Training Programs: Building Tomorrow's Leaders: For a Better Future

Abstract

This article discusses two workforce development programs created by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) in Oakland, California. These programs were created to address the potential loss of 60‐65 percent of first‐ and second‐level supervisors in EBMUD's operations, maintenance, and other field functions, representing an approximate 10 percent of the utility's total workforce. The first program is called the LEAD Academy and focuses on developing future first‐level supervisors; the second program is called the Pathways Program and focuses on developing future superintendents and assistant superintendents. The article discusses each program in detail, including the development process, the curriculum, the participant selection process, significant hurdles to implementing and maintaining the processes, and the success rate and immediate benefits of the programs. The article provides an inset of the 11 curriculum subject categories of the LEAD Academy.