Oversight Committee

Oversight Committee

About the Oversight Committee

The Clean Water Certificate (CWC) Training Program for Workforce Development is a nationally accredited certificate program of the Center for Watershed Protection, Inc. (CWP), preparing entry-level workers for careers maintaining stormwater management practices and green infrastructure. Guidance from the oversight committee helps to maintain an industry recognized certificate that employers trust – shaped by the employers who hire certificate holders, the trainers who deliver the curriculum, and the workforce programs/organizations that connect participants to these careers.

Established is 2017, this volunteer advisory group brings together professionals from across the stormwater and workforce development landscape to keep the certificate current, relevant, and valuable to the people who hold certificates and the organizations that hire them. Committee members shape how the program evolves: course content, learner evaluation, and how the program adapts to the changing needs of the industry. The Oversight Committee is the cornerstone of the program’s national accreditation, held under ANSI/ASTM E265, which requires that an active representative advisory group guides the program.

Why Join

Serving on the Committee is a direct way to influence the way entry-level stormwater workforce is prepared to meet the demands of the industry.

  • Voice in the CWC Program direction. Committee input drives curriculum changes, assessment revisions, and performance objectives of the current program. They provide guidance on the growth of future iterations that benefit the evolving needs of our industry.
  • Connections across the industry. The committee brings together a cross-section of employers, trainers, local government, and workforce programs to work together on filling the gaps of our stormwater workforce. (future link to Lit Review)
  • Insight on the pulse of the CWC Program. Committee Members review the annual program evaluation and weigh in on new directions for the Program; from strategies on program development and new curriculum to geographic expansion.

Who Should Join

Members represent one or more of the following groups, bringing national perspectives from across the stormwater and workforce development sectors:

  • Industry / Employer: Hiring managers and business owners in stormwater maintenance, landscape, ecological services, and related fields
  • Workforce Development: Staff at programs that train and place unemployed and underemployed adults seeking living-wage employment
  • Local Government / Community: Public sector staff working on stormwater management, MS4 programs, or community job-readiness initiatives
  • Outsourced Trainer: Partner organizations licensed to deliver the CWC curriculum in their region
  • Youth Engagement: Staff at programs building early career pathways into the industry

What Members Do

Committee members serve as both advisors and reviewers who:

  • Review the program annually, weighing in on findings from the program evaluation, internal audit, and management review.
  • Advise on the core elements of the certificate, including target audience, purpose, scope, prerequisites, learning outcomes, instructional design, and assessment.
  • Vote on substantive program decisions, such as curriculum changes and assessment revisions. Votes happen with a quorum in a virtual meeting setting and through a written comment period where members can respond at their convenience via email.
    • A quorum with a 2/3 voting majority of the roster is required to implement program updates. If a quorum is not reached, or the item for review is not substantive, a comment period may be opened. Members may review materials and respond by email at their convenience within the 30-day comment period.
    • During development of new curriculum, CWP staff will convene a minimum of four (4) Committee or Sub-Committee meetings prior to the curriculum becoming a permanent component of the program.
  • Represent interests of their stakeholder group, bringing field-level perspective on what's working, what's not, and where the program needs to go.
  • Optionally, join focused sub-committees to work on areas of the program under improvement.

Time Commitment

We keep our volunteer asks reasonable and respectful of members' time. For most members, total time commitment is roughly 5 - 7 hours per year.

  • One required meeting: the CWC Annual Program Review which is held virtually each November to review the year's program evaluation, audit findings, and management review outputs.
  • Occasional input as needed: short surveys, written comment periods, individual strategy meetings, or focused review requests.
  • Optional extras: subcommittee work and quarterly Instructor Network meetings. Committee Members will also receive our Instructor Newsletters and may weigh in on content as interested.

There is no required term of service, no dues, and no travel. All meetings are held virtual. Members are welcome to step back at any time, and we periodically survey our roster to keep representation balanced.

Ready to get involved?

Contact the CWC Program Manager, kme@cwp.org to learn more about joining the Oversight Committee.


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