NEXTGEN Water Workforce Conference

Youth economic advancement

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Youth Economic Advancement can depend largely on young people’s ability to obtain quality living-wage jobs. Youth may face barriers to professional training, post-secondary education, exposure to industries, and practical and industry-specific skills.
Youth unable to obtain quality living-wage jobs exacerbates Income Inequality, particularly within disadvantaged communities. NEET Youth may also have reduced access to social networks that limits exposure to the variety of job markets and industries to consider.
A 2023 Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research report on California Workforce Needs in the Water/Wastewater Industry cites that 37% of water/wastewater workers are 50 and older. The study also cites that water/wastewater jobs will make up about 12% of the total statewide labor market demand, through 2026. These positions are critical to providing a safe, reliable, and climate resilient water supply to our communities.

NEXTGEN is a proposed two-day career conference for young adults in LA County, including students interested in STEAM education and NEET Youth alike. NEXTGEN addresses Youth Economic Advancement and Income Inequality by expanding awareness of and creating direct links to water industry job resources. Registration for this conference will be free, and financial assistance of up to $250 (for up to 100 attendees) will be made available.
NEXTGEN seeks to present the various career pathways to those who are unaware of, or not considering, the impact, income, and balance that water industry jobs can provide. Information session topics include climate resilience, hydrology and climate change, human right to water, distribution, water quality, and technical skills via demonstrations. NEXTGEN also seeks to build a bridge between conference attendees and professional resources to enhance skills needed to seek out professional roles. Speakers and workshops are designed to educate attendees on training and educational requirements for the variety of pathways, some of which require only a professional certification. Session formats include coffee with a water pro, resume reviews and interview practice. Attendees will also network with professionals while touring our region’s water-infrastructure. In addition, to further empower attendees, attendees will participate in a group project to identify and create solutions to problems affecting local communities.

Water industry careers offer secure, quality living-wage, and climate resilience-oriented jobs providing vital public services. In addition, public water agency jobs provide benefits which can include education reimbursement and career development. This program will help raise awareness of an often-overlooked industry and the need for a next generation water workforce.
NEXTGEN will present attendees with a variety of different career pathway options and a clear roadmap of the requirements for each position of interest. NEXTGEN will also facilitate practical skills training and water professionals networking.
Attendees will be able to share their experiences within their social networks, raising collective awareness to more quality living-wage opportunities and fulfilling career pathways. NEXTGEN is scalable and could eventually become integrated with an existing training program, expand to reach more individuals, or grow beyond the scope of Los Angeles County.

NEXTGEN is a proposed, early-stage project. Success is defined as raising awareness of water-industry jobs and building direct links between Youth and water industry job opportunities. Metrics to measure awareness of the water industry can include the number of attendees, attendee participation rate, and post-event survey. Metrics to measure a direct link between Youth and water industry jobs can be measured by the number of resumes enhanced, number of enrollments in water training/education programs, and number of attendees eventually obtaining employment.
Attendees can also provide feedback through the post-event survey on what aspects they found particularly helpful and provide suggestions for additional tools and information that might be helpful for them.