Apprenticeships & Internships

Apprentice Welding Piping Unit Hinds

Apprenticeship & Internship Programs

Opening Doors

The apprentice-to-employee pipeline is real at Metropolitan. Apprentices who complete Metropolitan’s four-and-a-half-year program (which includes a six-month probation period) earn a journey level certificate, 26 hours of college credit applicable toward an associate degree, and an offer of full-time employment at Metropolitan. The program, geared for mechanical and electrical operations technicians, uses a combination of on-the-job experiences, classroom instruction and home study. It is certified by the state of California and overseen by a joint group of Metropolitan managers and labor representatives. It’s considered to be a model apprenticeship program. The truth behind that statement is found in the stories of dozens of employees throughout the organization who began in the apprenticeship program and built on their careers at Metropolitan.

Current Internship Opportunities 

Metropolitan is currently hiring for our Engineering Co-Op internship program. Our internship program is designed to enhance students’ academic curriculum along with work experience. Learn more about our internship program.

Program Eligibility for Internship

  • Enrolled in an accredited four-year BS engineering program with a minimum overall GPA of 2.5
  • Sophomore, junior, or early senior status
  • Completion of at least one year of satisfactory study in engineering and relevant course work
  • Eligible to work in the U.S. 
The Pre-Apprentice Program

The Pre-Apprentice Program

A six-month pre-apprentice training period must be completed to participate in the four-year Apprenticeship Program. Participants perform trade and non-trade duties in general maintenance and general labor. You might assist in operations and maintenance tasks at pumping plants, treatment plants and in the distribution system. You also may learn and use basic tools and techniques, or operate a motor vehicle that includes a pickup truck, forklift or other light equipment, as required.  

Training as an Apprentice

The four-year program is eight periods, each with a minimum of 910 hours, or about six months, of instruction and on-the-job training. Field training is with a journey-level employee who is a qualified apprenticeship instructor. For every hour of classroom study there are about two hours of home study completed on the apprentices’ own time, outside of work hours. Classroom training typically takes place at the Apprenticeship Training Center at Diamond Valley Lake, near the city of Hemet.

Apprentices are eligible for advancement with a pay increase at the end of each period providing they maintain a passing grade of 70 percent or higher on exams and meet the standards of performance in their field work.

The application period for the program has been postponed. Please check back for updates.

Here's more information about Metropolitan's Apprenticeship Program. 

Training as an Apprentice

Here’s an Overview of Apprentice Work Scopes:

Install, maintain and repair mechanical equipment and piping systems related to water treatment plants, pumping plants and other facilities throughout the distribution system. This equipment includes pumps, valves, mechanical drives, water filtration systems and chemical feed systems.

 

List of Potential Work Locations

Install, maintain, troubleshoot and repair industrial electrical equipment and systems. This includes pumps, motors, motor controls, transformers, circuit breakers, electrically operated valves, switchgear, speed drives, programmable logic controllers, emergency generator systems, power system and lighting systems.

 

Metropolitan Coursework

Workers Working
Workers Positioning Structure
Workers Lowering Structure
Workers in Car Tunnel
Worker in Work Machine
Worker in Cage
Worker at Tunnel

An Insider’s View: Metropolitan’s Internship Program 

Metropolitan’s internship program is companywide. The experience is hands-on and multi-faceted.  Some of the tasks that interns might be involved with are: 

  • Participating on project teams
  • Assisting with planning, conducting studies and research, data acquisition
  • Preparing summary documents and reports
  • Collecting and analyzing statistical data, generating and maintaining records and report findings, and making recommendations
  • Helping to prepare educational materials, contribute to web and social media content, and archiving historical images 

Specialized Internships: A Co-Op Program with Engineering & Water Quality

Paid internships are designed to enhance students’ academic curriculum with hands-on experience and mentoring during their internship. Participants may work at Metropolitan’s downtown headquarters and other district sites. Interns will work full-time during the summer (144 hours/month), and part- time (up to 20 hours/week) during the academic year.

To ensure school credit is provided, Metropolitan partners with Cal Poly Pomona to administer these internships.

View our internship positions for July 1, 2024 - March 28, 2025. Application deadline will close on February 12, 2024, by 5:00 p.m.

Learn more by reading our announcement.
View our flyer.
Download our Interview Availability Form.
Download our Position of Interest Form.

Questions: Email Linda Skinner

 

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Students typically begin the Co-Op program in their sophomore or junior year and can work through graduation. The program is year-round and takes place at our Weymouth Water Treatment Plant in La Verne. To ensure school credit is provided, Metropolitan partners with Cal Poly Pomona to administer this internship. To find out more enrollment information, visit the Cal Poly Pomona webpage. You also can email for more information.