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The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) promoted a program to help Native Americans train for professional careers in water resource development
and management. BIA, in cooperation with the College of Engineering at New
Mexico State University (NMSU) in Las Cruces, New Mexico, conducted a Water
Resources Technician Training Program for Native Americans as entry-level water
resource technicians. The program provides job-skills training to help
alleviate the shortage of Native Americans in technical fields like water
resource development and management, and to enable the Tribes to move toward
self-sufficiency and economic growth through better management and utilization
of natural resources on their reservation lands. With assistance from the BIA, Native American students came from all over the United States to participate in the program. Highly complex topics dealing with water biology, hydropower, watershed monitoring and management, wastewater treatment, water rights, etc., were presented in a non-technical manner by a team of highly qualified technical experts. In addition to New Mexico State University teachers, water experts came from federal agencies associated with distribution, use, and preservation of this Nation's water resources: Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), Office of Surface Mining (OSM), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The students received hands-on training using using state of the art technology and equipment. The intensive training (four 6-day weeks of 8 hour days) included lectures, problem solving, development of computer skills, field exercises and tour of water facilities. Upon completion of the training program, the rewards include self-sufficiency, 4 college credits, and funding from the BIA for one year of on-the-job credits, and funding from the BIA for one year of on-the-job training through their Tribal government. Several students have shown interest in the field of water resources, and now, comfortable with a college environment, elect to continue their education.
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