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This article originally appeared in Calfiornia Special Districts magazine, November-December 2024.

By Kristin Withrow, CSDA Communications Specialist

When you graduated from high school, did you have a career path in mind? And are you on that path to this day? For most people, the answer will be no. Perhaps even a resounding ‘No Way!’ There is an enormous variety of career potential in special districts, yet when younger employees start a job at a district, it’s often something they stumble upon by happenstance. With districts placing emphasis on succession planning and adapting to technological innovation, it is imperative that the younger generation is included in outreach efforts.

At Contra Costa Water District (CCWD), General Manager Rachel Murphy has several lines of outreach they’ve developed to set the stage for a workforce pipeline for students to learn about career opportunities in the water industry.

“We have programs focused on reaching students in community colleges as well as students that are in four-year or advanced degree programs with the intent to get students excited at an earlier age about the water industry and thinking about careers in water,” she explained.

One of their newer programs just completed its second summer, with high school interns through Biotech Partners (BP) participating in a six-week program spanning all aspects of employment roles at CCWD. Locally, BP is collaborating with the City of Antioch and Antioch High School to provide students with academic, personal and professional development opportunities. CCWD is one of BP’s industry partners providing hands on experience for students by working closely with CCWD staff to learn about everything from administrative through technical and field roles.

“Key to creating a lasting program is supporting the connections between employees and the students which fosters a very positive experience for all involved,” she said.

Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) Director of Human Resources Rebecca Christopher is overseeing similar efforts with their partnership with Elsinore Unified School District to provide insight into careers in water for current high school students in the area.

Their program also includes hands-on learning from each department in the district. In addition, they’ve developed career pathways that include position descriptions, lists of qualifications such as certifications and technical training, and even includes information about where students can attain those qualifications.

“We consider the program a community business partnership program with a job placement component,” explained Christopher. “The last week of the program will include a class on how to perform well in a job interview.”

Pursuing a different path of elevating workers withing the district, EVMWD recently received a grant for $150,000 for a two-year academy focused on advancing opportunities for women in the water and energy industry. The district’s full staff is comprised of a mix of 67% male workers to 33% female overall; however, when they break the data out across departments they see women drastically underrepresented in the water and wastewater field staff at just 4%.

Their new Women in Water Academy seeks to bring more balance to the district by providing opportunity for women to build confidence by learning within a cohort of 12 women already working for the district in various capacities. From learning about each other’s experiences, being supported and building skills and confidence, the district anticipates the investment will pay off in employee retention and growth in leadership.

“It’s also my hope that individuals in the group will be encouraged to apply for promotions, to have confidence to go for the training they need to climb to their next level,” said Christopher. 

One of their first opportunities as a group was to attend the Association of Women in Water, Energy and Environment (AWWEE) conference in San Diego in September. The association is focused on providing mentoring, networking, education and professional development specifically for women in the traditionally male-dominated fields.

According to a report by the California Legislative Analyst’s Office, public sector retirements are accelerating, with some departments already facing difficulties filling key positions. Many public sector leadership roles are filled by employees of the baby boom generation (born 1946-1964). As the remainder of that wave retires, public agencies must begin now to backfill future openings with the next generation of the workforce.

Agencies that develop partnerships with their local school districts and colleges to raise awareness and understanding of the variety of careers available, the stability of public sector work as a career and the satisfaction and fulfillment that comes with providing essential services to their community, will be prepared to handle the coming retirement wave. Additionally, by expanding their outreach now, the present-day intern will become a future worker who benefits from the mentorship and knowledge transfer provided by interacting with those workers who have devoted years to their careers in public service.