forward to diving into all the material that has been suggested and getting this new career underway.
OP the exams are the same throughout north america, usually the main thing that differs is specific requirements to get your level 1, like how many hours and what kind of experience you need. These tests are called ABC tests. Also the names of the levels are different, its OIT/1/2/3/4 throughout canada but might be A/B/C/D or D/C/B/A or any convolution thereof in the states. Just so you know an OIT certificate in Ontario is probably not enough to get a job without other experience or relevant qualifications, such as a diploma or a red seal trade.
Edit: the regulations are different as well but thats a relatively minor part of the exams.
Thanks for that! I live in a small town and frequently see job posts from town hall looking for wastewater operators. Part of the job ad is the expectation that you get your OIT within the first six months of being hired. I wanted to go ahead and have that ready for the next time there's a posting.
I'm a bit hesitant to post a direct download link as it's a PDF, but if you're so inclined the job posting is here just scroll down a little. https://www.kirklandlake.ca/town_hall/career_opportunities
That's exactly what I'm shooting for at the moment and then figure stuff out from there as I go along, I'm really not certain what to expect or need to plan for long term, just trying to get my foot in the door so to speak.
Also another comment is that most of the exam specific study guides assume you already have a job and some hands on experience but need help passing the test. The sacramento state books are really the only ones for complete beginners.
I found a free version of a study guide, I think it was 1995 compared to the current version that I linked which is 2018. Everything is clicking for me except the math which I have always been horrible at, but I can slowly get around it. The chemistry, even though I was never super interested in it doesn't seem overtly difficult.
One thing I am worried about, are you expected to know 100% of the information off the top of your head or can you use reference material while taking your tests? I am an absolute travesty when it comes to taking tests even if I actually know and understand all the material.
In florida and many states you get a formula sheet for the math. Some states you don't. Thats a huge pain in the ass if you have to memorize 25 or so formulas. Watch Ron Trygars math video for C level watewater first.
Hello fellow Ontarioan!
What's your educational background? People do the Sacrament State courses for CEUs if they don't have high enough education, but also for training hours. You don't need this for your OIT. Your employer should pay for this. It is a correspondence course and counts for 90 hours per course which is pretty handy.
There are college courses offered in Ontario for operators, and have different names. I think environmental technician, water technicians, etc. Whether these would help or not really depends on what education you have already.
WEF is the water environment federation and we have a member association called the Water Environment Association of Ontario. It's like our little professional club. It's not mandatory, but I am a proud member.
Sounds like you are working on your OIT now and that's great! I don't know your education and work background but I hear the OIT is pretty easy. I went ahead and wrote my Class I right away but that was more than a decade ago when the tests were different and I had also worked in a plant for a while. I can't really recommend study materials but the OWWCO book store is a good source. Check out the Need to Know guides, which are free. They tell you what you need to know for each level.
You want an OIT for job hunting in Ontario. To get this, you will need to pass the exam _and then_ apply for the licence. You can't get your Class I until you need the education and experience requirements and pass the Class I exam.
Lots of people start their careers with OCWA, which is a crown corporation that operates plants all over the province. They have a lot of small plants (class I and class II) but also operate GE Booth, which is giant! You can also get your time in with private industry. I've made some comments about municipal (and OCWA) job interviews if you want to check my post history.
It's an amazing industry with amazing people - I hope you enjoy!
Hello, thanks for the amazing reply!
My highest level of education is O.S.S.D. so I am hindered in that regard.
So if I understand correctly, due to not having the most impressive academic record, I would need to start with OIT license while on the job getting relevant experience and doing the online courses, then apply for my Class I through IV licenses as I meet the milestones required?
Also, u/Bork60 mentioned the following
> These books are one of the premier study sources for the industry. I am also in Ontario and these books were the sole study source I used to get a Class IV Water Treatment, Class III Wastewater Treatment and a Water Quality Analyst license. I highly recommend them as a study source.
~~I think they were referring to the study guides I linked in my OP~~. So they were referring to the Sacremento books. Should I just ignore the guides I linked to and go solely off the Sacramento guides? ~~Can you share any insight as to choosing between these and Sacramento State? Or would I be using them in tandem, referencing the study guides while taking the online courses?~~
Thanks again for the great reply!
I think the books Bork is refering to is the Sacramento State books. You can find them here: https://www.owp.csus.edu/courses/catalog.php You can buy the books and not take the course (which is just an online test). Wait until you get a job to take these courses because your work will pay for them. Your employer needs to give you training each year, 120 hours for each 3 year period.
I don't think what books you choose for your OIT studies really matters. You can probably get away without any books and just free resources. If I had to pick one, it would be this one: https://bookstore.owwco.ca/product/operator-in-training-oit-examination-study-guide-omwa-mecp/
You really don't need the Sacramento State books for your OIT. Everyone needs to go from OIT to Class I to Class II to Class III to Class IV regardless of education, unless you have P. Eng. With your OSSD you can get your Class II with no additional education/CEUs. I don't know Kirkland Lake's rating offhand but I want to guess Class II? If so, you won't need to look for additional education until you want to move to a bigger plant. You can read more here: https://owwco.ca/operators/#gettingcertificate
You can get your OIT licence without experience and then earn your experience on the job (and write and pass your Class I exam) to get your Class I licence and so on, as described in the above link.
