Pump Industry Fundamentals Body of Knowledge

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “one of the major challenges facing our nation is the critical and unprecedented staff shortage in the water workforce that operates and maintains our essential drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

Category: Blogs, PSM Newsletter April 21, 2023

Defining What Pump Industry Professionals Need to Know: Pump Industry Fundamentals Body of Knowledge

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “one of the major challenges facing our nation is the critical and unprecedented staff shortage in the water workforce that operates and maintains our essential drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. In the next five to ten years, water sector workers will be eligible to retire at levels that will stress our ability to operate this critical infrastructure.” Sometimes referred to as the silver tsunami, this challenge leaves many organizations struggling to attract a qualified talent.

The overall dynamics of pumping systems and understanding how pumps work is essential for many water professionals. Operators, reliability engineers and facility managers all require basic knowledge about how pumping systems can be operated to endure reliability and efficiency. As the workforce wave passes over the pump industry, new resources are needed to help on-board and train the incoming stream of workers.

Understanding the knowledge requirements for different jobs – and where to go to find that information – is an important first step. The Hydraulic Institute’s Pump Industry Fundamentals Body of Knowledge (BOK) does just that. The BOK, available as a free download, defines what pump industry professionals need to know as knowledge requirements, or learning outcomes that cover the basics. In a detailed appendix that is organized by job titles, it can provide a roadmap for on-boarding and training employees who are new to fluid handling.

Finally, while the BOK does not provide training, it does point to different training materials, guidebooks or standards that can be found in HI’s vast library of pump resources. Building on the importance of the BOK, HI is working with industry experts to develop specific training modules based on the different learning outcomes. HI is also mapping the knowledge requirements into an entry-level certification program to prepare and potentially qualify new hires.

Download the BOK for free!

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