Operate with Excellence: Leadership and Management Skills Short Course for Operators

The Operate with Excellence 2024 live course dates are Tuesday/Thursday, May 14 - June 6. 

The Spring 2024 course is full. If you would like to be the first to hear about future offereings, please join the waitlist.

Join Waitlist

Join the Water Environment Federation and University of Colorado-Boulder for a short course for Operators who have either recently advanced to a management role or are looking to advance in the future. Operate with Excellence: Leadership and Management Skills provides students with skills in leadership, management, utility finance, ethics, justice, and equity specific to the water industry.
 
Designed for working professionals, this course provides the tools you need to produce results and solve increasingly complex problems in the water profession. Courses are taught by senior water professionals, including operators, delivered on campus with live streamed/recorded options online, allowing working operators around the world to begin bridging the gap to management and leadership.
 
Classes will be taught live on campus at the University of Colorado - Boulder and will be live-streamed via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. Recordings will be shared after each class. 


 Cost:
   WEF Members: $320.00
   Non-Members: $400.00

Bulk Pricing is available starting at 11 students. 

Course Schedule (all class times are Mountain Time (MT) zone)
 
   Class 1 | Tuesday, May 14, 9:30am - 11:00am MT | Communicating with Impact
   Class 2 | Thursday, May 16, 9:30am - 11:00am MT | Basics of Leadership and Time Management
   Class 3 | Tuesday, May 21, 9:30am - 11:00am MT | Ethics
   Class 4 | Thursday, May 23, 9:30am - 11:00am MT | Diversity & Inclusion
   Class 5 | Tuesday, May 28, 9:30am - 11:00am MT | Strategic and Tactical Planning and How it Impacts Decision Making
   Class 6 | Thursday, May 30, 9:30am - 11:00am MT | Are you Ready to be a Supervisor?
   Class 7 | Tuesday, June 4, 1:30pm - 3:00pm MT* | Public Communication and Engagement  
   Class 8 | Thursday, June 6, 1:30pm - 3:00pm MT* | Finance Basics and Affordability

*The time for the last week of the course moves to 1:30pm - 3:00pm. Classes will continue to be recorded for those unable to attend live 

View the Course Syllabus.

 Questions? Contact Jessica Rozek, Operator Programs Manager.
 

Testimonial:
As a newer operator, I felt that this course laid a great foundation for what areas to focus on when growing my career, as well as illuminating skills and protocols that I can fall back on when a tough decision or difficult situation arises at my plant. I recommend this course, as the course delves into several critical areas of study that are helpful when navigating planning, decision making, and interpersonal dynamics that are found at water and wastewater plants."

-Jamie Akens, Plant Operator, Metro Water Recovery

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