New Hawaiʻi Community College program training growing wastewater workforce

Hawaiʻi Community College on the Big Island and University of Hawaiʻi Maui College are preparing the workforce needed as demand increases to help Hawaiʻi eliminate more than 83,000 cesspools by 2050, launching the Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Specialist Certificate.

It’s a 1-year program that gets students ready for careers in cesspool conversion and sustainable wastewater installation.

Applications are being accepted now for the August 2026 cohort. Financial assistance is available.

The 23-credit certificate builds the local workforce vital for protecting Hawai‘i’s environment and public health, combining coursework in design, construction and sustainability with experiential learning.

Student Marina Kukso hopes to join the wastewater industry after she completes the program, so the new certificate has been the perfect springboard for her to fulfill her goals.

“I really enjoy the mix of theoretical and practical information that the course provides,” said Kukso in a release about the new certificate program. “We’ve learned about how various wastewater treatment systems operate, and also have had many opportunities to learn from professionals in the field, and visit various facilities.”

Recent flooding highlighted the vulnerabilities of aging infrastructure and underscored the urgent need for skilled professionals to replace systems and meet the 2050 mandate.

“The cesspool issue is complex, and will require a multitude of different stakeholders working together to find solutions,” said Hawai‘i Community College instructor and project coordinator Charlotte Cheek in the release. “The certificate was created in response to the growing need for more wastewater professionals in our communities. The courses educate students about the issues and solutions and connect them with wastewater professionals all over Hawaiʻi.”

Email Cheek at cheekc@hawaii.edu or visit the Hawaiʻi Community College website for additional information.