| AWWA Career Zone: How to appeal to the next generation water workforce
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AWWA Career Zone: How to appeal to the next generation water workforce

The following is an excerpt from an article written by Todd Helms, senior vice president of human resources, Mueller Water Products.

Many water sector organizations, including Mueller, are facing the retirement of a large portion of water professionals who possess a vast knowledge of water infrastructure and the water distribution network. 

Career Zone with Todd Helms, Mueller Water ProductsMuch of the next generation workforce is comprised of people who are very tech-savvy, entrepreneurial and highly capable of multi-tasking. They seek to have their ideas heard and valued and may prefer to work at their own schedule. 

Attracting them to a career in water, especially in today’s competitive market, requires that we recognize what they prioritize in a career, a company and a workplace. Below are some suggestions for how your organization can appeal to the future workforce.

  • Emphasize a positive organizational culture. Clearly define your unique purpose and values and demonstrate them in your engagement with employees and commitment to workplace diversity and inclusion.
  • Adopt digital capabilities. Technology is intuitive to the next generation of workforce and viewed as an essential tool, such as real-time technology and smart monitoring networks. The water sector needs to be seen as quickly adopting technology, rather than slow to adapt to change.
  • Ensure knowledge transfer. Before a large segment of water professionals leaves, their legacy knowledge must be captured and digitized to pass on to the next generation. It is imperative to record institutional knowledge through a disciplined practice of documentation.
  • Consider flexible work. To recruit the best and brightest talent from this generation, which prefers to integrate work around their lifestyle, the water sector must be willing to create roles with more flexibility.
  • Water’s advantage. Our sector has a unique opportunity to appeal to the next generation by highlighting the life-changing work that we’re proud to do. Pursuing a career in water really is inspiring, whether it’s reducing water waste, creating fresh water, or expanding potable supplies in different regions around the world. 

Mueller Water Products has been a service provider member of AWWA since 1882.
 

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