The Millennial Workforce in Water and Wastewater Utilities

May 20, 2019 | Denver, CO ::

0519-millennials-water

The water industry is transforming to a smarter, more automated industry through investment, new technologies, intelligent networks, system upgrades and changing water management. It’s an exciting time within the industry that requires a new workforce to drive changes as Baby Boomers retire, taking their knowledge and experience with them.

However, key findings show that skilled labor shortages are intensifying and broadly affecting industries across the board, and the water industry is not immune. *

Presently, the industry is 95% male, the average employee is a 45 years old Gen X-er, white and earns an average annual salary of $48,700. **

This can deter top Millennial talent who desire workplace diversity, generous starting salaries to offset student loans, fast-tracked career advancement, mobility platforms for working digitally, and the prestige of working for a well-known brand.

Like other infrastructure industries (Power and Energy), Millennials are unaware of the benefits of a career in the water industry, the exciting job opportunities available, or how the industry contributes to their core values – Sustainability and Entrepreneurship.

Join us in this hands-on, numbers-driven, how-to, walk-out-with-a-plan course for:

• Water and wastewater utility executives and operational managers
• Water industry product and service providers
• Public Works directors
• Engineers and project managers
• Public officials
• Human Resource professionals
• Municipal utility communications specialists

* FMI’s 2017 Talent Development Study: https://www.fminet.com/special-reports/2017-talent-development-study/
** https://datausa.io/profile/soc/518031/

Learning Outcomes

Learning objectives include:

• Identifying the breadth and depth of water / wastewater industry opportunities and challenges and how they impact attracting (or not attracting) the Millennial workforce
• Identifying the skills needed for intelligent water networks, mobile asset management, Big Data and Internet of Things (IoT)
• Discussing who the Millennial generation is, how they view careers, how they differ from Baby Boomers and Gen X employees and why your jobs are not on their radar
• Identifying how the war for Gen X and Millennial talent will skew operating costs, CAPEX projections and infrastructure investments (i.e. –3 key employees can cost you $1.5M to replace)
• What to Do Now: Learn 5 actions you must do in 2019 to attract and retain Millennials employees, including what other infrastructure industries are doing to attract and retain Millennials
• Knowing how to communicate Millennial workforce value, needs and costs to public entities, decision makers, senior executives and rate payers

 

You will leave this course a thought leader, influencer and go-to source for guiding your utility or company through Millennial issues and decisions.

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 1.1 CEUs for this event.

Instructional Methods

Case studies, PowerPoint presentations and group discussion will be used in this event.

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must sign in/out each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the course to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Monday, May 20, 2019

8:00 – 8:30 am :: Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 8:45 am :: Welcome and Introductions of Instructor and Attendees

8:45 – 9:00 am :: Course Learning Objectives & Outcomes Outlined

9:00 am – 12:00 p.m. :: Course Timing

Water & Millennials: An Industry Gap Analysis & Scorecard

Aging water infrastructure, retiring employees, weather extremes, sustainable water management, smart technologies, rising customer expectations, rising costs and cybersecurity challenges require a multi-skilled workforce.

To ensure Millennials will be the future leaders of the water industry, we start with a gap analysis that identifies where your company or utility is now, critical operating issues that impact system performance, a scorecard that captures key skills and expectations, where you want to be in 24 months and the Millennial workforce issues impacted. This baseline will be used for crafting game plans and communication strategies.

When Millennials Take Over

In 7 months, Millennials will comprise 50% of the U.S. workforce – 75% by 2025. But many will not join the U.S. workforce, as they have income opportunities and alternatives no other generation has ever enjoyed – via freelancing, mobile-preneurship, direct sales and social media businesses.

At 86M, Millennials are 2 times the size of Gen X, are passionate about making the world better and don’t see diversity lines. They are one team with a global, YOLO perspective.

Learn who the Millennial generation is, what they want, what’s important to them, the skills they have in spades (and what they lack), how they view careers, how they differ from Baby Boomers and Gen X employees and why the water industry is not on their radar.

