Water Environment Federation Continuing Education Program

The Water Environment Federation appreciates your interest in our growing Continuing Education Program. We are pleased to offer continuing education certificates and transcripts to those who participate in our educational programs.

Continuing Education Program Overview

WEF and its global network of Member Associations (MAs) help provide water quality Professionals with the latest in water quality education and training. WEF's diverse membership includes engineers, scientists, regulators, academics, plant managers and operators, and other professionals working in the United States and around the world.

WEF follows IACET guidelines along with state-specific regulations to achieve strict policies and procedures regarding its Continuing Education Program. WEF is a founding member of the Association of Boards of Certification (ABC) and retains a seat on its Board of Trustees. WEF has received approval in every state for educational events ranging from our annual conference, WEFTEC®, to products available through our distance learning program.

We have also achieved additional approvals for WEF events by the APA (American Planning Association), The Florida Board of Professional Engineers, and the New York State Department of Education. WEF offers:

Between 12 and 20 multiday Specialty Conferences and Seminars annually
WEFTEC, the world’s largest annual water quality Technical Conference and Educational Exhibition, hosting nearly 20,000 attendees
A series of annual Water Sector Security Workshops since 2002 through EPA and DHS grants
20 webcasts each year on various water quality topics
14 interactive courses available through our Distance Learning Program (Web based training)

WEF’s diverse Educational Program is open to both members and non members and each event is attended by a national and international audience.

Average annual attendance for WEF educational events totals approximately 28,000
WEF distributes nearly 10,000 CEU & PDH certificates and transcripts each year

Additional Information

WEF offers Continuing Education credits for successful completion of its training programs, workshops, and seminars in the water-quality field. Both members and non-members can choose from self-paced and classroom courses for entry and advanced-level training; interactive and online training courses for wastewater operators; and a variety of self-study training materials in print and electronic format.

Certification Agency Contact Information

The Association of Boards of Certification’s (ABC) compilation of U.S. state and Canadian province contacts - includes name, address, phone, fax, email, and web site addresses. Access your state or province’s web site to review existing regulations for Wastewater Operator certification.

Disclaimer

WEF calculates education credits following a standardized method that is widely accepted by many certification and licensing agencies. However, many states differ in the type and/or number of credits they will approve for educational events. Because of this, participants are responsible for exploring their state requirements and for ensuring that WEFTEC credits are accepted. WEF applies for approval in many states, and will be happy to work with individuals and Member Association on additional state approvals upon request.

How does this pertain to me?

Recently there has been an increased focus on continuing education programs for licensed professionals. In addition to furthering your education, these programs provide opportunities to get involved and gain knowledge of technical advances in your field, and in many cases are required in order to renew licenses or certifications.

How can I earn these credits?

All WEF events require some form of registration, whether it be pre-registration or onsite. Once you have signed up for an event you will be given directions for tracking your participation for continuing education.

WEFTEC and Specialty Conferences - In order to receive educational credits an attendee must scan their badge when entering and exiting workshops, technical session, facility tours and the exhibit hall. A badge will be supplied to each attendee at the registration or sign in counter onsite.
Seminars – Individuals are required to fill out a Continuing Education Request Form on site and have a Room Monitor stamp each workshop, technical session and facility tour as they enter and exit those sessions. A Continuing Education Request Form will be supplied to each attendee at the registration or sign in counter onsite.
Webcasts – A certificate with recommended PDHs (1.5-2 for most technical webcasts) can be obtained for participation in a webcast. Users are responsible for contacting their accrediting body to determine if they are eligible to receive these training credits. Webcast attendees will receive PDH instructions within 24 hours after a webcast has ended.
Distance Learning Products – These are self contained training tools with testing and grading components built in. Upon successful completion a user will receive a certificate with recommended PDHs. 13 courses are pre-approved in 12 states. For a full list please visit knowledgecenter.wef.org/credits.

Certificates and detailed Transcripts will be emailed to participants within 8-10 weeks of each training event. All attendance and continuing education participation files are kept by WEF for a minimum of 7 years and can be supplied to attendees and state approval boards upon request.

Educational Credits will not be recorded and documentation will not be distributed unless the attendee is a confirmed registrant of the event and the session information and attendance verification are complete as indicated in the directions provided.

What types of educational credits are available?

WEF offers continuing education units (CEUs), professional development hours (PDHs), and general contact hours as part of our large selection of training events and products. Credits can be attained by participating in training events such as; WEFTEC, Specialty Conferences and Seminars. Credits may also be earned by participating in Webcasts and utilizing training products available through our Distance Learning Program.

CEUs — One CEU is the equivalent to 10 clock hours of training or formal instruction. These are distributed for structured, relevant professional training above and beyond that of initial certification or employment in a particular field. The CEU calculation does not include time spent during breaks, meals, meetings or social activities. Most states use the CEU or a variation of this measure for water and wastewater operator license renewal and maintenance. WEF offers CEUs for full participation in workshops and for products available within the Distance Learning Program. Workshops are held as full and half day sessions in a classroom setting conducted by industry-leading professionals. These sessions are most often delivered as part of WEFTEC, Specialty Conferences and Seminars.
PDHs — A PDH is typically defined as one clock hour that is spent engaged in an activity that contributes to the advancement or enhancement of the professional skills or scientific knowledge of a professional engineer. The PDH is the most widely accepted unit of continuing education measurement for Professional Engineer license renewal and maintenance. WEF offers PDHs for participation in technical sessions held during conferences and for webcasts. These sessions cover diverse topics ranging from the fundamentals to research so there is something for everyone.
General contact hours — A contact hour is defined as one clock hour spent engaged in an activity that can contribute to the professional skills of the participant. These are given for time spent visiting the exhibition or participating in facility tours. Exhibitions provide the opportunity to see the newest developments in water and wastewater technology and get firsthand demonstrations from industry experts.