Surprise teams with community college for water careers

The city of Surprise has partnered with GateWay Community College to offer scholarships for those interested in starting a career in water.

For the upcoming fall semester, beginning in August, GateWay will provide scholarship funding for up to 10 applicants.

To be eligible for these scholarships, applicants must be either Surprise residents, city of Surprise employees or Luke Air Force Base employees. These scholarships are available to full-time or part-time students and will fund student tuition and associated fees per semester.

Students can pursue an associate in applied science in environmental science and water resources technologies or earn a Certificate of Completion in water and wastewater treatment or environmental science technology.

GateWay is the only college in Arizona offering specialized degrees and certificates in water, wastewater treatment and water resources technologies. This scholarship allows students interested in a water career to start their bachelor’s degree with significant savings. Additionally, students can transfer credits they earn to a state university.

Through this partnership, classes are held at the Surprise-GateWay Training Facility near the city’s wastewater treatment facility. This proximity allows students to gain hands-on experience while learning more about the career opportunities in water and wastewater with the city of Surprise.

Anyone interested in the scholarships must apply directly through GateWay Community College. The city will not choose the scholarship recipients or administer the funding.

For program details, qualifications and application information, visit surpriseaz.gov/scholarships.