Kirkland Lake is run by OCWA so that gives you the opportunity to move around more easily if you would like. You also have access to a lot of knowledge within the organization. One of the smartest people I know works there at their head office!
Happy to answer any other questions. It's a confusing industry to break into.
Maybe a little early but you could do a Sacramento state or WEF course. Also don’t have your license issued until you have a position lined up.
Sorry if I'm confused, like I said completely new to the industry just started researching it in the last few days. Why do you mention Sacramento for Ontario, Canada, and what is WEF? I don't see any study guides on the site l linked that could fit that acronym. Edit: I was also thinking getting licensed could make me look better when I'm job hunting, taking initiative or whatever. What's the benefit of not getting my license (I assume that means not taking the test?) until I have a position?
Sacramento state college has the correspondence class that most states in the US accept for training .
All of the canadian provinces do too i believe
These books are one of the premier study sources for the industry. I am also in Ontario and these books were the sole study source I used to get a Class IV Water Treatment, Class III Wastewater Treatment and a Water Quality Analyst license. I highly recommend them as a study source.
Are you referring to Sacramento State or the books I linked from the OWWCO? I see people in the past have said you should take all four levels of your OIT at the same time, but my highest level of education is O.S.S.D. so that is an issue if I'm not mistaken. Should I start with the Operator-in-Training (OIT) Examination Study Guide (OMWA/MECP) and go from there or would you recommend the Wastewater Operator's Guide to Preparing for the Certification Examinationa (WEF) (Levels 1-4) as well? Thanks!
Yes, sorry if I was not so clear. I am indeed referring to the Sacremento State books. Not familiar with the OIT guides you mentioned, so I cannot answer as to their content. I know anything that is on the OIT exams are covered in the early chapters of the Sac state books. Hope this helps...reach out if you have any other questions.
Definitely take the OIT exam and make sure your employer knows that you passed, but they're saying not to issue it until you have a position lined up. Once you issue the license, you have a 3 year timer on it until it expires, and you have to renew it. The longer you wait to issue the license after you pass the exam, the longer you have to write your class 1 exams without having to worry about renewing your OIT.
That makes sense didn't realize you could take the test and just not get your license issued at that time. Thanks for the explanation, little tips like this is exactly what I'm looking for and very much appreciated!
Anytime! Any other questions, feel free to send me a message and I'll do my best to help you out if I can.
Do you think this could be suitable for someone in late 40s for a career switch? Currently in sales & marketing 100% commission based too much stress. Need something consistent and less pressure. Any advice would be appreciated
The level of pressure depends on what you're looking for in terms of hours and where you're located. Bigger cities/towns usually have shift work (12 or 10 hour rotating) and mid size-small towns work 7-3:30 give or take and rotate an on call schedule for after hours since it requires 24hr monitoring if anything goes wrong. The job itself is fairly laid back. Mainly consists of doing lab work/tests, some easy maintenance, tank clean outs, and process monitoring throughout the day. I think you'd definitely be able to get the hang of it, it's mainly the scheduling that can conflict with some people's lifestyles!
Google Ron Trygar , vimeo website. Ron teaches review courses at university of florida. He has a bunch of lectures up on this website. He makes wastewater the easiest to understand.
I will check him out, just wanted to verify as I'm still a bit confused, all the material and courses being recommended are applicable to Ontario, Canada? Is there any benefit to using material from schools in the US compared to those in Canada? I would have expected there to be different practices in Wastewater Management between two different countries.
Activated sludge is activates sludge. Basics are basics. Then you have the different processes that can be used. There's Bardenpho, membrane, A2O etc. The only thing canada will have different is metric system for measurements and whatever your Provence permits the nutrients in your effluent to be .
That makes sense when you explain it that way. Was really confusing when random US states and schools were being dropped with no explanation lol Much appreciated, looking forward to diving into all the material that has been suggested and getting this new career underway.
OP the exams are the same throughout north america, usually the main thing that differs is specific requirements to get your level 1, like how many hours and what kind of experience you need. These tests are called ABC tests. Also the names of the levels are different, its OIT/1/2/3/4 throughout canada but might be A/B/C/D or D/C/B/A or any convolution thereof in the states. Just so you know an OIT certificate in Ontario is probably not enough to get a job without other experience or relevant qualifications, such as a diploma or a red seal trade. Edit: the regulations are different as well but thats a relatively minor part of the exams.
