Oceanna Hunter is a Water and Environmental Technology major. Throughout the summer of 2026, she’s been working as a Water Authority Intern with Dover Township Water Authority, gaining hands-on experience in her field. Oceanna is applying the knowledge she gained in the classroom, while learning more about the field she’s going into upon graduation.
We asked Oceanna to share about her experience and how it’s shaping her understanding of the field.
How did you find out about your work experience?
I learned about my in-field work experience by calling Dover Township Water Authority and asking if they were taking interns.
What does your day-to-day look like at work?
I typically arrive around 6:40 a.m. so I have time to change into my work clothes and walk to the control building. After setting my things down and putting my lunchbox in the fridge, I get to my office chair around 7:00 to help fill out the SCADA portion of the daily sheet and logbook. At the same time, my boss and the operators decide the plan for the day, as well as who’s working with whom. About 20 minutes later, we split up to complete the daily checks around the plant and start maintenance projects. Around 9:00, I take a break and hand in the completed daily check sheet to my boss. The rest of the morning is spent on additional maintenance work before taking lunch at 11:00, which is then followed by final maintenance work and checking the composite samples. These have to be logged properly before I head back to the main building at 2:30 p.m. so that I can shower and change back into my regular clothes. I usually head home around 3:00.
What is something you were surprised to learn in your time working?
I was surprised to learn how laid back the job of an operator is. It’s completely different than working in customer service.
What’s been something challenging about your in-field work experience?
The biggest challenge is learning the daily pattern and earning the trust of the operators, so they’d allow me to do more things.
What has been the best thing about your in-field work experience?
The best thing about my in-field work experience is learning how to do the mechanical side of the job and gaining experience time towards my operator’s license.
Tell me a story about something that happened one day as part of your time working in the field?
The other day, the RAS #2 building was overheating the electrical equipment. The boss had us install standing AC units there to help cool it down. To install them properly, we had to run ductwork from the unit to the exhaust fan on the ceiling. One operator, Jeff, was up on a ladder attaching the ductwork to the fan grate, and another operator, Cris, and I were on the ground holding it in place, passing Jeff parts. The duct was hot, so Jeff started a joke by saying, “death by …” Then Cris piped up, “exhaustion!” We all lost it and started laughing so hard. At Dover, we make boring tasks fun.
Would you recommend seeking out an in-field work experience to other students at TSCT? Why or why not?
Definitely! In-field work experience gives you the chance to see what the job’s really like. Especially for my field, you get to learn what aspects of water treatment you like and which ones you don’t. This information gives you a better idea of which sector of water you’d like to end up working in when you graduate.
How do you think this experience will help you in your future?
This experience has helped my future already because they offered me a position at the plant full-time after I graduate. Which means, they’ll pay me to get and keep a CDL and my operator’s license.