PERRIS – Water is a precious resource. So, as it turns out, are workers in the water industry.Across the nation, the water business is facing a major workforce shortage, with nearly half of current employees eligible to retire in the next five years.Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) is working to address the crisis by creating a career pipeline through schools and temporary employment programs.EMWD’s Youth Ecology Corps (YEC) provides young adults with short-term opportunities to work part-time at the water district. In partnership with the Riverside County Workforce Investment Board, EMWD has hosted the program for more than a decade, instructing hundreds of 18-to 24-year-olds.Gracie Valencia is one of them. More accurately, she was one of them, as she's now a fu
