OEDC, OISD Explore Infrastructure Jobs Program

Olney students may one day have a direct path from high school classrooms to stable, in-demand infrastructure careers — without leaving Young County.

The Olney Economic Development Corporation and the Olney Independent School District are exploring the possibility of creating a new workforce initiative aimed at training students for jobs at the city’s new water treatment plant and to help address a looming statewide shortage of infrastructure workers.

The effort is part of a broader initiative called the *Resources for Building Water & Broadband Workforce Pathway*, developed in partnership with Texas Rural Funders and Texas Water Foundation.

The goal: build a pipeline from rural high schools into water utility and broadband infrastructure jobs that are expected to see severe shortages over the next decade.

OISD Superintendent Matt Caffey said he and OEDC executive director Tom Parker “are currently working on a plan.”

“This program can provide a skill set and licensure that are in demand which students could take advantage of immediately upon graduation from high school,” Dr. Caffey said. “It sets students up with a career that has strong opportunity for growth and advancement, and is unlikely to be replaced by automation.”

A recent study conducted by the groups found that Texas could lose between 30 and 50 percent of its water workforce to retirement within the next 10 years.

At the same time, Texas is struggling to recruit new workers into the field. Persistently low wages have made it difficult to attract talent, particularly in rural communities, the study found.

In addition to water utility needs, Texas faces a shortage of contractors and technicians to build out broadband infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. Texas received the largest allocation of federal broadband expansion funding of any state — $1 billion through the federal BEAD program — and much of that work will occur in rural communities where there are currently fewer trained broadband workers.

The Texas Broadband Development Office has already awarded $24.6 million to seven organizations to expand fiber optic training programs statewide, with expanded workforce training set to begin in fall 2026.

For Olney students, the initiative could create a clear, attainable pathway from high school into these careers.

If the plan comes to fruition, students would begin exploring water and broadband careers through career and technical education courses at Olney High School. Dual-credit opportunities could allow students to earn industry-recognized credentials while still in school.

Funding is available to help schools build and maintain these career pathways.

One example already operating in Texas is the SETH program — Science, Engineering, Technology and Health — offered through the Texas American Water Works Association.

The program includes a 22-hour Basic Water Works Operation curriculum approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas Education Agency.

Currently offered in 10 school districts across the state, the course is free to Texas high schools, including student exam fees. Students who complete the program are qualified to apply for their Class D Provisional Water Operator’s License and can seek employment with their local water system.

Organizers say wastewater operator training is also in development, including a registered apprenticeship program with the U.S. Department of Labor that follows learning objectives approved by TCEQ.

The initiative also ties into the Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership Program, which encourages rural school districts to collaborate in building shared college and career pathways. By entering into agreements with neighboring districts, rural schools can expand access to industry-approved postsecondary training opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach individually.

For Olney, that could mean partnerships with surrounding districts to ensure a steady pipeline of trained workers — not only for the city’s new water treatment plant, but for infrastructure jobs throughout the region.

For parents and students considering their options, the pathway offers: * Industry-recognized certifications while still in high school * Low-cost or no-cost training programs * Careers that do not require a four-year degree * Stable public utility jobs with benefits * Opportunities to stay and work in rural Texas