Aquatic Restoration Training and Certification Course v3.0

I feel that this training can prove to be invaluable for those, like myself, who have little to no experience in this area. I found the elements related to safety as well as what is restoration to be particularly helpful.

I think this training will help further my education and training in the future of restoration and outdoor fieldwork. I think the principles learned here will be valuable for any future jobs.

Real-world, practical advice was given. It gave me the baseline knowledge and certification I need to be successful as a young professional. I really like how we get a certification and the EcoBlu Analyst resource

Before taking the WitW class, I had no idea there were so many restoration jobs available. Earning the WitW certification inspired me to seek out more environmental training

It’s a necessity if you want to move forward in this profession.

Participating in the WitW training helped me get a better understanding about the whole process of ecological restoration and the importance of taking care of nature. I’m looking forward to the Level 2 training where I can put all my newly acquired skills to use!

Trout Headwaters has developed a truly unique training for the Conservation Corps world. We now have the ability to get our wading boots on the ground with confidence.

This training is valuable in its resources for future training by people who have taken this course to their employees. This is a good base to have established for the Corps Network so that crew leaders and project managers can relay information to crew members without there being a large gap in the fundamental understanding of what wetland restoration is trying to accomplish.

After going through the certification program I am really excited by the opportunities the certification would open up for our Citizens Conservation Corps of West Virginia (CCCWV) crew members, and AmeriCorps members, once they leave our program. There are numerous job opportunities that they would qualify for. The southern part of West Virginia has a very high unemployment rate that is increasing weekly from the numerous mine closings and related jobs. If our youth, and unemployed miners, were trained in ecological restoration they would be able to go directly into a field of work that would help restore the land/waters that mining, timbering, etc. has degraded over the last 100 years. This training would also provide a valuable skill for our AmeriCorps members who are involved in environmental stewardship at Twin Branch. They constantly deal with erosion and water quality degradation problems while building hiking trails, habitat enhancements, and stream monitoring and cleanups.

I think the training/certification gives our partners and potential partners more confidence that we're serious about restoration work and that we can be a trusted source for their restoration implementation plans.

The THI online training is a cost-effective training to Conservation Corps that provides a great background of the industry, important safety protocol knowledge, and a basic understanding of effective methods in biostabilization.

This training was great in teaching the principles of responsible ecology and the benefits of environmental restoration with an emphasis on safe practices.

“So many folks living in rural Arkansas, and other communities throughout the US that struggle with crippling high unemployment, could really benefit from this training,” reflected Abbey. “These folks would not only become better job candidates for organizations and companies restoring lands and waters, but they would also improve their lives, the lives of their families, and their communities, for many years to come.”

The Waders in the Water green jobs training program has enabled our corps to work on projects that require minimal preparation while producing maximum impact. Local conservation agencies have been more eager to partner with us since learning we’ve earned a national, third-party aquatic restoration certification from Trout Headwaters, Inc. They told us there’s never been a shortage of project work, only a shortage of trained workers. This training and certification has addressed that issue, allowing us to provide qualified, competent, and informed candidates to work on these important ecological projects.

“Our corps members are much more confident since their training” Susan observed. “Without it, I doubt our crew leaders would have felt comfortable enough to pursue the partnerships we are now involved in”