It has been an honor for Empowering Pumps & Equipment over the years to shine a light on the professionals behind the industries that are vital to life and sharing their stories with our #PumpTalk Community. We are proud to have Chad Willbanks as our September #Pumptalk Celebrity. He is the Director of Training and Technology with The Water Tower and has tons of insight to share with us. We hope you enjoy his story!

Q: How did you get started working in your field?

Chad: I grew up spending a lot of my time helping my father in his machine shop. I learned early on that not only did I have an interest in how things worked, but I was pretty good at fixing them. We did a lot of work for local utilities including the one my uncle was a plant manager for. When I graduated high school, I wasn’t really interested in more school at the time. My uncle offered me the opportunity to work for him and help him create a maintenance program for his plant. He later informed me that I could read some books and take a test to get more money. He was referring to the Sacramento manuals for the Georgia Wastewater operator license. The rest is history as they say! I was instantly intrigued by the treatment process and soon found that I was really good at leading people and managing assets. I soon moved into major roles withing organizations and developed a passion for people and technology!

Q: What do you love the most about your job? What are you most proud of?

Chad: I love the ability to help make a positive impact in someone’s life by helping them realize their full potential. Through both our workforce development programs and our technology innovation, we are helping the future water worker to have the skills necessary to make an excellent career.

Q: What advice would you give to someone considering this line of work or new to the field?

Chad: If you’re considering the water industry, start today! Whether you are new to the industry or considering the water industry as a career, your future begins today! I have never met anyone who has regretted being a part of the water industry. there are so many opportunities even beyond plant operation or maintenance. Any choice you make will be very rewarding and you always have the option to try something new as you progress through your career.

Q: Can you talk about a project you recently worked on?

Chad: Recently I have been working on a project that is designed to help train and equip the next generation of the water industry! we currently have more individuals retiring and leaving the industry than we have entering. This project is two-fold and aimed at both high school seniors, and those who have already graduated. This program promotes the industry, interviews interested candidates to see the best fit, and then trains them through a combination of classroom, online, and hands on training. This program is designed to fully equip individuals to not only obtain certification, but also have experience that will make them beneficial on day one of employment.

Q: Anything Else you would like to add?

Chad: I am very excited about the opportunities that are available with The Water Tower. If you are in the water industry, reach out to discover how we can help you grow and advance in your career. If you are not in the industry, reach out to discover al of the exciting career opportunities that exist. We also have exciting opportunities to demonstrate technologies, perform advanced research or host your next event!