Young Professionals
The Young Professionals (YP) Committee encourages increased participation of young professionals (under age 35) in NEWEA and fosters professional development within the first five years of employment in the environmental field. The committee plans and organizes events and activities that are of interest and benefit to the young professional sector and NEWEA. A few examples of these events and activities are highlighted below:
Mentoring Program
At the 2018 Annual Conference, the Young Professionals (YP) Committee unveiled a new Mentoring Program. The program, which will last 15 months, pairs member and non-member YPs new to NEWEA with seasoned mentors from the NEWEA network. The program gives participants the opportunity to form a working relationship with a mentor, which will expand their network and introduce them to various facets of the water/environment industry, potentially leading to a lifelong relationship with their mentor.
The Mentoring Program isn’t only great for mentees: it can also enrich the experience of mentors by giving them a fresh perspective on the incoming wave of water environment professionals. Learn More.
Operator Shadowing Program
Another key program that the NEWEA YPs have started involves shadowing wastewater treatment plant operators for a day or half a day at the various treatment plants around New England. This not only grants some less experienced YP members the knowledge and insight of how the operations works, but also highlights the different processes used at each facility throughout the region.
The NEWEA YPs currently have four plants signed up to participate in the program and the initial launch is expected to take place this summer.
Let’s Socialize
One of the critical parts of a YP’s career is building and maintaining network relations. The environmental field is a tight knit community of professionals and events such as Red Sox outings, bowling events and even meeting at a local restaurant to catch up helps foster these relationships. The NEWEA YPs take part in events that support the Water For People fundraising efforts and have recently begun collaborating with the New England Water Works Young Professionals group.
Check out our new Career Brochure for information on water quality professionals and the different career opportunities in the water quality industry.