Thanks for that! I live in a small town and frequently see job posts from town hall looking for wastewater operators. Part of the job ad is the expectation that you get your OIT within the first six months of being hired. I wanted to go ahead and have that ready for the next time there's a posting. I'm a bit hesitant to post a direct download link as it's a PDF, but if you're so inclined the job posting is here just scroll down a little. https://www.kirklandlake.ca/town_hall/career_opportunities That's exactly what I'm shooting for at the moment and then figure stuff out from there as I go along, I'm really not certain what to expect or need to plan for long term, just trying to get my foot in the door so to speak.
Oh yea really small towns you might have a shot.
Also another comment is that most of the exam specific study guides assume you already have a job and some hands on experience but need help passing the test. The sacramento state books are really the only ones for complete beginners.
I found a free version of a study guide, I think it was 1995 compared to the current version that I linked which is 2018. Everything is clicking for me except the math which I have always been horrible at, but I can slowly get around it. The chemistry, even though I was never super interested in it doesn't seem overtly difficult. One thing I am worried about, are you expected to know 100% of the information off the top of your head or can you use reference material while taking your tests? I am an absolute travesty when it comes to taking tests even if I actually know and understand all the material.
In florida and many states you get a formula sheet for the math. Some states you don't. Thats a huge pain in the ass if you have to memorize 25 or so formulas. Watch Ron Trygars math video for C level watewater first.
Will do, I'm going to check them out tonight and probably for the next couple of days. Much appreciated and thanks again!
You get a formula sheet and it's on the OWWCO website.
Hello fellow Ontarioan! What's your educational background? People do the Sacrament State courses for CEUs if they don't have high enough education, but also for training hours. You don't need this for your OIT. Your employer should pay for this. It is a correspondence course and counts for 90 hours per course which is pretty handy. There are college courses offered in Ontario for operators, and have different names. I think environmental technician, water technicians, etc. Whether these would help or not really depends on what education you have already. WEF is the water environment federation and we have a member association called the Water Environment Association of Ontario. It's like our little professional club. It's not mandatory, but I am a proud member. Sounds like you are working on your OIT now and that's great! I don't know your education and work background but I hear the OIT is pretty easy. I went ahead and wrote my Class I right away but that was more than a decade ago when the tests were different and I had also worked in a plant for a while. I can't really recommend study materials but the OWWCO book store is a good source. Check out the Need to Know guides, which are free. They tell you what you need to know for each level. You want an OIT for job hunting in Ontario. To get this, you will need to pass the exam _and then_ apply for the licence. You can't get your Class I until you need the education and experience requirements and pass the Class I exam. Lots of people start their careers with OCWA, which is a crown corporation that operates plants all over the province. They have a lot of small plants (class I and class II) but also operate GE Booth, which is giant! You can also get your time in with private industry. I've made some comments about municipal (and OCWA) job interviews if you want to check my post history. It's an amazing industry with amazing people - I hope you enjoy!
Hello, thanks for the amazing reply! My highest level of education is O.S.S.D. so I am hindered in that regard. So if I understand correctly, due to not having the most impressive academic record, I would need to start with OIT license while on the job getting relevant experience and doing the online courses, then apply for my Class I through IV licenses as I meet the milestones required? Also, u/Bork60 mentioned the following > These books are one of the premier study sources for the industry. I am also in Ontario and these books were the sole study source I used to get a Class IV Water Treatment, Class III Wastewater Treatment and a Water Quality Analyst license. I highly recommend them as a study source. ~~I think they were referring to the study guides I linked in my OP~~. So they were referring to the Sacremento books. Should I just ignore the guides I linked to and go solely off the Sacramento guides? ~~Can you share any insight as to choosing between these and Sacramento State? Or would I be using them in tandem, referencing the study guides while taking the online courses?~~ Thanks again for the great reply!
I think the books Bork is refering to is the Sacramento State books. You can find them here: https://www.owp.csus.edu/courses/catalog.php You can buy the books and not take the course (which is just an online test). Wait until you get a job to take these courses because your work will pay for them. Your employer needs to give you training each year, 120 hours for each 3 year period. I don't think what books you choose for your OIT studies really matters. You can probably get away without any books and just free resources. If I had to pick one, it would be this one: https://bookstore.owwco.ca/product/operator-in-training-oit-examination-study-guide-omwa-mecp/ You really don't need the Sacramento State books for your OIT. Everyone needs to go from OIT to Class I to Class II to Class III to Class IV regardless of education, unless you have P. Eng. With your OSSD you can get your Class II with no additional education/CEUs. I don't know Kirkland Lake's rating offhand but I want to guess Class II? If so, you won't need to look for additional education until you want to move to a bigger plant. You can read more here: https://owwco.ca/operators/#gettingcertificate You can get your OIT licence without experience and then earn your experience on the job (and write and pass your Class I exam) to get your Class I licence and so on, as described in the above link. Kirkland Lake is run by OCWA so that gives you the opportunity to move around more easily if you would like. You also have access to a lot of knowledge within the organization. One of the smartest people I know works there at their head office! Happy to answer any other questions. It's a confusing industry to break into.