“You have a new workforce that’s coming, looking for ease of use and ease of access — they don’t want manuals and they don’t want datasheets; they look it up on their phones or their iPads.” – Greg Livelli, Senior VP and Head of Product Portfolio Management at ABB

12:00 – 1:00 p.m. :: Group Luncheon

1:00 – 5:00 p.m. :: Course Continues

The War for Water Talent

Industry CFOs understand their infrastructure costs, CAPEX liabilities, investment needs and regulatory constraints. Water IT professionals understand their technology, enterprise and cybersecurity systems and needs. Engineering managers understand their water and waste water infrastructure and the skills needed to operate efficiently.

What none have factored in is how the war for Gen X and Millennial talent will skew operating costs, CAPEX projections, infrastructure investments and cultural norms – especially when coupled with the cost of 25-30% Baby Boomer attrition in 2019.

You will leave with a deep understanding of the upcoming costs of Millennial talent and tools for sharing these insights with senior decision makers.

“The fact is, by sheer numbers, as the baby boomers retire there are not always enough operators. So the concern is not just inexperience coming in to replace the experienced, it’s not having enough actual bodies to do the work that we traditionally relied on in the past.” –  Brian LaBelle, Director of Business Development, Water Treatment & Energy, GF Piping Systems*

Attracting & Retaining Millennials: The 5 Actions Game Plan

“Let’s face it, our industry has done a pretty poor job over the last 10 or 15 years of bringing younger folks into this industry.” – David Barrasse, Sales Manager,  Brentwood Industries*

Attracting and retaining Millennial talent requires faster career paths, flex hours, quicker promotions, mobility-centric technology environments, upgraded physical work environments and replacing the “Good Ole Boy Club” with cultural engagement that reflects a more ethnically diverse generation.

We explore the 5 actions your company or agency must do in 2019 to attract and retain Millennials, including:

1. Being Cool: How water industry values match Millennials’ values
2. The critical Employer Value Proposition (EVP)
3. The importance of an “Employee Experience” workplace
4. Retention: Matching employment benefits to Millennial drivers
5. Telling your story through social media, video and career channels like Glassdoor and LinkedIn. (PS – the Millennials don’t use Facebook. You’re talking to your employees.)

* Quotes – https://www.wateronline.com/doc/baby-boomers-millennials-and-the-future-of-the-water-industry-0001

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. :: Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. :: Insights, Reactions & Questions from Day One

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. :: Course Timing

5 Actions to Take Now – Continued

Continuation of 5 Actions game plan.

Communicating What It Takes to Win Millennial Talent

Knowing how to communicate Millennial workforce value, needs and costs to public entities, decision makers, senior executives and rate payers (all with differing expectations and agendas) is critical.

Summarizing our gap analysis findings, Millennial insights, projected costs and actions needed to attract digital talent, we will craft a Communications plan for informing and educating diverse stakeholders that may be used in presentations, social media and reports. You will leave this course a thought leader, influencer and go-to source for guiding your utility or company through Millennial issues and decisions.

Janet Kieffer
INFLUENCE

Janet Kieffer has a passion for infrastructure industries – the result of more than 25 years of consulting experience with Power, Water and Wastewater utilities and solution providers that support these industries.

She has an extensive background in industry research, strategic advising and gap analysis planning. She is an expert in multi-generational workforce issues – especially the nuances of attracting and retaining Millennials.

Janet has authored and led numerous Millennial courses for executives, engineers, Human Resources, IT managers and those responsible for managing the transition from Baby Boomers to Digital Talent. She is also a sought-after speaker at industry conferences and consultant to companies struggling with attracting and keeping highly-mobile Millennial employees.

A published author, Janet holds a Masters in Marketing with a specialization in Growth Strategy from the University of California, Berkeley.

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

The Millennial Workforce in Water and Wastewater Utilities

May 20, 2019 | Denver, CO