X-Cel Conservation Corps’ program model includes an academic component as well as a hands-on work experience component and program participants receive a paid stipend for their participation in both components. The program is ten weeks long and there are 3 cycles each year: Spring, Summer and Fall. XCC/Boston program participants attend programming on Thursdays and Fridays, as well as completing on-line practice questions during the week. XCC/Massachusetts program participants attend programming on Mondays and Tuesdays, as well as completing on-line practice questions during the week
Work Experience Component
The work experience component happens on Thursdays for XCC/Boston and Mondays for XCC/Massachusetts. These are full-day work projects. Program participants work as a team to complete various water conservation work projects outdoors. These work projects are designed in partnership with local environmental organizations or companies with expertise in the field of water conservation, such as Charles River Watershed Association, Neponset River Watershed Association and Horsley Witten Group. Training is provided by staff from our environmental organization partners. During the work projects, program participants develop and improve workforce-readiness skills which are sought after by employers in the field and they gain hands-on experience with tasks and skills they will be utilizing as wastewater operators. An example is the skill of being observant. Plant managers have explained to us that one of the most important skills they are looking for in wastewater operators is the skill of being observant, noticing when a pump may be making an unusual noise or wastewater level in a tank is not normal, so that action can be taken to correct the situation before more serious problems develop. So, on work projects participants are asked to observe and record conditions around them, and analyze those conditions to help them develop their observation skills.
Academic Component
The academic component happens on Fridays for XCC/Boston and Tuesdays for XCC/Massachusetts. Each week program participants attend an in-person class taught by XCC staff members which prepares them to take and pass the Massachusetts Grade 3 Municipal Wastewater Operator license exam. Each participant is enrolled in a Google Classroom wastewater class. Immediately following the in-person class, a video of the same class is released on Google Classroom so all participants can view the video of the class on their phone or computer 24/7, so they can review any portions of the lesson they need to see again. Also, during the week, program participants are expected to complete several sets of practice questions which are released in Google Classroom. These practice questions are in the same multiple-choice format as the license exam will be. Each Friday they also take a cumulative test on all the material taught in the class the previous weeks.
Paid Stipend
X-Cel Conservation Corps participants are paid stipends during their participation in the ten-week program. Their stipends are based on twenty-hours/week and minimum wage of $15.00/hour. (20 X $15.00 = $300/week) Program participants are paid half of their weekly pay for participating in the weekly water conservation work project, usually outdoors, which takes place each Thursday. They receive the second half of their weekly stipend if they pass the weekly test from the wastewater operator classes with a score of 80% correct or higher. For the first four weeks, participants are given an opportunity for individualized tutoring and a re-test to earn their full stipend if they do not pass Friday’s weekly test with at least an 80%. Participants who do not own a vehicle when they enroll in the program are required to allow us to hold back 50% of their stipend throughout the program. They then receive the saved amount at the end of the program, and if they have a valid driver’s license, obtain their MA Grade 3M wastewater operator license and if they are committed to obtaining a wastewater operator position, they may be eligible for an additional grant to put together with their saved stipend income to purchase a used vehicle to commute to their wastewater operator job.
Licensure & Job Placement
Upon completion of the program, participants are given a 100-question multiple-choice final test to determine readiness to take the MA Grade 3M wastewater operator license exam. Participants who obtain a score of 80% correct or higher are registered for the state license exam with costs covered by XCC. Each participant who obtains their MA Grade 3M wastewater operator license, has a valid driver’s license, is able to obtain a vehicle, and desires to enter the wastewater treatment field, receives individualized job placement assistance. XCC has strong partnerships with several employer partners who work closely with XCC staff to fill open positions at wastewater treatment plants throughout eastern Massachusetts. You can click on the “Career Placements and Employer Partners “ tab to view our current total job placements and companies XCC graduates have been placed with.
Alumni Support
XCC’s goal is for our graduates to be placed into well-paying careers that offer career advancement. To ensure that we accomplish that goal, XCC provides continual support to XCC graduates long after they are placed in their first wastewater operator position. XCC staff offer classes for graduates to prepare for higher level wastewater operator licenses or drinking water treatment licenses, which open the door to many more positions with more responsibility and higher pay. In addition to that, XCC holds two alumni events each year, where all XCC graduates are invited to meet, network, and learn from each other and guest speakers from the field, so they have the information and connections they need to continue to advance in the field.